A "pole barn" is simply a rudimentary and inexpensive way to build a "barn", supported by poles or posts put into the ground perhaps with concrete or perhaps not, with no continuous foundations or raised framing above grade, per build code.

The first place for you to be concerned is with foundations, followed by getting a code-approved building permit from your local building jurisdiction.

Have you checked with them to see if this is an approved building approach?

Is this type of home compatible with the existing homes in the area or will you be the odd one?

Morton building homes are quite common where I live, but I'm not sure I've seen one that's NOT a rectangle. You've got several bump outs (T shape) . . . how will this work with the Morton people?

Thanks for your replies. I am aware of how a pole barn is constructed. We chose Morton buildings because they do not set the posts in the ground. The posts are set on concrete and no wood comes in contact with the ground. There are other homes like this built in the area. One such building is located at the entrance of the subdivision and used as an events hall. Other homes in the subdivision vary in size and style. We don't feel this would be out of place for the area, and would be able to add shutters, brick, or other details for a more residential look if desired.

@littlebug - The T-shaped bump outs will basically be covered porch areas that are enclosed (so the base structure is still essentially a rectangle). Morton can do L and T shaped buildings though, for the right amount of $$

What’s the resale of an agricultural building vs a standard stick built home?

We plan to raise our children here, so resale is not of immediate concern; however, this is rural Arkanas.....it's not likely to be an issue. Any comments on the floor plan?

and so we have decided to build a "pole-barn" house, specifically a Morton building. We like that this style building will require very little maintenance due to having a metal roof & siding, is pre-engineered for local wind/snow loads, and the clear span construction means no interior load-bearing walls. The "shell" can also be constructed quite quickly.

All these attributes are available using conventional construction too.

I'll encourage you to consider all the details needed to go from a typical post frame building to a home.

How will you weather seal -- air and moisture/vapor, the structure?

These buildings use girts around the outside to attach the sheathing to, but provide nothing on the interior to attach drywall to.

How will windows and doors be installed and flashed?

How will you insulate?

Our family background: We have 4 children ranging in age from 9 months to 9 yrs. (3 girls, 1 boy).

3 girls, 1 boy, 3 bedrooms, 2 shared bathrooms -- something does not add up.

We are attempting to minimize costs by keeping a rectangular footprint (36' W x 84' L with 12' deep covered porches).

Except you don't really have a rectangular footprint.

The plan looks like you started with a rectangle, drew in rooms to fill the space, then added things like bathrooms and closets. Like the J&J bath on the back of the house, and the master bath and closet.

Not sure what you will use that giant front porch for, but it will block light, and add to the cost.

The hallways into the kids’ bedrooms seem to waste space and the girls’ hallway will be difficult to get furniture through.

I looked into this - getting the insulation, windows and moisture management correct is tricky. Same for the roof / ceiling treatment.

If you are sold on this idea, perhaps working with someone on this site (maybe Summit Studio) and see if he'd be up to the challenge of assisting in the floor plan design so that will be well conceived and architectural.

PPF & jannicone - Morton addresses all of those concerns with various options (insulation
package, attic ventilation, vapor retarders, Pella windows, walls &
ceilings ready for drywall). Their residential buildings are purported
to be very energy efficient.

PPF - 3 bedrooms/2 baths for 4 children seems sufficient to me. Two girls will share one bedroom/bath, and a girl and boy will each have their own room and share the jack/jill bath. In regards to the rectangular design, elevations would help here, but I don't have them. As I stated in a previous comment, the "bump outs" are essentially closed-in areas of a covered porch. So, the footprint and the roof are rectangular. What will we use the giant porch for? Rocking chairs, a porch swing, a hammock - sitting outside, shelling peas, watching the kids & chickens. Acceptable to you? I do appreciate you pointing out that the covered porch may block light.

emilyam - Thanks for the comments! I agree there is wasted space in that area, and see how moving furniture could be an issue.

It doesnt seem like its very efficiently organized with the bent hallways. If I had three girls and I was building a new house, I’d give each their own room but maybe it’s not necessary if two are very young and one is the 9 year old. I wouldnt want to share a bathroom with a brother. I think it’d be better to share with a sister? I would see if an architect could look at the plan and help organize it more efficiently.

It's not very well laid out on the kids side as others have said.

Thanks all....we will re-evaluate the layout of the kids' side. My oldest 2 girls are very close in age, have always shared a room, and desire to continue sharing a room. The baby is also a girl, but with such an age difference between her and the older two, needs a separate bedroom (different bedtimes, etc.). I considered giving the boy his own bathroom & having all 3 girls share a bathroom. Would that be more desirable than having 2 kids per bath, as is shown? All 4 kids currently share 1 bathroom, so either option would be an improvement, I think.

Your girls haven't reached their teen years yet. They may not wish to share once they reach the teen years. I would seriously consider making it so each child can have their own room.

I would have the three girls share a big bath and give the boy his own small bath.

For what it's worth, I shared a bathroom with 3 boys, growing up, and it was fine. Also shared a room with my 2 younger brothers until I was 12. If they have their own spaces to retreat to outside, it can be fine.

I think the shared bath between the brother/sister will be fine, especially since each has their own sink. My brother and I shared a bathroom for our entire childhood (in our case it was a hall bath with an outer area with sink only and an inner with sink/shower/toilet) and it worked fine. I claimed the outer sink, which meant my brother could still shower while I got ready at the counter. My brother had the inner sink, but since it took him approximately two minutes to get ready it was fine. Only think I would consider is making it a hall bath - I’m not sure I would have wanted our shared bathroom to connect directly to my room...

As for the shared bedroom. I might think about whether it could be made a little longer and narrower with a door in the middle and a closet on each side. Then if the girls decide they don’t want to share they can more easily put up some sort of permanent or temporary divider.

I agree with cpartist. I think each girl should have their own room. Even if they dont want to be in separate rooms at this time, it will provide an extra guest room. If they want to split into separate rooms, you’d have that option.

I personally wouldnt want my brother walking in on me after taking a shower in a Jack Jill bath because I forgot to lock his bathroom door, or vice versa. I’d figure out a different solution if it were me, but clearly there are a variety of opinions on this.

I’d also be careful not to give the boy special treatment because he is the only boy. The girls might interpret it as favoritism because he’s the only boy, even though it’s not meant that way.

Interesting perspectives! Thank you all again for your input. We've got some things to think about.

I'm with Anglo about the shared bathroom. My kids, (a boy and a girl) shared the only upstairs bathroom with my ex and me. Somehow for 19 years we managed just fine. (We did have 2 half baths downstairs too.)

I like rocky's solution to make the rooms separate and let the girls share for now if that's what they prefer. The extra bedroom could for now be an away room for reading, or if one girl has girlfriends over, a place for them to giggle together, etc. Then in a few years when puberty hits and they decide they absolutely want their own space, you already have the two rooms.

My husband and I are also building a Morton home after having built a Morton barn first. We love our barn so much and were so impressed with the construction we decided to have them build us a house. You are quite brave to ask this group for their opinions. I've been following Houzz for a couple of years now and people/experts can be pretty petty and overly critical. What I call "podium" critical. Anyway, the beauty of Morton is that you can customize your building to meet your needs and your site. Yes, we should take their comments into consideration, but in the end do what works for you and yours. I am retired and my husband is nearing retirement. After living in many houses over the years, we know what we want and it's not a cookie cutter floor plan that someone tells me I want. Believe me, your kids will survive.