KEY TAKEAWAYS
- A finished barndominium combines full residential comfort with a practical attached shop under one roof.
- Floor plan decisions lead the project and determine footprint, height, and door and window placement.
- Most families use the non-residential area for hobbies, small business work, vehicles, and RV storage.
- Exterior design can be high-end with stone accents, timber detailing, porches, and strong colour pairings for curb appeal.
- Post frame construction supports open layouts, tall overhead doors, and design flexibility while adapting to Canadian site conditions.
You want a home tailored to rural living—one that supports the way you work, relax, and spend time with family and friends. A barndominium delivers that blend, pairing modern residential comfort with practical space for projects, storage, and everyday life. Families appreciate the openness, natural light, and room to securely store everything from bikes and ATVs to a half-ton truck or holiday trailer. Rural property owners also like the freedom to design a layout that fits daily life instead of squeezing life into a standard plan.
Across Canada, interest in barndominiums has grown as people place more value on land, flexible space, and practicality for rural life. A finished barndo can include warm living areas, a chef‑style kitchen, quiet bedrooms, and an attached shop under one roof. Thoughtful design makes mudrooms, porches, and storage tailored to the way you live. The result is a residence that creates a more relaxing, more productive, more fulfilling country life.
What is a Barndominium?
A barndominium, also called a shop home, is a type of rural home that pairs everyday living spaces with true shop utility. The format typically allocates a substantial portion of the building to non-residential use for vehicles, tools, and projects, often with tall doors and wide, open bays. A widely cited industry guideline notes that a barndominium or shop home commonly dedicates at least 50 percent of the total area to the shop portion. The result is a multi-use building that supports a comfortable living space alongside practical work and storage areas without compromise.
Most barndominium buyers choose post frame construction because engineered posts and trusses deliver clear spans, generous ceiling heights, and accommodate large overhead door openings. Post frame structures create flexible interiors that are free of load-bearing walls, so layout options are virtually endless and favour spacious, open floor plans. The defining difference from a typical house is the blend of residential comfort with practical shop capacity in one purpose-built structure.
How Does a Barndominium Work?
Building a barndominium is a highly personalized process that starts with understanding how you want to live in the space. Families and designers align floor plan, structure, and exterior features at the same time. A clear plan for rooms, second floors, and ceiling heights informs wall height, truss types, and building dimensions. Door and window locations follow how you live, how vehicles move, and where daylight makes the most difference. The result is a finished home where the shell and the interior feel like one cohesive design. The journey of building a barndominium follows several key steps:
- Site planning: Confirm the land can support your desired footprint, planned driveway layout, apron size, and turning space. This includes choosing the parcel, reviewing setbacks, and completing dirt work so drainage and elevations are right before construction starts. Early site planning prevents conflicts with access, slope, and utilities once the structure goes up.
- Floor plan first: Finalize bedroom counts, kitchen size, bath locations, and the relationship between living areas and the shop. You can start from a standard layout or choose a fully custom plan that reflects how you live and how your shop operates. This early clarity prevents structural conflicts later and keeps the process smooth.
- Right-sized footprint: Choose a footprint and height that match the plan, for example 40’ x 60’ x 16’ to support a mezzanine or two full levels.
- Exterior detailing: Select wainscoting, colour pairings, soffit & fascia, porches, and eavestroughs & downspouts to manage water and polish curb appeal.
- Shell construction: Your chosen builder will construct the exterior shell of your barndominium to lock-up so the structure is weather-tight, secure, and ready for interior trades.
- Interior finishing: Your general contractor will frame and finish the interior after lock-up, completing rooms, services, and details according to your plan.
A finished barndominium should feel like a thoughtfully built home that happens to include a shop, not a shop that added living space. Good planning reduces compromises later. The best builds reflect how you live at the start rather than forcing changes after walls go up, or relying on future renovations.
