Pole barns are meant to be simple structures. You can have one built that is just an empty shell, and it will serve most common pole barn functions without issue. However, if you want your pole barn to be even more versatile and functional, there are a few features you should ask the builders to include.

Insulation — or space for it

You don't have to insulate a pole barn, but if you do, you'll be a lot more comfortable inside the building. Even if you don't heat and cool the space, it will stay a lot more comfortable with insulation to mitigate the temperature a bit. And with insulation in place, you can opt to heat and cool the building without your energy bill climbing sky-high. Some pole barn builders are not able to include insulation as part of the package. Even if this is the case, though, they should be able to build the barn in a way that makes it easy for you to add insulation in the future.

A garage-style door

If you have the choice between a standard door and an overhead garage door for your pole barn, definitely choose the garage door. This type of door opens up the widest, and the door itself won't be in the way once it is open. If you ever want to bring something larger into the pole barn, you'll be grateful for the extra space.

A roof with a steeper pitch

If your builder allows you to have some input as to the roof on the pole barn, opt for a steeper roof over one with less pitch. A steep roof will be harder to work on, but you should not have to worry about that for about 50 years since the metal roofs on pole barns are so durable. The main advantage of a steeper roof is that snow will slide right off of it. You won't have to worry about the weight of snow compromising the roof structure, and you won't have to hurry to shovel the pole barn roof on a snowy day. Plus, steep roofs drain water better when it rains, which means less water damage over time.

Talk to your pole barn builder about the features above. Chances are, they'll agree that these features are useful ones to include in your design. They might even recommend the same features to some of their other customers. Contact a company that offers Amish pole barn construction services to learn more.

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