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Building a New Barn

3K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  Greenie 
#1 ·
Hello -

I have a few questions for you construction gurus.

We are wanting to build an addition to our existing barn, but the only "suitable" location we can build is right in the path of major water run-off, across our driveway, AND on sloping terraine. I will try to show you in this cross section diagram:

[existing East-West BARN] '''''''\__run-off & East-West driveway__/'''''' level ground w. existing barn

We are wanting the new barn (to run North-South) to attach to the existing barn (East-West) and run perpendicular to the driveway and exsiting barn. The exisiting barn is about 4 feet above the driveway level. We also need access from the driveway so 2 big doors would be installed so we could "drive through" the barn.

Here are my questions: (1) is it possible to build a barn over culverts (sp.)?
(2) is it possible to have the new addition at a lower level than the existing barn - would need to have a sloping floor between the 2 buildings?
(3) is it possible to bring in fill (likely large amounts) to build up the lower area to make it level with the elevation of the existing barn? In doing so, we would then need to drive up into the barn AND the water would flow right into the upwards sloping ramp into the barn.
(4) is a putting a new barn in this location a cause for disaster?

I hope what I wrote is clear. Thank you for your input.

A Greenie.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
Greenie said:
(4) is a putting a new barn in this location a cause for disaster?
This question is not easily answered without seeing the proposed building site. The first questions I'd ask you are:
1. does run-off from other properties flow through the location?
2. will the barn's bearing walls span the drainage swale (cross over it) or will they be parallel to it?
3. how involved is the building permit process in your area?
4. how large an area (in acres) conveys run-off through the location? Is the area grass covered or paved?

Conceivably you could catch the storm run-off on the uphill side and pipe it beneath / around the proposed building location. You'd want to get a local expert involved; someone that can see firsthand the conditions you have to work with.
 
#4 ·
HA! Well, unlike Noah, we only have horses! :cheesygri

Thanks for your reply. In answer to your questions:

This question is not easily answered without seeing the proposed building site. Yes, I understand.... I do appreciate your attempt to answer our questions.

1. does run-off from other properties flow through the location? No. The farmland in our area is rolling with a natural slope towards a creek. Our property is 40 acres. The barn is located about 400 feet from the municipal road (located down from the road). If you enter into our driveway (paved and a gentle slope down), you will see the barn ahead. The driveway curves and continues down to the left of the barn. At this point, there is a grass ditch on the leftside of the driveway. In the Spring and during rainfall, the water flows down the curve of this driveway (into a field). The paved driveway then ends and this is where we want to build our addition.

2. will the barn's bearing walls span the drainage swale (cross over it) or will they be parallel to it? Yes. The barn's walls will cross over the drainage site (this includes the swale from the exisiting barn, the swale from the field to the left, the grass ditch, and the paved driveway).

3. how involved is the building permit process in your area? From what I am told, not very involved.

4. how large an area (in acres) conveys run-off through the location? Is the area grass covered or paved? Since our whole 40 acre property is sloping, there are multiple areas for run-offs. In this particular area, I'd say acts as a run-off for about 3 acres (again, the conduits for this run-off are: the paved driveway, the grass ditch (1-2 feet deep), and swales - one to the left and the right.

Thank you!
 
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