A new barn is a practical addition to any farm but can also add huge value to your property. In this series, we’ll tell you how to get the barn of your dreams.
Click to read part one and part two
3. Size matters
The size of your barn is going to depend on your needs –a professional calf-rearer will have very different needs to the person who wants a workshop and a covered space for the tractor and that will be different again to the needs of the dedicated horse lover.
It will also depend on factors such as the size of your building site, whether your site is on the flat or a steep slope, the size of other buildings on the property (if you want to build a new barn in a similar style) or whether or not you want to keep a particular view.
You might have a good idea, from looking at someone else’s barn, on the kind of space you’ll need but measure out a floorplan just to make sure.
- Is it long enough to store two vehicles end on end?
- Is it wide enough to be able to put the tractor or ride-on in a corner?
- Is the door high enough for a truck to drive in?
- Is there enough room for workshop tools like a lathe or a saw?
- For barns that have a centre aisle, is there enough room for a car or ute to drive through easily or for a horse to turn around comfortably?
The general rule that Customkit’s Michael Anselmi tells people to work to, is build the biggest shell you can afford – you can always do the interior as you can afford it but once the size is decided, that’s usually it.
Layout
A well-designed barn is just like a well-designed kitchen – it offers the most efficient work flow. Think along these lines when you plan the layout of your barn.
- If part of it is a workshop, is this in a well lit area?
- Is there enough ventilation if you plan to be sanding or painting up a car?
- Do you need a pit?
- Do you need insulation?
- If you intend to use the barn to hold animals, have you got enough tap faucets so you’re not carrying heavy buckets of water?
- Is it easy to get food to the animals?
- Can you cut down the number of steps each job takes so you use your time more efficiently? For example, if you are rearing calves, is there a storage and work area near to the pens but also handy enough for you to unload milk supplies without walking from one of the barn to the other? Horse owners should also see the advantages of not having to carry heavy bags of feed long distances.
Part 4: Flooring & utilities
Nadene Hall
NZ Lifestyle Block magazine