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Autotech
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Reged: 03/16/03
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Posts: 121
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Loc: Hilltown Township, Bucks County, PA
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Need a barn - advice on ways to aquire one needed
06/22/03 11:32 PM
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So now that we're moving in and dealing with our new farm I've come hard up against the reality that I need a barn and equipment shed.
We were hoping to "adopt" a local barn, saving it from the developers mulching chipper, both for emotional and esthetic reasons. We just think a 200 year old stone farmhouse needs something a bit nicer than a modern steel building. I was also hoping to save some cash by dismantling and re-erecting the building myself.
So I've started knocking on doors and contacting developers and site contractors. No luck as of yet.
If anybody has any ideas or suggestions I'd love to hear them.
And if anybody knows of someone looking to sell off a property, or remove or replace a barn, I really love to hear from them!
We're located in south eastern PA, and for the right barn I'd probably be willing to travel a few hours.
Gregg
Remember - If I sound like I know nothing about farming it's because I really don't!
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egon
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Re: Need a barn - advice on ways to aquire one nee
[re: Autotech]
06/23/03 05:02 AM
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Those old falling down barns may be at a premium. There may be many looking for the beams and salvagable boards as the resale is pretty good.
It may be much faster and more economical to build a new barn designed to match the old farmhouse.
Just for interest sake: In Europe many old buildings have the exterior preserved but the interior has been gutted and updated to modern standards.
Egon
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EJB
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Re: Need a barn - advice on ways to aquire one needed
[re: Autotech]
06/23/03 06:19 AM
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I've had pretty much the same thoughts for my place, but what I have found is that any barn that is in decent enough condition to dismantle and rebuild is pricey, and anything free/low cost is in such bad shape that it is not worth the effort.
I have visited a few "free for the taking" barns w/in a decent radius of my place, and always returned home empty handed. 
If you want something that looks old, or at least "classic", think about having a nice post-n-beam barn put up on the property; if you are a handy guy, it can be done as a DIY project.
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cowboydoc
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Re: Need a barn - advice on ways to aquire one nee
[re: egon]
06/23/03 08:19 AM
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I would sure as heck agree with Egon and EJB. You're going to have a tough time finding one and one in good condition. Also I don't know if you've done this before but it's a tremendous amount of work and money. Most of these barns that you are going to get are going mostly because they aren't worth anything anymore and need alot of work. If you're in PA I would contact the Amish. They are fine craftsman and can build you a "classic" barn.
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Stoneheartfarm
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Re: Need a barn - advice on ways to aquire one needed
[re: Autotech]
06/24/03 11:40 AM
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Yes, the old barns are a hot commodity. I've even suggested to some of my customers that they put them on eBay instead of tearing them down. Moving one is a big job and would be time consuming. Perhaps, if you could get enough salvageable lumber, you could side your new barn with it and gain at least some of the old feel. Or, if you have one of those mom'n'pop sawmills nearby, you could get rough sawn material from there and do about the same.
Do you need a building permit for an agricultural building in your locality? Here, we do not, but we make sure we tell the inspector before we start anyway. 
Steve
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poorboy
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Loc: Eastern Kentucky
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Re: Need a barn - advice on ways to aquire one needed
[re: Autotech]
06/24/03 09:38 PM
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I will agree with everyone else it is a bad job. I dismantled a small one once and I don't believe it was worth it. I would have did it but I had the time and the tin itself payed off because it was in good shape and heavy. But everything else was pretty much more trouble than it was worth. Brother in-law was a city inspector at one time and was up on all the development in Lexington. Man they really torn down some beautiful horse barns. The developers would sometimes put the word out but more times than not it was more cost effective to just bulldoze them down. I can remember dismantling hardware by headlights because they would doze them the next day. Usually someone the operators knew had the first choice. I can also remember the dozers driving over stacks of farm gates. I do plan on revamping one of my barns before long. It's made of American chestnut the my great grandfather cut here on the farm. Since it has been extinct for a while I may plane it and use it on some walls or woodwork.
Good luck you never know what someone wants rid of but it is a lot of work, but cost effective if you have the time.
Patrick
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Autotech
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Loc: Hilltown Township, Bucks County, PA
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Re: Need a barn - advice on ways to aquire one needed
[re: poorboy]
06/24/03 10:08 PM
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Thanks for the input so far - all points, pro and con are well taken.
I guess I should admit that one of the appeals of saving an old barn is just to do it. There's something distinctly satisfying about taking something that someone you don't even know sweat over to make, and saving it from destruction, and perhaps putting it in good enough condition and location that it may last another generation or two. When I get the chance to be in one of these old buildings I feel such a sense of admiration and respect for the builder that to be able to participate in their legacy in some small way seems worth the work.
Besides, in my neck of the woods, being able to say you moved a barn is a rare thing. I kinda like the sound of it... 
Gregg
Remember - If I sound like I know nothing about farming it's because I really don't!
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AndyF
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Re: Need a barn - advice on ways to aquire one needed
[re: Autotech]
06/25/03 06:35 AM
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Take a look at this website: http://www.thebarnjournal.org/ they have ads for barns and contractors who dismantle and re-erect as well as a lot of general info on older barns.
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poorboy
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Loc: Eastern Kentucky
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Re: Need a barn - advice on ways to aquire one needed
[re: Autotech]
06/25/03 09:57 PM
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You will definitly find out alot about the person who built it by dismantling his work. You will also do a lot of wondering why this was done that way.
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GSS
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Loc: Tarentum, PA
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Re: Need a barn - advice on ways to aquire one needed
[re: Autotech]
06/26/03 03:57 PM
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I disagree that they are a hot commodity. Maybe the wood is, but, as others have said, the cost is in dismantling it. Usually the barns themsleves go for very little b/c of the labor involved. I saw one sell for $250 at auction. Another has had a for sale sign in front of it for months now. I also see a lot advertised in the local paper. No prices though.
You definitely don't move an old barn to save money. You do it for the love of old barns. I have one on my place that was built in 1876 and will do anything to keep it around for another 100 years.
I'd love to see a picture of that stone house of yours though!
- Gerald
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DocHeb
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Loc: Michigan
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Re: Need a barn - advice on ways to aquire one needed
[re: Autotech]
07/05/03 08:09 PM
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I'm not in your area, but I have similiar thoughts. I'm sure with a couple minutes of Google searching you could find something related to barn preservation societies in Pennsylvania. A couple I found in Michigan are:
Newark Valley Historical Society Barn Links
Great Lakes Barn Preservation.
The main disadvantage that I'm having a problem overcoming is the lack of weather-tightness on the old barns. I really want something I could work in year-round.
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tenebrous
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Loc: Geneseo, New York
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Re: Need a barn - advice on ways to aquire one needed
[re: Autotech]
07/10/03 09:17 AM
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In your area of PA you have Amish and Mennonite communities. I had a Mennonite carpenter build my barn using the old board and batten method. He has built many historic looking barns in our area to blend with the historic old homes.
My barn gives us the look we wanted but would not pass for an old barn. It has trusses modern windows and doors. It was built of green Hemlock and had to dry out over the winter before the stain could go on. This carpenter has build some barns that make you feel that you are stepping back in time. They are built the same way as a hundred years ago except that air nailers and skid loaders are used.
If you want the look, it can be had at not an outrageous price. One of my neighbors moved an old barn to his property and then found out he could have had all new materials much cheaper.
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