In a lifetime of building, I have made nearly every mistake in the book, often more than once.  Most of these mistakes could have been avoided had I sought out and listened to the voice of experience.  The "Ask Uncle Howard" blog is my opportunity to share the ideas knowledge and experience gained during 38 years of designing and hands on building of barns, cabins, and homes.

From permitting and site clearing to door locks and driveways, there are thousands of questions to be asked and answered, decisions to be made, and tasks to be completed.  The process starts with an idea and a goal.  The first questions and answers are general in nature, becoming more specific as you pursue more information, then more and more specific until you feel confident in making a decision.

The next several posts will cover many of the general questions, and a few of the specific ones that most people ask as they begin the building process.

The first questions people ask are usually "Do you have what I want?" "What will it look like?" "How long will it take?""What all is provided and what will be the total cost?"

Before I can answer, I need to know:
- what size are you thinking of
- what will the building be used for
- Will it have an upstairs loft
- which style and appearance do you like

With these first questions answered, I have a very general idea of what you are after.
My next question at this point is more specific.  What kind of foundation and framing method are you thinking of?

What kind of foundation should I use?

There are four basic commonly used foundations, independently or in combination:
1. Post Frame (pole barn)
2. Monolithic Slab
3. Footing and stem wall
4. Concrete pads on or below grade

The pole barn foundation is excellent for farm and shop building use.  It consists of pressure treated wood posts (often 6"x6") buried 3' to 5' in the ground resting on a concrete pad as a footing.  The posts are easy to fasten siding walls, beams, lofts, and roof trusses to.  They are also great for fastening stalls to as they can be spaced to your stall size.  4" and 6" concrete floors can often be added after the building is completed relatively fast.

Because the posts are easy to install as long as the holes aren't too difficult to dig and the terrain isn't too steep, the post frame (pole barn) foundation is considerably less expensive.  It requires only one inspection; however, building with pole barn foundations usually appraise for less value than those with monolithic or stem wall foundations.  If your long term use of this building is for home or any other heated purpose, you should seriously consider a monolithic or stem wall foundation.

The monolithic slab foundation usually has a 4" or 6" concrete floor with the edges turned down from 12" to 48" (commonly 18" to 24").  Areas of increased loading such as walls and posts have additional depth of concrete with rebar added.  The perimeter wall is 6" to 12" wide at the base and may taper to an increased width of 12" to 18" at the top.  Several courses of rebar are added to tie everything together and add rigidity.  The slab and sides are poured continuously into one big monolithic foundation, but it is stronger and more easily utilized for multiple uses.  Floor heating systems can be easily installed.  Walls over mono-slab foundations can be easily stick framed and insulated.  Garages and shops with monolithic foundations may one day be converted to housing, making them considerably more valuable.  Plumbing should be planned for in advance to avoid extra expenses later.