One of the things that the pandemic changed is the way that people do business. People working from home became the new normal. According to a Forbes article, around 12.7% of full-time employees now work from home, while 28.2% are in a hybrid model. Of the small businesses in the United States, 51.6% are home-based. If you work from home or want to start a home-based business, the first step you need to take is to ensure that you have a conducive working environment at home. Barndominiums can provide you with such a working environment.

This article explains how barndominiums provide homeowners with the best of both worlds when it comes to personal and business needs. We will also give you tips on creating a space that balances your personal and business requirements. 

What Are Barndominiums?

Metal building homes, AKA barndominiums, are structures that look like barns on the outside. While they look like barns, they can function as residences, storage facilities, garages, offices, or a combination of any. Although most barndominiums have metal frames and shells, you can build a barndominium made from wood or a combination of wood and metal. Due to their rising popularity, barndominiums are no longer restricted to farms and rural areas. You can now see barndominiums in suburban areas and the fringes of city limits. 

What Makes Barndominiums Perfect for Home-based Businesses?

Let’s look at some of the most compelling reasons why a barndominium is perfect or a home-based business. 

• You can build them quickly – A barndominium's design is simpler than a conventional house, making it easier and faster to build. This allows you to get your business off the ground as soon as possible so you can start earning money. 

• They can be affordable – Barndominiums can be cheaper than traditional houses. This is a result of the simplicity of their designs. A structure with a simpler design is cheaper to build as it requires fewer materials and a lower labor cost. Due to how simple a barndo’s design is, you can even build it yourself. All you need to do is order a barndominium kit and install it. Once you have the frame and the shell in place, you can take care of the finishing touches. This will significantly reduce the overall construction cost because you don’t need to pay a professional crew to build the barndo. 

• They are multi-functional – What’s great about barndominiums is that you can combine business and personal spaces in one structure. This means you don’t need to build a separate structure for a workshop, home office, or warehouse. You can have all of them under one roof. It means less maintenance work for you because you only need to take care of one building. With your business inside your home, you can save time because you don’t need to travel to work. You are also saving money because you don’t need to spend on gas for your daily commute. It is less stressful because you don’t have to deal with traffic jams or worry about being late for a business meeting. 

An example of a barndominium floor plan with a garage and workshop. 

How To Prepare Your Barndominium For Your Home-based Business

How do you ensure your barndominium is ready for your home-based business? Let’s talk about some of the things you need to do before building a multi-purpose barndominium.

• Know your business – The first thing you need to do is decide on the type of business you want to start. Are you leaning towards building a woodworking business, a home office, a machine shop, or an online store? Different types of businesses have different needs. 

• List down the features you need – Before drawing up a floor plan, list the features you need for your business to succeed. These are the features you will include in your floor plan. For example, do you need a conference room for meeting clients? Do you need a small storage space for securing your supplies or raw materials? Aside from your needs, consider what future clients may need. It might be better to have a powder room exclusive for your clients or extra parking spots for customers. 

• Prepare for expansion – Even if you are just starting your business, anticipate future needs. For example, avoid placing the workshop too close to the property line so you can expand it in the future. When installing your electrical system, ask your electrician to install extra power sources as a contingency plan for when you acquire more machines or get employees working for you. Anticipating future needs can help you plan properly and save money on costly remodeling. 

• Improve connectivity – One of the most common complaints about metal buildings is poor cellular connection. This can be an issue, especially since cellular connection is essential to any business. Poor cellular connection can cause you to miss calls or messages from customers. The good news is, there are ways to improve connection inside your barndominium or shouse (101 guide to shouses). You can purchase a cellular signal booster system. This device can help ensure a better cellular connection inside your barndo. It can also help improve internet connection to connect with customers via your official website or social media accounts. 

Final Word

A business doesn’t have to be in a commercial building to succeed. Countless successful businesses start as small home-based endeavors. If you want to start a home-based business, you can establish one inside a barndominium. A barndominium can be inexpensive to build, ensuring more capital for your business. It is multi-purpose, so you can have your residence and business under one roof. A barndominium can be built quickly to get your business off the ground as soon as possible. It is also easy to expand as your business grows.