Welcome to the world of open spaces, tall ceilings, tremendous lighting, fireplace features, lofts with a view, wrap-around porches, and beautiful kitchens! Oh, and there’s that big, heated and finished shop too.
Barndominiums, shop houses, barndos, whatever you want to call them, have gained tremendous popularity in recent years. In fact, in our area, more are being built. Local builders are starting to figure out how to build them but not many are doing so yet. At Next Step Builders, we have decided specialize in these one-of-a-kind structures instead of building traditional homes. We love their versatility, the way they’re built, and the overall look.
We also use post-frame construction as opposed to the traditional framing style. This gives you more versatility and flexibility in your new home. We don’t put posts in the ground, contrary to what some may think. We use traditional concrete foundation methods and heavy duty steel brackets to ensure your home is build strong and will last for generations.
As a fan of the barndominium style, you’ve found the right company to bring your vision to reality!
Each barndominium we build is custom built with your floor plan in mind. Let your imagination run wild, jot it down on a piece of paper or even a napkin, and we’ll work together to transform your idea into reality!
Our first step is to get together and talk about your dream. We’ll have a series of questions for you, but the most important part is to get to know you. We want to know your dream, get an idea of how you live in your home, and talk about things you hope to have as part of your new barndominium.
We’ll go over the preliminary steps we need to have in place before we build such as finding land, soil testing, surveys and permits, getting approval from the local building department, and your time span.
If you haven’t already begun the process, we’ll talk about financing options, who you might go to first to obtain financing, and then talk about what options you have with your current home.
Did you know we are licensed Realtors in Indiana and can help you sell your current home?
This initial meeting is pretty full, but we also want to start sketching your floor plan so we can get an idea of what you want to build.
In our first few meetings, we’ll talk about your floor plans. These are rough sketches of your layout. After several revisions (usually) we’ll try to lock in the best floor plan for you based on your dreams, goals, and requirements. When we get the floor plan nailed down that you’re completely happy with, we’ll proceed on to the next step.
With a firm floor plan in hand, the next step is to send it to our design team and produce your 3D renderings and begin working on cost estimates. When this is all done, we’ll meet together again, taking a look at what it’ll take to build your new barndominium together.
This is normally the first time we get to see actual numbers for the cost of your build, so sometimes we’ll need to tweak the layout in order to align costs with your budget. We’ll adjust allowances for cabinets, flooring, trim, masonry work, and more in order to get you as close to your dream home as financially possible.
After we settle on the design, cost, and have financing and approval from the local building department, we’ll start scheduling your build! This will begin with necessary prep work such as septic, well, any excavation work, pouring concrete footers, and the concrete pad.
Typically, this is when contracts are signed, down payments are made, and commitments are set from all parties, including subcontractors, so we can make sure your home is built on schedule and for the price we agree upon.
While your home is being built, there will be several opportunities to make adjustments to finishes along the way. We will be in touch with you while the home is being built to finalize your kitchen design, cabinets, paint colors, fixtures, trim styles, and flooring options.
Often the selection of these items will be determined by when we can actually get the materials. (Supply chains for these items are kinda wacky right now!) So this may take place earlier in the build than in recent years, but you should still have time to walk inside your new barndominium, experience how the space feels other than on paper, and make better choices.
One of the features we provide with our work is a complimentary app called Buildertrend that gives you a 24/7 look at all the phases of your project. We provide regular work logs, photographs of progress, and the full project schedule so that at any point in the process, you stay updated and well-informed about how your new home is progressing. Though we try to contact you in person 1-2 times per week, our customers LOVE this app so they can receive daily updates on the work being done. We think you’ll like it too!
When everything is complete, we’ll meet together at your new home. We’ll walk you through to make sure everything is finished the way you intended for it to be. We’ll go over simple maintenance items, show you where certain features are located, and orient you to your new home.
Right about that time, we’ll tie things up with the bank, sign final contracts, and hand you your new keys!
Each home build is special to us. We take them personally because we really get to know YOU over the time it’s being built. We are careful to keep you updated along the way, answer what questions you may have, and work right beside you to help you bring your dreams to reality. We look forward to serving you!