Building a barndominium can give you the freedom to combine a custom home, garage, workshop, storage, and outdoor living space into one property. But choosing the right builder can have just as much impact on the project as choosing the right floor plan.
Before signing a construction contract, Alabama homeowners should understand exactly who they are hiring, what is included, how the project will be managed, and what responsibilities belong to the homeowner.
At Bama-Barns LLC, we believe an informed customer is better prepared to make good construction decisions.
Here are 10 important questions to ask any builder before hiring them to build your barndominium.
1. Are You Licensed to Build Homes in Alabama?
This should be one of your first questions.
Building a residential barndominium is very different from simply erecting an agricultural barn or metal building.
Ask the contractor whether they hold the appropriate Alabama home-building license for the type and value of project you are considering.
Also ask for the license number so you can verify it yourself.
A legitimate builder should be comfortable providing this information.
Bama-Barns LLC is an Alabama licensed home builder — HBLB #41856.
Licensing matters because residential construction involves building codes, contracts, inspections, structural requirements, subcontractors, and substantial financial responsibility.
A low price should never be used as a substitute for proper licensing.
2. Are You Properly Insured?
Ask the builder what insurance coverage they maintain.
Depending on the company and project, relevant coverage may include:
- General liability insurance
- Workers' compensation coverage
- Commercial auto coverage
- Builder's risk coverage
- Insurance carried by subcontractors
Do not simply assume the contractor is insured because they have a business name, website, or truck.
Ask.
For a major construction project, homeowners should understand what protection exists if property is damaged or someone is injured during construction.
3. What Exactly Is Included in Your Quote?
This may be the most important financial question you ask.
Two builders can quote dramatically different prices because they may be pricing completely different scopes of work.
Ask whether the proposal includes:
- Site preparation
- Foundation
- Framing
- Roofing
- Exterior siding
- Windows
- Exterior doors
- Plumbing
- Electrical
- HVAC
- Insulation
- Drywall
- Interior doors
- Cabinets
- Countertops
- Flooring
- Painting
- Appliances
- Plumbing fixtures
- Lighting
- Porches
- Garage or shop
- Builder overhead and profit
- Final cleanup
Then ask what is not included.
A quote that appears inexpensive initially may leave the homeowner responsible for major expenses later.
The goal should be to compare complete scopes of work—not just the number at the bottom of the proposal.
4. Are Site Work and Utilities Included?
This is particularly important when building a barndominium on rural Alabama property.
The house itself may represent only part of the complete project cost.
Ask whether the builder's quote includes or excludes:
- Clearing
- Tree removal
- Stump removal
- Excavation
- Grading
- Building pad
- Drainage
- Driveway
- Culverts
- Septic system
- Well
- Public water connection
- Electrical service
- Utility trenching
- Internet conduit
- Propane system
If those items aren't included, determine who is responsible for obtaining the estimates and coordinating the work.
A long driveway, deep well, engineered septic system, difficult grading, or long electrical run can materially affect the total project budget.
This is why Bama-Barns encourages customers to look at the entire property-development cost, not just a cost per heated square foot.
5. What Plans and Engineering Will Be Required?
Ask the builder what construction documents are required before final pricing and construction.
Depending on the project and jurisdiction, these may include:
- Floor plans
- Exterior elevations
- Foundation plans
- Roof plans
- Construction sections
- Structural details
- Electrical plans
- Plumbing layouts
- Truss engineering
- Beam engineering
- Foundation engineering
- Engineer-stamped structural plans
A picture from social media or a simple online floor plan may be useful for discussing ideas, but it generally doesn't contain enough information to accurately price and construct a custom home.
Ask the builder:
Who provides the architectural drawings?
Who coordinates engineering?
Are plan and engineering costs included in the contract?
Who is responsible for revisions?
Those answers should be clear before construction begins.
6. How Do Allowances and Selections Work?
Custom homes contain dozens of selections.
Examples include:
- Cabinets
- Countertops
- Flooring
- Tile
- Plumbing fixtures
- Lighting fixtures
- Appliances
- Doors
- Hardware
- Fireplace materials
- Exterior stone
- Siding
- Roofing
Many builders use allowances for items that haven't been selected when the contract is signed.
For example, a contract might include a certain allowance for flooring.
If your final flooring selection costs more than the allowance, you pay the difference.
Ask the builder:
What items have allowances?
What dollar amount is included for each one?
Does the allowance include labor, materials, taxes, and delivery?
What happens if I choose something more expensive?
What happens if I spend less than the allowance?
Allowances should be realistic.
An artificially low allowance can make an initial construction price look attractive while pushing significant expenses into change orders later.
7. How Are Change Orders Handled?
Changes happen on custom construction projects.
A homeowner may decide to:
- Add a window
- Upgrade cabinets
- Change flooring
- Add electrical outlets
- Increase a porch
- Upgrade a shower
- Add built-ins
- Change exterior finishes
Ask how those changes are documented and priced.
A professional process should clearly identify:
- The requested change
- Additional or reduced cost
- Effect on the schedule
- Customer approval
- Payment requirements
Avoid relying on verbal agreements for significant construction changes.
Written change orders protect both the homeowner and the builder.
8. Who Will Actually Manage My Project?
The person who sells you the project may not be the person running the project.
Ask:
Who is my primary contact?
Will there be a project manager?
How frequently will I receive updates?
Who coordinates subcontractors?
Who checks workmanship?
Who handles problems during construction?
