Yeah, that’s the trick. My Horizon was actually built by J&D Structures, which I think builds most of the identical “Amish” barns from that area. I don’t love my Horizon either. I had quite a few issues, some craftsmanship and some customer service. For what they cost, the materials and workmanship are pretty sub-par.
I’ve posted this before on other threads but I’m copying to save myself some typing time:
I had a very mixed experience with Horizon.
On the one hand, the customer service during the design process was outstanding. I must have exchanged 30 emails with Mike Rinier pricing out different options. He was extremely patient and helpful. Horizon’s price was a little higher than two other identical Amish builders, but I wanted to buy from them because of all my good interactions with Mike, so I negotiated to split the difference.
When the barn was delivered I had some issues that I believe were Horizon’s fault but I ended up having to pay to fix half of them. What happened was I built my barn partially on an existing foundation, so the pressure-treated base sat on top of the concrete. Most people pour concrete for the aisle after the barn is in place, so the bottom of the stall and aisle doors is designed to sit 6" off the ground to allow for that. So my barn showed up and the stall and aisle doors ended 6" off the ground. What bothered me was they knew I was using existing concrete because 1) I told them and 2) they communicated directly with my foundation guy (whom they recommended to me). The “blueprints” they sent me showed the aisle doors going all the way to the ground so they extended the length of those at their cost by adding boards. The three stall doors I had to pay $450 to fix because if you looked closely at the blueprints you could tell the doors ended above the pressure treated beams. I did not think that was right but didn’t really feel like I had a choice because I would not have found anyone else to do it for less and the doors were really not safe as they were.
Then when the aisle doors were extended they didn’t open/close properly so some other guys came out to adjust the brackets, and they did a horrible job. They literally put two screws in one hole because they didn’t have large enough screws. And the doors still didn’t work properly. So, I complained and they fixed it, but it was a hassle. I was told that wasn’t one of their usual crews.
There were also minor issues with their electrician. He used a range outlet instead of a dryer outlet in the tack room, so I had to replace that at my own cost. He did put outlets where I wanted them but did not use GFCI outlets in the aisle initially. They did replace those when I requested. I ended up replacing the light switch unit myself because the one he installed was one of those outdoor ones with the clear plastic box over it and it was really annoying to have to unlock and lift that every time you wanted to use a switch. I prefer the big gray plastic switches that are also outdoor rated, which I had seen in every barn I ever boarded at. The moral of the story there is to be REALLY specific about what you want and don’t assume anything!
As far as the workmanship… I know the Amish have a great reputation but I’m not over the moon about how things were done. You can see a lot of nails that clearly missed their mark but were left in place, bolts that were angled in and not seated all the way, etc. They did some minor damage during delivery that couldn’t really be fixed. The pine they use is super knotty and the knots show through the expensive Sherwin Williams paint I used. They also used five different types of wood (oak for structural beams, pine boards, pine beadboard in the tackroom, plywood in various places, and this other wood for the headboards that’s different than everything else) so it’s tough to get stain to look the same everywhere.
My tack room is insulated and the insulation was not covered or enclosed, so birds were pulling it out to build nests with until I used pieces of plywood and wire mesh to plug all the access points. With the way the barn is built, with exposed wood framing and lots of nooks and crannies, there are so many places for birds to nest that I spend every spring chasing them out (starlings, not anything nice like barn swallows).
I’m not crazy about how the interior of the stalls is designed either and I’ve done a lot of upgrades. The stall dividers were too low for my WBs (6’) so I added another board above that to raise it to 7’. The interiors of the stalls have SO many edges and corners and things to chew on, it’s ridiculous. My horses aren’t chewers to the point where I would say they have a vice, but all those exposed beams are just way too tempting. I am always so jealous of people whose stall walls are totally flat, lol. I ended up framing out the walls and adding wood boards where I could to make the walls flat. Where I couldn’t, I added chew strips.
Speaking of chewing, less than two years after building the barn I replaced Horizon’s wooden Dutch doors with beautiful aluminum doors from Sunset (http://www.pacustomhorsestalls.com/) and I couldn’t be happier. Sunset told me they actually supply Horizon with all the interior metal fittings like grills and door frames, so you might be able to have Horizon substitute aluminum Dutch doors for wood if you wanted. Again, my horses aren’t terrible chewers but the wooden Dutch doors were just too tempting!
So, to wrap this up, you are getting what you pay for with these prefab barns but I do think there are steps you could take to make sure it will work for you. Step #1 is be really really clear about all of your expectations. #2 is look carefully at their designs and see if you can get them to customize things that you don’t like. Some of the stuff I mentioned about the stall interiors may not bother you but there may be something else.
Also keep in mind that pretty much all of the Amish barns are made by the same builder, J&N Structures, so although they are priced differently the product you get is basically identical. In my opinion Horizon does the best marketing job but ultimately the product is the same, to my knowledge.
FWIW, my friend had Horizon build a custom barn on-site for her and it is ridiculously gorgeous. She had a very good experience with them and the only issue she had was needing to get the aisle doors adjusted. But, she probably paid 3 times what I did for only twice as many stalls/amenities (she did an indoor wash rack, a grooming stall, a larger tack room, and a bathroom plus 6 stalls; I have 3 stalls and a tack room and I truly don’t miss all those other things). Also, I haven’t spent any time in her barn looking for the workmanship flaws that I notice in my barn every day so it’s possible they’re there.