Why Barndominiums Are Gaining Attention in Canada
Barndominiums are quickly gaining popularity in Canada because they are a smarter fit for rural living, where space, function, and versatility matter every day. Modern barndominiums allow Canadian families to balance home needs with storage and workspace requirements in one, multi-use building that aligns with daily life in the country. Families and owner-operators like that the attached shop can conveniently support hobbies, business activities, and secure storage under the same roof as their home. The design flexibility also supports styles from modern farmhouse to contemporary shop home to appeal to a wide range of tastes and preferences.
Layouts that actually fit life in the country
Families living in the country want spaces that support their lifestyle, making mornings, evenings, and weekends more enjoyable. Barndominiums accomplish that with large, open kitchens for hosting, and decks or covered porches that overlook the countryside. Planning the shop’s relationship to daily activities, such as mudrooms near the shop door, keeps mess away from living areas and shortens clean‑up after projects. Together, a thoughtful layout creates a home that simply feels right—enhancing family time, security, and productivity to encourage a slower, more fulfilling way of life.
Shop & hobby integration for all purposes
Barndominiums shine for mechanics, welders, woodworkers, and makers who want a safe, organized place to work. The shop portion can include large equipment doors for a pickup or a project car, plus car lifts, racking, work benches, and tool stations along clear walls. Families often use the space for fitness corners, recreation space, or storage for bikes, sports equipment, and recreational vehicles like quads and snowmobiles. RV owners appreciate a tall door that ends the shuffle of off‑site storage and provides greater security than keeping their trailer or motorhome outdoors.
Noise control and proper ventilation keep the residence calm, preventing shop activities from interfering with daily life in the home. Properly placed exhaust fans and sealed door systems reduce odours from finishes or fuels. Smart design adds doors and insulation that stop sound from the shop before it reaches the residence.
Exterior design possibilities taken seriously
Finished barndominiums deliver rustic charm and curb appeal. Exteriors can include an endless list of design features, like stone accents, timber details, porches, decks, and faux trusses that deliver a refined residential presence. Colour pairings with wainscoting create strong proportions and visual interest. Overhangs with soffit & fascia add shadow lines and improve attic ventilation for long‑term performance.
Front elevations can feel modern, traditional, or somewhere in between. Window groupings and porch shapes set the tone, from welcoming family home to sleek rural modern. Thoughtful exterior lighting brightens pathways and highlights architectural features.
A finished barndominium attracts attention because it meets rural families’ demands for space, productivity, security, and comfort in a single building, not as two separate projects. Rural property owners like the convenience of having room for hobbies, work, and storage incorporated into their residence, without investing in multiple buildings.
“Modern barndominiums allow Canadian families to balance home needs with storage and workspace requirements in one, multi-use building that aligns with daily life in the country.”
Benefits of Choosing a Barndominium for Your Property
A finished barndominium should feel like a home first and a capable shop or hobby space second—uniting family life, productivity, and the peace of rural living under one roof. The barndominium format also streamlines parking, storage, and weekend projects that traditional houses often struggle to support without sacrificing security or comfort. Design flexibility keeps decisions aligned with your taste and your land, so your barndominium adds value to your family’s life in the country.
- Integrated living & working: Live comfortably and keep projects close, with noise and fume control that keeps the residence peaceful.
- Clear spans: Interiors free from load-bearing walls create spacious kitchen‑living areas and support open floor plans.
- Straightforward access: Tall overhead doors welcome trucks, trailers, and recreational vehicles, keeping everything secure and sheltered.
- Serious storage: Mezzanines and tall workshop walls support racking, car lifts, and storage for assorted belongings like sports gear, tools, and maintenance equipment.
- Curb appeal your way: Stone accents, timber features, wainscoting, and porches deliver a premium residential aesthetic with rustic charm that looks natural in the country.
