converting shed roof barn to home?

[pforden]

Hi,

We came upon hard times shortly after buying our dream land -- 50 acres in south central Texas. After 2 1/2 years we still are living in the Winnebago. I am thinking of converting the 20 x 32 shed roof barn we had built for the animals to a dwelling before the 100* weather hits again.

My computer just died, so I don't have good photos today. We built the barn from USDA plans distributed by the extension services. There is a downhill grade away from the front of the building. I was thinking of matching the size with a covered screen porch that perhaps could be converted later to rooms. I would like to use a pier and beam -- the barn is built on a concrete pier. The soil is deep sand.

I guess there is no way to match the roofs exactly and make a single structure with a gable roof? I see that you have plans that combine two shed roof structures with one roof under the other. Not sure how that is done.

We have water and electric at this site already and this conversion may be my only hope of getting out of the RV this year. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Penny

[river place]

We have a barn in Arkansas that we built 2 years ago.  The place is not our primary residence and we have a travel trailer we use when up there.

I'm building guest quarters at one end of the barn with a shower room/sink area, center area with a sink counter space and a room for the toilet and then a den area all within the 10 x 30 area.

If your county allows you to build in the barn I'd don't see why you couldn't.  Would you use concrete for the floor?  If so, you would have to plan out your drains and vents.  I did this with mine and run all the pex water supplies in the wall.  With the concrete floor we then built framed walls that attached to the barn wall every ten feet.  Walls are spaced one inch out from the barn timbers/wall to give an air gap to reduce heat transfer.  The framed walls have a sheet of foam board covered with OSB on the outside.  I then use fiberglass insulation in the walls covered by sheet rock.  Insulation will be important in keeping your cooling bill low.

[n74tg]

Where are you in south central Texas.  I grew up in Mexia.

Find a way to get a pic or two of your barn here on the forum.  I'll bet these guys can come up with a way to do what you want.