Post-Frame Shop House and Toy Shed Help Create Northwoods Haven

Thanks to the ample space and unique versatility that post-frame buildings provide, this owner transformed his wooded lakeshore property into the ultimate sanctuary.

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

Project Details

What the owner wanted

Frank had a vision for what he wanted built on his beautiful Northwoods property—but it wasn’t your run-of-the-mill lake cabin. With the help of a responsive builder and the advantages of post-frame construction, he and his family now enjoy what Frank calls a “dream home” with plenty of living space and storage for a variety of vehicles.

What was special about the project

When you’re happy with a building project, it’s only natural to start thinking, “What else can I have built?” Frank first worked with builder Willie Kimmons (more on him below) on a shouse, which is a post-frame, or pole barn, building that combines living quarters with an expansive shop all under one roof.

Later on, Frank had additional living quarters built above the shop space. “It’s a lot like a studio apartment,” explains Willie.

Then, with plenty of room to work with on his property, Frank eventually wanted even more storage for the various toys and equipment he and his family enjoy—everything from boats and kayaks to ATVs and tractors.

The solution was having a spacious five-door toy shed built near the shouse.

Who helped build it

According to Frank, it took him just one visit with certified Wick builder Willie Kimmons to know, “Willie was the guy for me.” For almost 25 years, Willie has been constructing Wick buildings in Northern Wisconsin for a wide variety of customers.

So it’s not surprising that the building process for Frank was, as he puts it, “really flawless,” adding that “Willie will always follow through.”

In fact, beyond Willie’s building expertise and accommodating workstyle, Frank has plenty of praise to go around. “I can’t say enough about the crew. The crew is fantastic.”

Why a pole barn from Wick Buildings was the right choice

Frank has gained a number of advantages by opting for post-frame buildings from Wick. In addition to having access to exceptional Wick builders like Willie Kimmons, he and his family can now enjoy high-quality, low-maintenance buildings for many years to come.

More specific benefits include the following:

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 and a range of aesthetic choices. All Wick pole barns include full-hard exterior steel, with 80,000 PSI hardness or better, resulting in less denting. 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. Frank chose beige walls and burnished slate roofs for his shouse and toy shed.

Expansive, versatile buildings. Thanks to features such as clear span trusses, Wick’s post-frame buildings maximize the potential of open, unobstructed spaces at a more cost-effective rate than stick-frame buildings. Frank loves all the room, but he does have one regret: “If I had to do it all over again, I would just build it bigger. You can never have enough storage for all your toys.”

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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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Northwoods Haven Shop House and Toy Shed

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