For those who call the country home, a barndominium enhances everyday life. Families who value comfort, productivity and wide-open spaces tend to feel at home in a barndominium. The layout lets you work comfortably and securely store valuables in a shop conveniently attached to your spacious home. Design choices carry real benefits you feel every day, like tidy storage and easy access. The building is more than a home; it is a smoother routine and a more enjoyable life in the country.
Barndominium Interior & Exterior Design Options
Interior planning should start on day one because your floor plan determines wall heights, truss choices, and the overall footprint. Start with the number of bedrooms, the size of kitchen, and how much space you’ll need in the shop for storage and work. Decide how the shop connects to mudrooms, storage, and bathrooms, then place doors to support those moves. Exterior detailing follows naturally once the interior floor plan is set.
| Design goal | Helpful choices | Why it matters |
| Keep the house comfortably separate from the shop | Sealed interior doors, insulation, mudroom buffer, exhaust fans | Reduces noise, odours, and tracked‑in mess |
| Maximize usable storage | Mezzanine or full second floor, taller walls | Adds vertical capacity without expanding the footprint |
| Brighten work & living areas | Window placement, sunshine doors, open interiors | Improves daylight and makes spaces feel larger |
| Welcome large vehicles & trailers | Overhead doors sized to vehicles, wider apron | Creates comfortable clearance to maneuver and store vehicles |
| Boost curb appeal | Wainscoting, porches, stone or timber accents | Delivers a polished, residential presence with rustic charm |
| Enjoyable outdoor spaces | Covered porches, second-floor verandas and decks | Extends living space outdoors to enjoy the peaceful countryside |
Thoughtful designs create a finished barndominium that feels balanced, comfortable, and complements life in the country. The best designs are well-planned and tailored to your hobbies, family, and lifestyle.
How Post Frame Construction Shapes the Value of a Barndominium
Post frame construction supports the finished barndominium many families picture, with open floor plans and a spacious workshop. The system uses engineered posts and trusses to carry loads efficiently, which helps living areas feel open and the shop feel uncluttered. Larger door openings are easier to integrate, which suits trucks, trailers, and RVs. Exterior detailing remains personal, from colour choices to stone and timber touches.
Clear spans that protect design freedom
Open interior spaces without load-bearing walls mean post frame barndominiums have endless possibilities for bright, spacious floor plans. Kitchens and living areas can flow without a maze of supporting walls or columns. Bedrooms and offices can sit where you want them rather than where structure forces them. The same freedom helps the workshop and vehicle bays line up with tools and vehicles. Barndominiums built with post frame construction offer virtually endless layout possibilities.
Those clear spans also make future changes less invasive. If you add a home office or shift a lounge, you are less likely to fight a bearing wall. Flexibility becomes a long‑term advantage of post frame barndominiums.
Low maintenance for more time enjoying your rural retreat
The exterior of a post frame barndominium is designed for low maintenance, giving rural homeowners more time to enjoy their property. Durable metal cladding on the exterior walls and roof stands up to hail, winds, and other impacts far better than traditional shingles or vinyl siding, reducing the frequency and cost of exterior upkeep.
The metal’s impact resistance and long-lasting paint finishes help the building retain its appearance for decades with minimal effort. That durability means far less time spent repairing, repainting, or replacing exterior materials—and far more time to relax, pursue hobbies, or enjoy meaningful moments with family instead of maintaining your home.
Energy-efficient envelopes that support long-term comfort
Post frame construction creates large wall cavities that are well-suited to high-performance insulation. Fewer structural interruptions help reduce thermal bridging, which improves energy retention across heating and cooling seasons. The spacious cavities also simplify air-sealing and allow insulation systems to perform consistently from slab to ceiling. Barndominium owners feel steadier interior temperatures and lower wasted energy throughout the year.
These structural efficiencies pair well with thoughtful door and window placement that maximizes solar gain and daylight. A well-insulated envelope also reduces mechanical strain, which supports long-term system life. When the shell performs consistently, interior comfort becomes easier and less costly to maintain through winter storms, summer heat, and shoulder seasons. Energy efficiency becomes part of the building’s everyday experience.
