metal buildings as homes???? why? experience anyone?

[tipitina]

I've been seeing more and more of these metal buildings being used as homes lately. Anyone know the reason? Are they cheaper? Stronger? More efficient? It may just be my area here in central Texas, but it seems more and more people are putting these up out in my neck of the woods. I do drive a lot of county roads so see more country than most. Maybe it's coincidence? Dunno, just curious if anyone has any experiences.

[jooger17]

My dad owns a metal building buisness and yes they are becoming more popular. The main reason being they are maintanence free and they last forever. If you get someone who does quality work you shouldn't have any repairs for long after the 26 year warantee of the iron. The shingles on a roof usually last 8-10 years these days because of government specs. The cost of material as opposed to wood is pretty close and termites can't eat red iron. I am actually laying out the plans on building my own home out of metal soon.

[idratherbhuntin]

I insure a lot of them and the biggest reason for them in my area is because I live in the Cutting Horse capital of the world. Home owners that have them around here would rather live in a metal house on 100 acres where they have plenty of land for their horses and cattle. They chose to put more money in to land than the house.

I guess but they look at it as more "bang for your buck." A 2000 square foot newer home on a LOT in an average neighborhood in my parts is going to run you about 160K-180,000. Then you have insurance and taxes to pay on top of that. Tax's on this home would run you about 5,040 a year and depending on the discounts and age of home about 1,000 a year for insurance.

The all metal homes look like a regular metal building from the outside and completely finished out on the inside. That same 2000 square foot (metal) home can be built for about 80K-100,000. Taxes will be a lot less because the value is less and these homes are typically built in the country or outside the city limits. Insurance will also be less because it will get an ALL METAL rate as oppose to a Brick VENEER RATE. Even though it is is farther from a FD.

I can not speak for efficiency but they are built just as strong now days. You don't have to replace the metal roof every time a hail storm comes through.

To each his own. My 2 cents.

[tipitina]

WOW, is there really that much cost difference?

[cantexduck]

alot of people also live in them while they are building their house. The tax man wont appraise it as a house but as a "storage" building.

[idratherbhuntin]

It is all in how you finish it out. I have walked in to several that have granit counters and slate or hand-scraped hardwood floors with crown molding throught. There are others that I have been in that have laminate countertops and stained concrete floors.

Also, it depends if you buy a kit or have it custom built by a metal building company. I had a guy quote me a little over $14 a foot WITH SLAB and labor on just the building alone with no finish out. The particular plan I was looking at was 1800 sf. That means it was 25,200 for the 'shell'. I could finish it out my self for about another 30K or I could pay a builder to finish it for more. It will cost me a little more on the slab because I want to do post-tension cables.

In the end I will have a 1800 sf house for about 60 to 65,000 AND it will be in the middle of my 10 acres. With what I have in the land my grand total will be about 145,000. Much rather be in an 1800 sf house on ten acres than a 1600 sf house in town on a lot for the same price.

I also agree about the tax man. thy appraise your house from the outside. not inside.

[tipitina]

rather, could you send me some more details? matallica69 @ hotmail

[tipitina]

u can piost here if u like, I am just interested in plan selection, etc.

[gofish24]

Less Taxes!!! some of the other reasons above help, but i know at least a dozen people that live in "barndominiums" and they do it becuase the the taxes are less.

[Cotton]

We put metal siding on the ranch house 12 years ago and it still looks just like it did then. I just wish the it was all metal and if retire and add on it will be all metal.

[black dallas]

take a look at lee and tiffany lakowski's home on that hunting show getting close. thats a barndamonium. looks plain as heck on the outside but man is it nice on the inside

[LTH]

I live in one now. I took a 40'x60' building and built out a 2 story home in 20'x40' of it. It gave me a 1600sf home with a 1600sf shop to boot. My building came from mueller and was only 14,995. That does not include concrete but did have 2 14'x14' roll-up doors and insulation.

[lovemylegacy]

I live in a "metal house". They are less expensive, very strong and need very little maintenance.When Rita came ashore a couple of years ago we sustained no structural or superficial damage, just a garagedoor blown off it's tracks...just put'em back on and that was it.Not bad for 100mph plus winds.

[Bubba]

Taxes are one of the main reasons. I have 2 friends that live in them one did a 40x 60 and built out half the building into a 2bed room 2 story apartment. The other is a 60x80 very nice 3 brdroom with a big office looking down into the living room on one side and a game room looking down into the living room on the other side. Total of about 6000sqft home on the tax role as a $40000.00 building.And it's as nice as any $300000.00 upper end home out there on the inside.

[Bubba]

I think he told me he had $80000.00 in it but he did 80% of the work.