A custom home requires coordination between numerous trades, potentially including:
- Excavation crews
- Concrete contractors
- Framers
- Roofers
- Electricians
- Plumbers
- HVAC contractors
- Insulation contractors
- Drywall crews
- Painters
- Flooring installers
- Cabinet installers
- Trim carpenters
Someone needs to coordinate the sequence and quality of that work.
Communication is one of the most important parts of a successful custom-home project.
9. What Is the Expected Construction Timeline?
Ask for a realistic explanation of the construction schedule.
Before construction even starts, the project may need:
- Final design
- Engineering
- Financing
- Appraisal
- Permitting
- Site preparation
- Material procurement
Construction itself can also be affected by:
- Weather
- Inspections
- Material availability
- Subcontractor schedules
- Customer selections
- Change orders
- Utility companies
Be cautious if someone guarantees an unusually aggressive completion date without understanding your plans, property, permitting requirements, and material selections.
A good builder should explain what factors can affect the schedule rather than simply promise the fastest completion date.
10. What Happens After the Home Is Finished?
Before hiring a builder, ask what happens at the end of the project.
Questions should include:
Is there a final walkthrough?
How are punch-list items handled?
What warranties are provided?
Are manufacturer warranties transferred to the homeowner?
Who should I contact if there is a problem after move-in?
What documents will I receive at completion?
You should understand the builder's responsibilities after construction just as clearly as you understand their responsibilities during construction.
Don't Hire a Barndominium Builder Based Only on Price
Price matters.
But the lowest initial quote does not automatically mean the lowest final cost.
A construction proposal can appear less expensive because it excludes:
- Site work
- Utilities
- Builder fees
- Permits
- Engineering
- Driveway
- Septic
- Well
- Finish upgrades
- Realistic allowances
If another builder includes those expenses, their proposal may appear higher even though it provides a more complete picture of the actual project.
When comparing builders, compare:
Scope to scope.
Material to material.
Allowance to allowance.
Exclusion to exclusion.
And ultimately:
Total expected project cost to total expected project cost.
Ask What “Turnkey” Really Means
The word turnkey is commonly used in construction, but there is no benefit to relying on the word alone.
Ask the builder to explain exactly what their turnkey package includes.
Does it include:
- Septic?
- Well?
- Electrical service from the road?
- Driveway?
- Appliances?
- Landscaping?
- Permit fees?
- Engineering?
- Utility deposits?
- Internet?
- Final grading?
If it isn't written into the contract, don't assume it is included.
Understand Who Is Responsible for Permits
Ask the builder:
Who applies for the building permit?
Who schedules inspections?
Who obtains electrical, plumbing, mechanical, or other required permits?
Who pays the fees?
Are septic and driveway permits part of the builder's responsibility or the homeowner's?
Different Alabama jurisdictions may have different requirements.
The responsibilities should be identified before construction begins.
Ask About Financing Before Finalizing the Design
If you plan to use construction financing, discuss that with both your lender and builder early.
Construction loans may involve:
- Completed plans
- Specifications
- Construction contract
- Appraisal
- Builder documentation
- Draw schedule
- Inspections
- Land equity
- Down payment requirements
A lender may need substantially more information than someone building entirely with cash.
Getting the lender involved early can prevent redesigns or delays later.
Have a Realistic Total Project Budget
Don't base your entire budget solely on the price of the structure.
Depending on your property, you may also need money for:
- Land
- Survey
- Plans
- Engineering
- Loan closing costs
- Clearing
- Grading
- Septic
- Well
- Electrical service
- Driveway
- Internet
- Landscaping
- Appliances
- Window coverings
- Furniture
- Moving expenses
You should also maintain a reasonable contingency for unexpected conditions and homeowner-requested changes.
Red Flags to Watch For
Be cautious if a builder:
- Will not provide licensing information
- Will not discuss insurance
- Provides only a verbal quote
- Cannot clearly explain what is included
- Uses extremely vague allowances
- Requires unusually large payments without clear milestones
- Refuses to document changes
- Avoids discussing exclusions
- Provides an unrealistically short schedule without reviewing the project
- Pressures you to sign immediately
- Cannot explain who will manage the construction
- Discourages you from reviewing the contract carefully
One red flag doesn't automatically mean a contractor is bad, but major unanswered questions should be resolved before you commit substantial money.
Questions You Should Ask Bama-Barns Too
These questions aren't only for other contractors.
We encourage customers considering Bama-Barns LLC to ask us the same questions.
We want customers to understand:
- What we're pricing
- What documents we need
- What is included
- What is excluded
- What assumptions are being made
- What site information is still needed
- What selections must be made
- What happens next
Building a custom home is too important for either party to rely on assumptions.
Build With a Contractor Who Understands Your Entire Project
A barndominium isn't simply a barn with bedrooms.
It can be a fully customized residential project involving architectural plans, structural engineering, foundations, plumbing, electrical systems, HVAC, interior finishes, garages, shops, porches, utility infrastructure, and extensive site development.
Choosing the right builder begins with asking good questions.
Before signing a contract, make sure you understand who you're hiring, what you're buying, what isn't included, how the project will be managed, and what the completed property is realistically expected to cost.
Planning a Barndominium in North Alabama?
If you're considering building a barndominium or custom home in North Alabama, Bama-Barns LLC would be happy to learn more about your project.
If you already have plans, send them to us along with information about:
- Property location
- Site conditions
- Heated square footage
- Garage or shop size
- Porches
- Utilities
- Desired finishes
- Approximate budget
- Construction timeframe
The more we know about the project, the better we can help you determine the next steps.
- Bama-Barns LLC
- Custom Homes • Barndominiums • Pole Barns • Metal Buildings
- 855-256-BAMA
- www.bama-barns.com
- Alabama HBLB #41856