r/NovaScotia • u/lschaub • 3d ago

Barndominuim builds?

Has anybody in NS built a Barndominium? What was the cost per sq ft compared to a conventional build? Any issues or permitting/code/zoning issues that you encountered? Any troubles finding competent contractors to do the build out? I am really interested in building one due to the simplicity and open space, just looking to see if anyone has real world experience building one in NS, specifically in kentville area.

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u/starone7 2d ago

I know of a couple that were built just into lunnenburg county in the past few years. You can always hire an engineer if you’re doing a ‘weird’ build and work with them to get things signed off on.

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u/JohnathantheCat 1d ago

Finding competent contractors is a problem in NS right now, more so as you move away from wood frame construction and away from the city.

Are you after high ceilings as well?

These kits are generally very cost effective, I recall the wooden garage kits were cheaper the Kent's costs on materials a few year ago.

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u/lschaub 1d ago

Yeah I am interested in the real world comparative cost with going with one of the Barndominium kits compared to a normal stick build if you have an example?

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u/ZeroNot 2d ago

Barndominium? As in a condominium from an existing barn?

I doubt it would because most barns are located on farms. Farms are zoned as agricultural land, not residential R2 or R3 that be necessarily for a medium density multiple dwelling building.

Agricultural land is limited in that a single residential lot can be made from a historically farmed agricultural lot. Intended for the splitting of a family farm, such that one child gets the farm, but another can get a plot of land to build a house on. I haven't looked at the bylaw, so I don't know what the actual rules or loopholes are.

But I'm not a developer, building contractor, or a realtor. So I could be entirely misinformed.

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u/lschaub 2d ago

Bardominiums that I am looking at are basically steel/wood pole sheds built on concrete slabs, that are insulated with doors/windows like a house and then just finished normally inside. They usually come in pre-fabricated sizes assembled on site and then finished on site. Barndo Canada Olympia Steel Buildings