By Brian Coffey, owner of Innovative Construction
A pole barn is one of the most useful buildings you can add to a property in Southeast Kentucky. Whether it’s for equipment, hay, a workshop, a garage or extra storage, a well-planned pole barn will serve you for decades. A poorly planned one can leave you wishing you’d gone bigger, taller or put it somewhere else. Here’s what we walk through with every customer before the first post goes in the ground.
Start with how you’ll use it
The right size and layout come from what goes inside. Think about the biggest thing you’ll ever park in it, not just what you own today. A tractor with a loader, a camper, a boat on a trailer or a full-size truck all need more door height and width than most people expect. If you’ll be working inside, plan for lighting, outlets and room to move around a workbench.
Size, height and doors
A few questions we’ll help you answer:
Footprint. How wide and how long? Plenty of owners say their only regret is not building bigger, so it’s worth planning for the future.
Wall height. Taller sidewalls make room for larger equipment, overhead doors and loft storage.
Doors. Roll-up doors, sliding doors and walk-in doors each have pros and cons depending on how you’ll get in and out.
Lean-tos and overhangs. A lean-to on one or both sides is an affordable way to add covered space for equipment, firewood or animals.
Picking the right spot
Location matters just as much as the building. On the hilly ground common in our area, we look at how water moves across the site, how you’ll get a truck or trailer to the doors and how close the barn will be to power. Building on a low spot or in the path of runoff is one of the most common and costly mistakes, so we plan site prep and drainage right along with the barn.
Site prep and foundation
Because we run our own equipment, we handle the grading and site work ourselves instead of coordinating another crew. A level, well-drained pad, properly set posts and the right base for a gravel or concrete floor are what keep a pole barn square and solid for years.
Permits and county requirements
Requirements vary by county, and some properties have extra rules of their own. Before building, check with your county about permits, setbacks and inspections. If you’re not sure where to start, we’re glad to talk it through with you.
Pole barns, garages, shops and more
The same building method works for detached garages, workshops, storage buildings and more. If you can describe what you need, we can help you plan it.
Thinking about a pole barn? Request a free quote or call or text (606) 310-0516. We’ll come out, walk the property with you and help you plan a building that fits your land and your budget.
