Heavy timber architecture done right can make any structure look like an old German fairy tale. There is something honest about an exposed joinery, and the smell of freshly shaved cedar or fir. But sometimes there are limits; times in which elegance must intersect with a designer’s pragmatism.

Shed dormers are used fairly indiscriminately throughout our barn home kits. They help facilitate additional space in a building’s second story. Oftentimes they get a bad reputation for being ugly afterthoughts; band-aids for last minute attempts at fixing lost space. This is definitely not the case with us.

What makes a structure inelegant doesn’t come down to specific features. Every building’s elemental variable should feel intentional. A lazily-placed shed dormer can end up as an eyesore. Done correctly, however, it can be a beautiful confluence of practicality and beauty.

Shed Dormers and Gable Dormers

Shed dormers or “dustpan dormers” are characterized by their single-sloping roofs. A proper dormer should provide an average amount of headroom and space for windows. Keeping the dormer proportional in relation to the rest of the roof is the key to maintaining a more elegant look.

There are many different types of dormers included in our barn and barn home kits, although these usually incorporate one of two styles. The first, and most common, are gable dormers. These are smaller, more compartmentalized extrusions that reallocate water away from second-story windows. Usually they’re placed in rows of three, four, or even five, rather than as one solid mass.

The main type of shed dormer you see included in our kits is what’s called a Nantucket dormer. Multiple gables in one solid sub-structure conjures much more space than gable dormers. Hybridizing these two elements looks and functions better than the typical fully-supported shed dormer.

Of course, there’s no denying the level of space offered by a shed dormer. We use them repeatedly in some of our more popular kits. Check out our new Pineridge, a slightly different variation of our Oakridge kit. Like the Oakridge, each size option includes two shed dormers. These play important roles in establishing and maintaining enough space in the upstairs living quarters among each variation—especially the Pineridge 24’, a no-nonsense two-story post and beam building design aimed at maximizing efficiency.

Ready to take the first step toward building your dream barn home? Request a free quote to get started today.

Now more than ever, more people are moving from both rural and urban areas—a trend that is slowly redefining urban growth boundaries everywhere. The allure of city living has dwindled over the past five years in exchange for a life in the suburbs. Similarly, those in rural areas who are financially able are moving closer in, as well. For example, economic analyst Jared Kolko discovered a 30 percent increase of college educated populations in nonmetropolitan counties, all around the Pacific Northwest and Idaho. These two opposing trends will inevitably cause a time for flux in urban growth boundaries.

Living outside an urban growth boundary comes with its own distinct advantages and disadvantages. An urban growth boundary is usually decided by a city or metropolitan area. Depending on where these municipalities draw the line can cause serious comparative disparities in land value. Farmland can be valued at 10 times less than similar land merely feet away. It’s important to know where these boundaries are, and what policy trends are occurring.  

You can either save or lose money depending on your intentions. The addition of new infrastructure on your property will increase its value no matter what. It’s a much better route than renovating an old pre-existing structure. Click here for more information about the pros and cons of new construction versus renovation.

Check an updated version of your closest city’s urban growth plan, and find out where your prospective land is in relation to it. Studying policy trends in the past to see how you could be affected later, can help gauge how future decisions on increasing the boundary will be made. Being conscious of these factors can make or break a property’s market value.

Seclusion has been a key attraction for rural living, the price one might pay if land falls too close to an urban growth boundary. Cities can retroactively justify expanding infrastructure near or around your property if it was set aside into a rural reserve. This annexed land around your home can be used for any kind of development. So be sure you are staying privy to the projects being proposed in these areas before buying property as well.

Not many cities in the U.S. adopt urban growth boundary policies. Those that do are typically places where the lines between urban and rural blur. Examples of these places can be found in Portland, Oregon; Boulder, Colorado; Virginia Beach, Virginia; and Seattle, Washington. DC Structures knows firsthand the headaches of city planning, and the amount of government regulation that accompanies it. Staying on top of recent trends in rural-urban migration and city planning can make a huge difference when assessing land for your structure.

Ready to take the first step toward building your dream structure on your dream property? Request a free quote to get started today.

Barn raising was the go-to construction method during the 16th and 18th century in the United States. Community members from all around would converge on a farmer’s property to aid in post assembly. Specialists in joinery were outsourced and paid while community members worked unconditionally. This typically wasn’t an issue considering these were resource driven economies. Back then, a good relationship with a farmer was all one needed.

Although we don’t work for free, we do believe in establishing and nurturing good relationships. Some barn kit companies will simply pre-fabricate your dream and drop it off without any consideration for what is required afterwards. You obviously can’t rely on your neighbor anymore. That’s why we take the time to extend into our networks, and find you the perfect contractor in your area.

Building a lego style tool shed or a desk from Ikea is one thing. Constructing a 18,359 sq. ft. riding arena is another. Many companies will boast about on-site handcrafted joinery, cooper mortises and custom cedar railings, and then ship it out on trucks where they unload these materials and expect you to do the rest. Not us. A project is never complete unless we know every detail is taken care of from start to finish.

It isn’t simply a matter of rudeness, it’s also about safety. Finding your own contractor is a process in itself. Lacking proper networks can result in a never ending hunt for quotes. Even after your final selection, there’s still no assurance you picked the right people without knowing their official track record. Many contractors hire employees with limited to no experience in construction. Post and beam or heavy timber frames require a specialized touch you simply can’t find in many places. Worrying about structural integrity shouldn’t be an issue one wastes energy on whatsoever with our structures.

