Essential Steps for Preparing Your Site for a Horse Barn
We’ve teamed up with Steed Read Horseman’s Classifieds to create a podcast series all about horse barns featuring Dana Stillwell, the Publisher of Steed Read and Craig Froh, the Director of Sales for Post and Beam Barns by Country Carpenters.
This series will cover everything you need to know about designing and building a horse barn. Over the course of this series, we will feature the variety of post and beam barn options that are perfect for horse barns.
The first episode puts the spotlight on what you need to do to get your site ready for a horse barn.
Building a horse barn is an exciting venture, but it requires careful planning and preparation. Here are ten crucial points to consider when getting your site ready for a horse barn, based on expert advice and practical experience. These tips can be used for existing land owners and for people who are looking to purchase land for a horse barn.
1. Get a Copy of the Site Plan
Start by obtaining a copy of the site plan from your local town office. “Typically what we recommend to customers, especially if they’re purchasing land, is to go to the town that they’re looking at the land in and try to get a copy of the site plan for the land if it exists,” said Froh.
This plan will provide valuable information about:
- – Wetlands: Identify wetland areas to avoid potential legal and environmental issues.
– Boundaries: Clearly understand property boundaries to prevent future disputes.
– Setbacks: Identify setbacks from the road, property lines, well, septic and wetlands.
2. Understand Where the Well Is Located
Knowing the location of any existing wells and setbacks is essential for planning water supply for your barn. Ensure the well is accessible and capable of meeting the water needs of your horses.
3. Understand Where the Septic Is Located
Identify the septic system’s location to prevent any interference with its function and to know how far away from the barn it needs to be. This is crucial for maintaining sanitary conditions and avoiding costly repairs.
4. Know the Height Restrictions
Many towns have height restrictions for buildings. Check with your local zoning office to understand these limits, especially if you plan to build a tall structure like a horse barn.
5. Determine Size and Layout
Plan the size and layout of your barn based on the number of horses and your storage needs. Consider the following:
- Stall sizes
- Tack rooms
- Feed storage areas
- Common areas
6. Determine Utilities and Services
Ensure your site has access to essential utilities:
- Water supply: Reliable water sources are critical for your horses’ health.
- Electricity: Adequate lighting and power outlets are necessary for daily operations.
- Waste management: Plan for efficient waste disposal systems.
7. Aesthetics and Functionality
Balance the barn’s aesthetic appeal with its functionality. Your barn should not only look good but also meet the practical needs of housing and caring for horses.
8. Is this a Private or Commercial Structure?
Decide whether your barn will be a private facility for personal use or a commercial operation. This decision will influence various factors such as design, size, and regulatory requirements.
9. Know the Topography of the Land
Evaluate the land’s topography to ensure proper placement of your barn. “Ideally you want to have a nice flat site, but that’s not always possible,” explained Froh. “Sometimes the perfect spot for the barn happens to be a slope or kind of a gradual hill.”
Items to consider when evaluating topography:
- Elevation: Choose a location that minimizes the risk of flooding.
- Drainage: Ensure proper drainage to keep the barn dry and prevent water-related issues.
If your site is on a slope or a hill that doesn’t mean you can’t build a barn. We have worked with many clients in the past in similar situations. There are a couple of solutions to this type of topography:
- Create a stepped foundation
- Build a bank barn
“Depending on the slope of the land, foundation contractors can dig into the slope a little bit and do what they call a stepped foundation. So at one side of the building, usually the access point, is what we call grade, lowest level. Then the foundation will step up from there to create a retaining wall behind the structure,” said Froh.
In other situations where the slope is very steep, you have the option to create a bank barn where the contractor will cut into the hill. These barns usually have a lower access point and a full basement. Many customers opt to put an engineered deck on top of this foundation which allows people to park cars on the first level. This creates a three story structure so you can use the lower level for animals or farm equipment and the top level for hay storage. “That was one of my favorite barns I’ve worked out of,” Stillwell said.
10. Access to the Property
Ensure there is sufficient access for construction equipment and delivery trucks. A good rule of thumb to determine if Country Carpenter’s trucks can navigate your site is if a cement truck can, we can.
Consider:
- Road access: Ensure roads can accommodate large vehicles.
- Driveway width: Make sure the driveway is wide enough for trucks and trailers.
In situations where the road access is narrow and does not accommodate tractor trailers, Country Carpenters can offload the building materials at a safe access point and run a shuttle truck to the site.
Start Building Your Dream Horse Barn with Post & Beam Barns!
Start Building Your Dream Horse Barn with Post & Beam Barns!
We’re here to help make your post and beam barn dreams come true. Contact one of our Client Advisors to start building your dream barn. Whether you’re envisioning a cozy retreat for your horses or a larger commercial barn, our team is dedicated to bringing your vision to life with precision and care.
And if you’re in Connecticut or feel like taking a road trip, stop by our village of models at 326 Gilead Street in Hebron. Here, you can experience firsthand the quality and craftsmanship that Post & Beam Barns by Country Carpenters is known for, and gather inspiration for your own project. Let’s turn your dreams into reality, one beam at a time.
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