Tips on Building a Horse Barn With an Upstairs Apartment

There are two main ways to approach building a horse barn with an upstairs apartment. You can erect a building that largely replicates a traditional domestic block and brick dwelling. Alternatively, you can create a lighter building using engineered trusses. These are strong but light, pre-formed wooden structures that span the side walls and transfer lateral forces downward. In the former, the interior walls are likely to be load bearing. In the latter, the interior walls are non-load bearing, giving you extra flexibility.

  1. Plan

    • Get an architect on board to help you develop your plans. Horse barns with upstairs apartments are not very common. For an unusual project, it's always better to consult and get the input of a professional. There are many construction factors regarding structural integrity that you need to take into consideration. If an architect's fees are beyond your budget, buy plans or create your own. Get the plans approved by your local planning commission, or equivalent, before you can begin building.

    Foundations

    • You must have appropriate foundations before starting to build a horse barn with an upstairs apartment. The foundations may need to be as deep as those used for a domestic dwelling. The precise dimensions and type depend on your building design and the quality of the subsoil in the area where you plan to build. According to construction technology authorities Roy Chudley and Roger Greeno, in most cases, a concrete strip foundation or simple raft will be adequate. Divide the intended load by the safe bearing capacity of the subsoil to arrive at the correct foundation dimensions.

    Order of Works

    • An order of works is a carefully designed plan giving a logical sequence to a building project. You can create the order of works yourself, or delegate the work to a building project manager. In general terms, the usual order is to build the entire external block and brickwork, then build the roof, to make the building watertight, then concentrate on the interior.

    Other Tips

    • Use strong steel girders between the two floors. Another tip to bring the project in as cheaply as possible is to use cheaper block work for the internal part of the horse barn, rather than more expensive brickwork. If you want your horse to be as comfortable as possible, consider adding a central heating radiator in the horse barn. Since you'll probably want a central heating system in the apartment, adding an extra radiator down below won't add much more cost.