A few days ago, we introduced this project - the Mad County standard. It’s basically just a scaled down version of our own personal barndominium home. It has a total of 3 bedrooms and 3 1/2 bathrooms. This plan is available on our website as well as many other stock plans.
Barndominium Site Prep:
During the summer, we had a bulldozer come on site and do extensive work to level out a challenging hill here. The meticulous process involved cutting out the hill and flattening it to create a solid foundation for the upcoming construction.
We always opt for the removal of dirt over adding fill for a more secure footing. To enhance drainage underneath the slab, we strategically spread three to four inches of one-inch clean rock gravel. The ground was basically hard as a rock and it creates a unique challenge for drilling. Despite this, we are prepared for the task and eager to see how the ground responds to our drilling efforts.
Our project involves two distinct structures - a house with impressive 18-foot side walls and a garage with slightly smaller 10-foot side walls. Our current focus is on squaring up the house layout before seamlessly integrating the garage into the overall plan.
Barndominium Layout:
Choosing the front of the house involved engaging discussions, with everyone providing input to ensure the best possible outcome. To maintain precision in laying out footings, we employ quarter-inch grid paper, meticulously drawing out footings and recording dimensions. Batter boards and stakes are then utilized to set the grade accurately. With the foundation of the layout set, we move onto the exciting phase of actually laying out the structure. Each step, from marking points to setting batter boards, is a crucial part of the meticulous planning required for a successful build.
Digging Piers:
After the layout is set, we can move on to digging the piers. As we approach the end of the day, and with some team members unavailable, we persist in our footing work. Unexpected challenges arise as we encounter massive rocks and metal pieces, which extend our work time. However, our dedication to overcoming obstacles is unwavering. Using creative problem-solving, we reinforce the sonotubes impacted by the challenging terrain. This process involves a careful balancing act, ensuring the structural integrity of the footings despite the unexpected hurdles.
As this day concludes, we have our layout complete and our piers are drilled. In the next few days and weeks we will be moving on to pouring concrete, placing brackets, and then starting the building of our post frame structure.
Thank you,
MR Post Frame
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