Leveling under barn

15 years ago

I'm about to build a shedrow pole barn (24X36). Our ground slopes to the point that we had to put a drainage swale in front of the house, because in heavy rains the rain could come in the house.

I'm not sure how important leveling before putting in the pole barn is. We have extra dirt that can be moved to the barn site, but the tractor guy thinks it'll take a couple of days and cost around $1200. We could skip it and just put in the barn with the high side at the height we want and the down hill side taller, so it's level, even though the ground isn't. Then I thought maybe dig a ditch along the long high side, to get the water to go around the area.

But, if I ever wanted stalls in the barn, we'd have to get it level, so is it better to just do it now, even if it seems a high cost just to move dirt around our place?

Any thoughts? I'm just starting with a run in shed for the horses, and will add stalls later.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

lily51
15 years ago
I would say take the time and expense and have level ground. Otherwise you'll be forever and always fighting a slope and water.

We built the greenhouse (18' x 28') and an attached garden house (20' x 16') on the slope where the bank barn used to be (high winds blew it down in 2000)) My husband turned that site into a nice, gentle slope, not knowing we would want to build there again.

To make the greenhouse level, we had the site shaped as much as we could, then brought in tons of limestone to make the whole site the same elevation.

Once the greenhouse/building were built, brought in fill dirt to cover the stone and build up a bank around the greenhouse (the spot where the garden house is was level and we made the greenhouse meet it)

so glad we did it this way.
Best of luck on your venture.
jeniferkey
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the comment. I called the backhoe guy out today. The prices were really high for bringing out gravel/limestone, but leveling it with our own dirt isn't too bad, and it seems doing it right, now, is the best thing.
Related Professionals
Ocala Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Springfield Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Cookeville Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Sanford Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Bainbridge Landscape Contractors · Portsmouth Landscape Contractors · Petersburg Landscape Contractors · Durango Landscape Contractors · Jackson Accessory Dwelling Units · Newport News Accessory Dwelling Units · Enfield Accessory Dwelling Units · Saint Cloud Accessory Dwelling Units · Tucson Accessory Dwelling Units · Stockton Accessory Dwelling Units · Leamington Accessory Dwelling Units
oregonwoodsmoke
15 years ago
Do it right the first time. It'll save a lot of grief and expense later.