Back Forty Buildings
Your barndominium and shop house experts! Ready-to-build plans, designed by home builders. Family-owned,serving clients nationwide.
06/11/2026
Excavation and concrete can literally impact your build budget by 6-figures 🤑
A common misconception is that basements are more expensive- but that's often not the case! Designing a home that works WITH the slope of your land can put you money ahead as compared to needing to bring your entire building site to level grade.
And YES- barndominiums can be built on a basement (even with post frame construction)
👉🏼swipe for the plans on this basement beauty we designed in Tennessee!
1️⃣0️⃣ - the number is TEN.
And here's how you use that number to avoid losing sleep (or your mind) over designing and building your barndo:
✂️ 10% is about the maximum amount you can reduce the size of a floor plan without changing the layout:
👉🏼So- find a plan you love? Or, have a concept that needs a little downsizing to fit your budget? 10% is the top range of what you can "shave off", before you have to start doing dramatic things like changing the location of rooms, or eliminating major amenities. (example: usually it's feasible to make a 3000 sq ft plan fit in 2700 sq ft with minor concessions). If the math doesn't work, you need a new plan.
🗓️ 10 months is the ideal amount of time to give yourself to complete the design/engineering/bid process before you're ready to pull a permit and break ground:
👉🏼This means you aren't rushing decisions, you have time to get builder input, and you've been able to gather multiple, competitive bids using accurate plan details.
💰 10% is the minimum budget contingency you'll want for your build:
👉🏼Most lenders will bake this into your loan estimate (if you're self contracting, a lender may require a larger contingency). A contingency is an extra buffer of money set aside to cover unexpected expenses that pop up during construction. It acts as a financial safety net so that surprise issues, like sudden material price hikes, don't ruin your budget or stall the build.
The "Rule of 10" is simple, but sticking to these guidelines can make a world of difference in how stressful (or not!) your barndominium journey is.
06/02/2026
Realistic 5-bedroom barndominium plans can be hard to come by!
The Avon blends amenities a growing family wants, without going overboard on square footage or super custom features.
✔️ Under 3200 sq ft
✔️5 bed
✔️2.5 bath (with ability to easily add a J+J upstairs)
✔️Loft/study space
✔️Chef's kitchen
✔️Private master suite
✔️Plenty of outdoor living
✔️Thoughtful storage
✔️Basement option
Plus a garage/workshop that can easily be up-sized if you need more space or taller doors!
The Avon is a builder-designed plan intended to make your barndo cost effective AND beautiful 🏠
👉🏼Check it out on our website or DM us for more info!
We believe everyone deserves a chance to live out their barndominium dreams, and we've been working harder than ever to not just provide the best plans in the industry, but also unmatched resources, build support, and a network of trusted suppliers and discounts.
Whether you're just looking for "someday" inspiration, or uoure ready to tackle the adventure of building a barndo- welcome! We're so glad you're here.
🏠Featured plan: The 2800 sq ft Timberline, available on our website
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Florence, MT