A smoother path from plan to finish
A post frame structure is simple and efficient, which shortens the journey from breaking ground to lock-up. Crews can stand posts, frame, set trusses, and close the exterior shell with fewer labour hours on site compared to more traditional structural systems. Faster lock-up protects materials earlier and opens the door for interior trades to move ahead sooner. That accelerates the path to move-in day and reduces the period where the site sits exposed to weather.
This clear sequencing also lowers the amount of rework for later trades. When door sizes, window placements, spans, and ceiling heights are fixed early, interior framing and mechanical runs proceed with confidence. Families feel the benefits in a cleaner schedule, earlier interior progress, and a more predictable move-in timeline. The simplicity of post frame becomes a direct advantage in the full build process.
What Impacts the Cost of a Barndominium in Canada?
Prospective owners ask about barndominium costs because budgets guide the plan from the first conversation. Costs respond to the size of the footprint, height, door types, and the finish details you choose inside and out. Site conditions and location also influence time, equipment, materials, and the cost to tie utilities into the building. Clear priorities help you invest where you will feel the benefit daily.
- Footprint & height: Larger dimensions and taller walls increase material quantities, require longer trusses, and extend construction time.
- Second storey or mezzanine: Additional levels introduce structural loads, stair framing, and finish requirements that expand both material and labour needs.
- Window count & placement: Every opening adds framing, sealing, and finishing steps that increase labour hours and detailing complexity.
- Exterior finishes: Stone accents, wainscoting, porches, and timber elements require more specialized materials and detailed installation.
- Site access & prep: Challenging grades, long drive distances, rocky soil, or limited equipment access extend timelines and increase the cost of site work before construction.
- Utilities & services: Electrical capacity, plumbing runs, and HVAC zoning scale with the size and layout of the building, influencing mechanical and installation costs.
- Interior finish level: Higher-end kitchens, baths, millwork, and flooring require more labour and premium materials, which increases overall investment.
The best way to control costs is to work with a builder who understands which features truly affect daily comfort and long-term value based on your end goals and preferences. A knowledgeable team can point out where structural choices, door sizes, or layout adjustments will deliver the most return for your lifestyle. A designer who establishes a clear plan before ground is broken will prevent costly revisions and keep the project focused on what matters. Strong guidance early in the process sets up a calm, predictable path from design to lock-up and into interior finishing.
Important Considerations Before Building a Barndominium
A successful barndominium starts long before construction, with a sequence of decisions that set the entire project on firm ground. These early steps influence cost, comfort, practicality, and how smoothly the build will progress. The clearest plans come from understanding your land, choosing the right people, and shaping a layout that reflects daily routines. Good preparation removes regrets down the road and protects the investment you are making in your home.
Selecting the right site & orientation
Securing a parcel of land to build your barndominium on is the first step in building your home. Choosing the proper site is one of the most influential decisions in the entire process. A suitable parcel needs enough flat ground for the building footprint, shop access, aprons, and safe vehicle turning without tight manoeuvres. Grades, drainage patterns, and soil conditions will shape foundation options and required dirt work to prep the building pad. Without land, it’s difficult to accurately budget or begin designing your barndominium.
Orientation plays a major role in how the home feels. Align living areas, decks, and large windows with the best views the land offers. Consider how morning and afternoon light move through the interior and how that affects comfort. Sight lines from kitchens, offices, or decks help connect daily life to the scenery around you. When site selection is intentional, the building settles naturally into its surroundings and supports a calmer routine from the first day you move in.
Arrange barndominium financing
Financing a barndominium on a rural property in Canada is different than financing a traditional home in the city. Many lenders hesitate to finance raw land without a primary residence, which is why owning the land beforehand often streamlines the approval process. Engaging your bank early is the most effective way to understand available lending structures for both the land and the barndominium itself.