Luckily we have been in this business for a long time. Our history in construction is riddled with positive testimonials stretching back a decade. Looking at reputation is the best way you can avoid flippant subcontractors and inexperienced builders. Our time spent in this industry has also cultivated a strong relationship with many, top notch independent contractors.

If we can’t find an independent body, our parent company DC Builders will always be there to help. They operate much like an in-house resource. Having such a resource so close eliminates any deviations from consistency during the building process. It shows just how committed we are to making you know that you’re part of a broader community. Because even after your project is built, you can expect our follow-up team will be giving you a call.

Questions You Should Ask A Contractor

Are they doing it themselves or hiring a subcontractor?

A subcontractor isn’t an actual employee of the contractor you hire. Often times they can be people with little to no experience. Contractors enlist out of convenience making the trust between contractor and subcontractor very thin. Anyone we work with very rarely deploys subcontractors onto your property.

Are they bonded?

This is different than a license. Being bonded means the contractor has ownership of anything that might go wrong with your property if the structure is compromised in any way. Think of it as another insurance policy on your building.

Do they have proper licensing?

You can see if your contractor is properly licensed here.

Mustangs brought over from Spain embody the West’s untamable nature. Hundreds of these equine animals once roamed the rolling hills and prairies through snow and rain. Their wild disposition has since traveled through their genealogy, into stables across the country.

A horse would never step into a stable if they had their way. They naturally detest them, just as any large grazing animal would. That’s why we take special consideration for how they operate in these spaces, by enhancing the ecological elements that make horse care easier. At DC, horse stable design is an art form. 

The minimum size for a loose box stable is 10’x10’ to 12’x12’, according to the Canadian Agri-Food Research Council. Although this might be suitable for a riding horse, it falls short when it comes to draft breeds or if you’re expecting a foal. Adding extra room to our horse barn kits is no problem with our custom design capabilities. 

Horses are extremely inquisitive creatures. A clever steed can easily find its way around a poorly placed latch and show themselves out. It’s been widely documented that they have even jailbroken their compatriots for late night romps around the barn. Did we mention they hate stables?

Kidding aside, this can be a dangerous situation for your animals. Our catalog offers multiple stall front variations so you can choose the one you think best fits your horse’s intelligence. After all, they may have been brought here from Europe, but it’s the American West that raised their rebellious spirit.

Animal safety is a top priority. That’s why our horse arena building packages are curated by Classic Equine, the leading brand in horsing around. Any accessories such as stall mats and water buckets are all vetted for maintaining the well-being of your four-legged friends.

Solar is the fastest-growing alternative energy source in the world—a trend most would have dismissed as a fluke 48 years ago. That’s because photovoltaic systems back in 1970 were wildly expensive, costing around $70 per kilowatt an hour. Today, you pay significantly less at just 12 cents an hour per kilowatt. The overall price for kilowatt hours has dropped more than 10 percent since 1980. If these trends continue, analysts believe solar will inevitably contribute 20 percent to total energy consumption in the United States by 2030.

It’s easy to see why solar is one of the best disruptive technologies out there, and why an increasing number of homeowners are opting to make the switch. While we ourselves do not manufacture solar panels, we can definitely help you get set up with some when you go through the process of designing a barn home kit with us.

Here are some things you should consider before retrofitting your barn house building kit.

Infrastructure

Sixty percent of households don’t have sufficient roofing infrastructure to support solar panels.

One standard 60-cell residential solar panel can weigh between 40–50 lbs. Powering a house efficiently will require the majority of your roof’s surface area, in order to properly aggregate enough power to the inverter and into your battery bank.

A good night’s rest comes courtesy of our homegrown Pacific Northwest timber. This wooden material is handcrafted onsite and cured using a process that denotes longevity. If you don’t mind sacrificing a little open space in the vaulted ceilings, the installation of extra support beams can reinforce the weight of the panels. We also recommend tweaking the roof pitch for maximum sun exposure. 

How Much Does Solar Cost?

The average gross residential cost for solar panels before factoring in tax credit reductions can hover between $16,800 and $30,000. Sleek solar products like Elon Musk’s power wall and solar roof can cost $12,000 to $15,000 for a 2,000 sq. ft. home. The power wall, a highly efficient and discreet battery system, will add another $3,000 to $6,000 depending on your needs. However, sticking with conventional solar panels is still the better option at this point in time.

Simplicity is a universal philosophy amongst our rustic designers. For a 3,000 sq. ft. home with a $200 monthly power bill, a conventional 8.5 kW system would only cost $26,000 to install. At this scale, Tesla’s photovoltaic cells would only be able to produce 6.25 kW at a $60,000 price point, giving you less for more.

Tax Credit Reductions

Federal tax credits for solar last year saved the average individual $5,000. A tax credit is a dollar for dollar reduction of the price you pay for installation. 30 percent is the current reduction rate. Eventually, this rate will drop to 26 percent in 2020. A trend which will continue to fall unless Congress chooses to renew the program’s reduction policy. With only one year left, applying for these reductions before installation would be the most prudent move you could make.

What is Net Metering?

Net metering protects the energy you generate onsite from being abused by utility companies. If a utility company overuses the power you contribute to the grid, then you’re entitled to reparations. Running your meter backwards will result in credit that can be used on your next electrical payment. Each state is different depending on where you are. Be sure you do some research before turning your kit into a self sufficient off-grid mecca.

Ready to take the first step toward designing your dream home today? Request a free quote to get started!