Are Pole Buildings Cheaper to Build?

The Details That Can Influence Pole Barn Price

The short answer to this question is yes, pole buildings are cheaper to build. Still, there are many factors that can influence just how cost-effective a pole building is. 

When you decide to build a garage, man cave, she shed, or workshop, you want to weigh all of the possible building methods carefully before settling on one. Naturally, cost is a huge consideration as you decide between a pole building and other options, like metal or conventional stick. 

To help make your choice simpler, we’ve answered the question, “are pole buildings cheaper to build?” and outlined some of the factors that can impact your savings. 

Pole Buildings Can Be Significantly Cheaper

It’s tough to put a hard number on exactly how much more affordable than other types of structures pole buildings are since prices are so variable, but pole buildings are often quite a bit cheaper to build. 

What exactly accounts for such significant savings? A few things:

There’s no need for a foundation. 

As we’ve mentioned before, pole buildings don’t require a traditional foundation, which is where a big chunk of the savings comes from. 

Pole buildings are less labor intensive. 

Compared to many other types of buildings, pole buildings are much easier to construct. Because labor costs continue to rise, the fact that pole buildings require less labor translates to savings for you. 

Fewer materials are involved. 

It goes without saying that when a building requires less material, it will simply be more affordable as a general rule. 

While pole buildings are often more cost-effective than other types of buildings, there are a few important factors that can alter the amount of savings you enjoy. 

3 Things That Affect The Affordability of Pole Buildings

There’s no question that pole buildings can be significantly cheaper to build than other types, but there are many things that can sway the price. Some of the most important factors to consider include:

Location

There are a few reasons that the location of a pole building may (or may not) take a chunk out of your savings. First and foremost, if your land is already relatively even and prepared, then it will cost less to begin construction. Depending on where you are located, it may also cost more for the crew to travel to you, and for materials to be delivered to your site. 

Size

As we mentioned in our post discussing pole building sizes, extremely small pole buildings aren’t cost effective because you’re going to pay a certain amount for labor no matter what. On the other side of the coin, if you’re looking for an extremely large building (more than 90 feet wide), then you’ll likely find that a pole building isn’t cheaper to build for you. 

Use 

Like we said above, the fact that pole buildings don’t need a foundation is a huge part of the reason they’re so much cheaper to build. If you’re planning on using your pole barn as anything from a livestock shelter to a pool house, then you’ll be able to enjoy these savings, but if you’re planning on building a barndominium, then you will have a few extra factors to consider. 

In areas where colder temperatures are at all a factor, all residential buildings are required to account for the frost level somehow—this cuts into the savings you would normally enjoy with a pole building. To learn more about factors to consider before building a barndominium, check out our post, Can I Live in A Pole Building?

How to Get The Most Value Out of Your Pole Building

Any pole building with 12 foot post spacing is going to be the most efficient to build. At the same time, the width of a building affects the price because of the trusses. This means that a building that is about 20 X 36 is going to be the most cost-effective size. 

While it ultimately comes down to the specific situation, the reality is that pole buildings can be considerably cheaper to build than other types of structures. 

Now that you know which factors make pole buildings especially cost-effective, we hope you have a better idea of whether they’re the right option for you; contact us to get started on planning a building of your own!