In many cases, securing a new home warranty through your general contractor is another key requirement, helping lenders gain confidence in the long-term quality and risk profile of the project.
Selecting your post frame builder & general contractor
Another major decision is choosing the team that will bring your project to life. A post frame builder should have the engineering expertise, manufacturing control, and craftsmanship ability to deliver a strong, weather-tight shell to lock-up. Their work establishes the structural system, doors, windows, and overall proportions of the building, as well as finishing the interior of the workshop portion. A separate general contractor then handles interior framing, insulation, plumbing, electrical, and finishes of the residence once the shell is complete.
Clear divisions of responsibility keep the process orderly. The post frame builder focuses on strength, long-term durability, and exterior details of the shell, while the general contractor ensures the living spaces meet your comfort and finish expectations. Selecting both early helps avoid gaps, overlaps, and scheduling challenges. When each team knows its role and works within its specialty, the build progresses with confidence.
Floor plan leads, structure follows
A thoughtful floor plan that accounts for current and future needs will guide every structural choice that follows. Decide bedroom counts, kitchen layout, bath locations, and shop use before locking in footprint and height. Stairs, hallways, and living spaces inform where windows and doors should sit. Ceiling heights follow comfort goals in living areas and storage or clearance needs in the shop.
A floorplan grounded in the way you live and considers future growth prevents renovations and ensures long-term value. The finished home will feel grounded in how you live, not in what the structure forces.
Permits, codes & inspections
Every region has rules that influence height, setbacks, driveway entrances, and exterior appearance. Early conversations with authorities save time and prevent redesigns later. Structural engineering and stamped drawings support approvals and ensure the building is designed for local snow, wind, and soil conditions. Inspections throughout the process confirm the structure is built to last.
Clear documentation also helps with financing and long-term property value. When plans spell out structure, mechanical paths, and finishing expectations, the project gains predictability. Rural property owners benefit from transparency at every step. Solid paperwork is part of a solid build.
A barndominium built on thoughtful preparation performs better, lives better, and stands the test of time. When the land is well-chosen, the financing is in order, the right teams are in place, and the floor plan reflects real daily life, the entire project moves with fewer surprises and greater certainty. The result is a home that feels intentional, functions smoothly, and supports the lifestyle that brought you to rural living in the first place.
“A successful barndominium starts long before construction.”
Comparing Barndominiums to Other Rural Building Options
The main difference between a barndominium and other rural home options is the integration of a finished residence with a large, practical shop under one roof, rather than splitting living and working across separate buildings. This integration delivers open spans, tall doors, and flexible layouts that standard houses often struggle to support without a detached structure. Rural families gain comfort, storage, and project capacity in one thoughtfully planned build. Exterior design remains highly customizable to match your aesthetic preferences.
| Option | What it is | Strengths | Considerations |
| Barndominium (finished residence + integrated shop) | A custom home with large attached shop | Open spans, large shop doors, flexible layouts, energy efficiency, strong curb appeal options | Will need a post frame builder for the shell and a general contractor for interior framing and finishing |
| Stick‑built house + detached garage | Traditional house with a separate outbuilding | Familiar process, many trades, easy neighbourhood fit | Less natural for RVs or tall doors, storage split across buildings |
| Modular/manufactured home + separate shop | Factory‑built home with stand‑alone shop | Quick setup on some sites, predictable finishes | Transport limits sizes, fewer tall door options on the house itself |
Regional Factors That Affect Barndominium Builds in Western Canada
Remuda Building has completed countless projects throughout British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Our experience has made us familiar with varying snow loads, wind exposures, frost depth, and soil conditions across Western Canada’s regions. Those realities shape structural choices, envelope details, and schedules. A plan that respects local codes and climate protects comfort and finishes for years. Local knowledge turns weather and soil into straightforward requirements instead of surprises.
