Artist Enjoys the Ultimate “Creative Lair” with a Pole Barn Art Studio

Artist and photographer Tracy Lovett wanted to build a better space for her creative projects. But what type of building could match her vision and her budget and timeline? In the end, a post-frame building, also known as a pole barn, turned out to be the perfect option for what Tracy today calls her “creative lair.”

Check out this video on the project, then scroll down to learn more about the details.

Project Details

What the owners wanted

Tracy Lovett had been using a converted single car garage for her art studio. But she says the space was not only “tiny” but also “very limiting” in terms of the projects she could pursue. While the available building footprint space was not large, she wanted a more expansive and attractive building for taking photos, creating works of art, and even conducting art classes.

What was special about the project

Tracy and her family do a lot of creative activities, and she wanted more than just a simple studio. She envisioned a space that would enable her and her family to broaden their creative options.

But finding the right builder wasn’t easy. Fortunately, she found Gee Building Systems (more on them below).

Who helped build it

The Lovetts spent time evaluating several traditional contractors, but Tracy says, “We felt like they could not deliver what we wanted in a good time frame for our budget.”

She then reached out to Kim Gee at Gee Building Systems, an authorized Wick Builder.

“She ran my plans several different times until I got it exactly the way I wanted, and I could not get any other contractor to do that for me,” says Tracy. “She helped make this place very special for us.”

Why a pole barn from Wick Buildings was the right choice

Tracy calls Wick “the logical solution,” although she does have one regret: “The only thing I would do different if I were to do it over again is I would build a bigger building.”

Here are some of the specific advantages that Tracy and her family now enjoy with a Wick building:

Superior lumber. Wick uses only machine graded or machine evaluated lumber for all structural components, from trusses and columns to girts and purlins. In addition to the visual benefits of this cleaner lumber, it’s at least 15% stronger than regular lumber.

Durable steel. Wick commercial pole barns include full-hard exterior steel, with 80,000 PSI hardness or better, resulting in less dents. That steel is also G-90 galvanized for better corrosion protection. Our paint is warrantied not to chip or crack for 40 years and comes in a spectrum of colors. Tracy and her family opted for charcoal gray walls and roof.

More space at a more affordable price. Post-frame buildings are composed of larger structural members like prefabricated wooden posts and clear-span trusses. Among the advantages to this, customers like Tracy can enjoy unobstructed interiors and higher ceilings at a more affordable cost than stick-frame construction.

Interested in a project like this? Find a builder in your area!

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	Yes	No
You understand that barndominium/shouse pricing is comparable to studwall home construction, particularly those with traditional 2-3 car garages and basements. Interior finishes are the same in either building type, and the advantages of a barndominium/shouse largely go away when the garage/shop space is modest and a basement is required. In many cases, you can expect to pay the same as studwall construction (i.e., somewhere between $175 - $250 per square foot depending on your market).
You want an attached garage and/or shop space > standard 2-3 car garage (i.e., > 1,200 square feet). Using post-frame building design, a barndominium/shouse is able to create large usable spaces cost-effectively in ways that traditional studwall construction cannot.
You like the aesthetic of steel (for the roof and sidewalls) typically used in a barndominium/shouse. Alternate materials may be used on the exterior, but they add cost.
You are comfortable using a concrete floating slab (or equivalent) to meet your foundation needs. A barndominium/shouse can be built on nearly any concrete foundation, including traditional basements. However, traditional basements are not necessary with a barndominium/shouse and having one increases cost.
You want to do some of the interior work yourself (such as mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fixtures), or you want to be the general contractor for that scope of work. While some builders will do full turnkey projects, most prefer to perform work through completion of the building shell.

	Yes	No
You understand that barndominium/shouse pricing is comparable to studwall home construction, particularly those with traditional 2-3 car garages and basements. Interior finishes are the same in either building type, and the advantages of a barndominium/shouse largely go away when the garage/shop space is modest and a basement is required. In many cases, you can expect to pay the same as studwall construction (i.e., somewhere between $175 - $250 per square foot depending on your market).
You want an attached garage and/or shop space > standard 2-3 car garage (i.e., > 1,200 square feet). Using post-frame building design, a barndominium/shouse is able to create large usable spaces cost-effectively in ways that traditional studwall construction cannot.
You like the aesthetic of steel (for the roof and sidewalls) typically used in a barndominium/shouse. Alternate materials may be used on the exterior, but they add cost.
You are comfortable using a concrete floating slab (or equivalent) to meet your foundation needs. A barndominium/shouse can be built on nearly any concrete foundation, including traditional basements. However, traditional basements are not necessary with a barndominium/shouse and having one increases cost.
You want to do some of the interior work yourself (such as mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fixtures), or you want to be the general contractor for that scope of work. While some builders will do full turnkey projects, most prefer to perform work through completion of the building shell.

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