Looking to build a 4 stall with a wash stall and tack room barn, with an indoor arena. I have a few questions from those with experience
Prefab vs build your own, which is more cost effective?
What dimensions should I make the indoor? I am aiming to be an upper level 4.5ft+ jumper some day and am not sure about the height.
Any companies you recommend to put together a plan or build?
Thanks!
May help if you give a hint about where you are?
There are big differences from region to region what you may need, materials and so much more.
Here, basically, most indoors are metal and framed all the way, not trusses.
Many are open at least one side, some all four sides, depending on weather.
Plain riding arenas are 16’ at the eaves, but that will restrict how far you can go with overhangs without getting too low on the outside eaves.
Most are 18’ on the eaves, standard for roping arenas.
With the middle open with the framing not being trusses, you can get by with 16’ eaves for jumping.
We built a roping arena and bought it from Rhino in Denton, TX.
They sell nationally and were well recommended, do check references no matter who you use.
They don’t build, just fabricate the building you then have someone put up.
Some barn builders will also be fabricators, make all the parts in place.
We have done that before on smaller barns.
This one was cheaper to buy from a manufacturer that can buy material at high volume bulk.
The building and service was excellent, we put it up ourselves.
We prepared the pad and had the local civil engineers make the proper plans for our area, going by the Rhino plans, for the foundation.
We settled on Rhino after looking at many, we had bids from five, two local ones.
Rhino had the design we preferred and at a very reasonable cost.
The local ones were absolutely 2 to 2+ more than the one we bought, wow!
Get different bids and be sure the features in the designs are comparable.
Good luck with your project.
I built a barn/ indoor arena a few years back and general contracted it myself. The beauty of it was that I got to design it exactly the way I wanted then gave the building mfg the specs. It was a bare metal building from a major manufacturer; the kind of building you find in warehouse parks. Because of the terrain of the location I decided on only a 70x170 footprint. I decided that since I had the time and it would save money that was the best way to go since it skips a company’s overhead. Therefore I had a lot of homework.
First I had to decide what design I wanted, I had to research the companies that made the metal buildings, hire an excavator, guys to erect the building, concrete company to pour footers and aisle for barn part, gravel company for stall material and base material, had the excavator spread the base, I rented and operated the equipment to pack the base. Researched the footing that I wanted, ordered sand and had it dumped, I spread it with my tractor for the sand and manure spreader for the textile material, engaged an electrician to wire it, plumber, carpenters to build the stalls, loft, apt and arena’s kick boards.
The indoor area is 70x134 and at the end is a 36x70 center aisle barn walled off from the arena so there’s no dust kicked up in the stall area. The barn part has sliding doors at west and east ends, with a tack room, feed room, wash stall, entryway to the arena, utility area then 2 stalls with 6 stalls facing, with side lights along the entire length of the north wall (no outside window openings in the stalls). Along the entire east side is a 15’ overhang/ shed area for storing equipment. The building’s walls are 16’ so there’s plenty of headroom. Since there are no trusses the center of the arena is much higher. The barn area has a 10’ ceiling, above it has a 2br apartment and a loft with room for 1000 bales of hay, with hay drops in the floor over the stalls.
The indoor has skylights – I wish it had added sidelights. But on the east side, on the side with the shed, the wall only goes up 8’ to hide the stored equipment from the arena’s view and so there’s ventilation in the hot weather as well as light. It is built with the closed in walls on the north and west sides to keep out the prevailing wind, rain & snow. The south side is the outside entrance to the arena and it has 5’ walls and a gate so there’s light coming in from that end, too.
The building survived some very heavy snows that collapsed many roofs in town a few years back. It’s great.
It’s a lot of work but if you have the time you can save buckets of cash.
First, check your zoning laws and permits that will be needed and any special requirements like wind or snow load. Set a budget, know what you can and cannot afford. Then get a rough plan drawn up, something you do yourself so you have an idea of size etc. and call a couple of contractors to get a general idea of what it will cost. Why not call a builder like Morton Barn, tell them what you are wanting and have them do an estimate for you. You’ll have to sit thru the sales pitch but it could be a start and they do build nice barns. If you are unsure of heights they experienced and should provide some insight.
I believe 18’ height is recommended at minimum.
I’d suggest 80’x140’ minimum dimensions for jumping. The bigger, the better (100’x200’ = great).
Has anyone used vinyl siding on a horse barn? Need to reside a pole barn and wondering if anyone has used it. Barn is free standing totally outside pasture, paddocks, dry lot.
you might want to use Hardie board as it is a concrete product and is non-combustible, many insurance companies offer a discount.
Hardi board is great!! Fire resistant and pretty much moisture resistant as well. Very popular material here in Florida.
We have Hardie plank on one of our barns. We’ve had the place for 4 months now. I now have two holes where a horse has kicked it. Glad to hear the positive reasons that it’s being used on horse barns.
Thanks for the Hardies Board suggestion, will look into it. I know it is being used to replace stucco on newer homes in our region where the stucco is crumbling.
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