- Prairie wind & drifting: Truss design, bracing specifications, plus post size and spacing are engineered to handle gusts and snow loads.
- Foothills freeze‑thaw: Drainage, eavestroughs & downspouts, and slab details reduce movement and pooling.
- Northern cold: Air sealing, insulation levels, and ventilation keep interiors comfortable.
- Rocky or shallow soils: Require more drilling time and proper post anchoring to adapt to limited depth or bedrock.
- Rural distance: Crew travel and material delivery affect sequencing and staging.
- Municipal rules: Setbacks, height limits, and appearance restrictions guide building placement, design, and finish details.
Regional planning helps the finished barndominium feel like it belongs to your site. Snow loads, wind direction, and site conditions stop being problems and start informing intentional design and engineering choices. Families gain confidence because engineering and design match their site conditions, not a one-size-fits-all approach.
How Remuda Helps You Build the Right Barndominium Shell
Remuda takes a personal, high‑touch approach that starts with your floor plan and daily routine. A Barndominium Specialist will discuss how your family lives, what your priorities for a rural home are, and how your property affects the design of your future barndo. Those inputs guide footprint, height, floor plan, and exterior finishes so the barndominium shell supports your dream life in the country. Remuda’s in‑house manufacturing of laminated posts and trusses provides control and accountability from design to install, and our engineering standards protect long‑term strength. In British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, we build residential shells to lock‑up only, which means you get a weather‑tight, secure structure ready for your chosen interior trades.
Our design conversations connect endless features and design options to real benefits you will feel every day. Wainscoting, soffit & fascia, porches, mezzanines, and foundation options such as Standard, Grade Guard, or Perma‑Column systems are explained through how they will serve your lifestyle. We set expectations clearly so scheduling and on‑site steps are straightforward and frustration-free. Count on Remuda Building to go Above & Beyond Ordinary with clarity, craftsmanship, and service you can trust.
Common Questions about Barndominiums in Canada
Rural property owners often search for clear, direct answers before moving ahead with building a barndominium. Good information helps turn interest into a plan that fits your land and lifestyle. The questions here focus on finished barndominiums rather than a single building method. Each answer is kept concise so you can move to design discussions with confidence.
People use “barndo” as shorthand for a finished residence that includes an attached shop or hobby space under the same roof. The industry commonly defines a barndominium or shop home as a primary residence that dedicates at least 50 percent of the total area to non-residential use, which reflects how these buildings blend daily living with meaningful shop capacity. The home portion offers the same comforts you expect in a modern residence, including full kitchens and baths. The shop portion supports vehicles, tools, storage, and hands-on projects without feeling like a separate outbuilding. The appeal comes from a single structure that brings comfort and capability together in a practical, rural-friendly format.
Floor plan decisions decide everything from height and footprint to where windows and doors go. Stairs, bedrooms, and living areas inform ceiling heights and truss choices, especially if you want two levels. Door sizing follows the vehicles you park inside. When interiors lead, the exterior feels properly proportioned and easy to use.
Most barndominium owners use the attached space for hobbies, small business work, or storage. Mechanics, welders, and woodworkers appreciate spacious shop interiors and tall overhead doors for projects. Families often store trucks, SUVs, boats, and RVs, plus seasonal gear, tools, and bikes. The key is a clean separation from the living areas so comfort stays intact.
Costs depend on footprint, height, door types, finish level, and site conditions, which is why exact comparisons are often misleading. Families who value large doors, open layouts, and integrated storage find the format of barndominiums to be efficient for their priorities and enhance life in the country. Separating the shop into a detached building changes both scope and utility, so a clear plan matters more than averages. A budget will stretch further when tied to decisions that you value most.
Finished barndominiums can look every bit as refined as custom homes. Exterior options include stone and timber accents, wainscoting, porches, decks, and clean modern lines. Thoughtful window groupings and lighting elevate curb appeal. The home can look traditional or contemporary while still delivering practicality for rural families.
