An American barn is the classic barn shape: a tall centre section with a lower lean-to wing on each side. It’s one of the most popular lifestyle buildings in New Zealand, because one building can hold a boat or truck in the high middle bay, with stables, a workshop or storage in the wings. Here’s what shapes the price.
Why people choose one #
- Two heights in one building. The tall centre takes high vehicles and boats; the wings suit cars, tools, tack or animals.
- Room for a loft. The high centre can carry a loft or mezzanine for storage.
- The look. It reads as a barn, not a factory, which suits a lifestyle block or a rural view.
- Easy to zone. Each wing can be open, closed or split into stalls.
What drives the price #
Overall footprint. The width of the centre plus both wings, times the length.
Centre height. A taller centre means bigger frames and more cladding, and it’s usually set by the tallest thing you’ll park there.
Wing width and height. Wider wings add floor area relatively cheaply. Very low wings can limit what fits, so check door heights.
Loft or mezzanine. A floor up high needs engineering for the load it will carry, plus stairs and balustrades. It adds real cost, and usually brings the building into consent territory if it wasn’t already.
Doors. Most barns have big doors in the centre and smaller doors or open bays in the wings. Each roller door adds a noticeable amount.
Cladding and colour. Many owners pick two-tone colours for the barn look. Painted steel costs more than unpainted, and coastal sites may need an upgraded grade.
Fit-out. Stables, linings, insulation, windows, power and water are all extras.
Sizing #
Every Steelspan barn is designed to order, so there’s no standard size. The tall centre can be as wide or as narrow as you like, but a common layout is one bay wide in the centre with wings of a similar width: roughly a third, a third and a third across the building.
Why an American barn costs more per m² #
We don’t publish a price range for American barns, because every one is different. As a rule, though, an American barn costs more per square metre than a plain clear-span building on the same footprint. For example, a 15 m × 15 m clear-span building, built to the height of the barn’s tall centre, will typically be cheaper per m² than a 15 m × 15 m American barn.
The reason is that there’s a lot more going on in an American barn: more framing, more transition flashings where the wings meet the centre, more gutters, and more of everything. You’re paying for the look and the two-height layout, and for many lifestyle owners it’s worth it.
Things to check before you buy #
- Consent. Most American barns are well over 30 m², so expect building consent. See our consent post.
- District plan. Height limits and boundary setbacks still apply on lifestyle blocks.
- Use. Steelspan builds barns for storage, workshops and animals. We don’t build barns to live in, which is a different set of rules.
- Engineering. A barn’s tall centre catches more wind than a low shed. Every Steelspan barn is engineered for its own site.
Why Steelspan #
Our barns are designed to your sizes, not a fixed catalogue. The frames are galvanised steel, engineered for your site, and they go together the same way as all our kitsets.
Talk to Steelspan #
Tell us what will go in the centre and in each wing, and we’ll design the barn around it. Use our Easy Shed Quote or call 0800 787 726.
