by Nikki Alvin-Smith
Old-fashioned horsepower in the vein of equine flesh is a horse aficionados’ favorite type of horsepower to own. But alongside the animal variety the machine variety that superseded the horse as a means of transport is a much-needed adjunct to daily life.
Whether it is a vintage car, a daily driver or a work truck, the housing needs for both horses and vehicles has transcended the traditional carriage house design in a horse barn. Or has it?
While keeping machine power with their emissions of noise and gases, flammable fuel and occasional ‘precious’ status protected from the weather in a garage or other building is a great way to provide these ‘beasts of toil’ a safe and secure environment, some horse owners opt to house both types of horsepower under one roof.
There are many good reasons to opt for a combination horse and vehicle structure:
- Access to the building can be unitized so only one driveway is required.
- A smaller overall footprint may be possible as a result of proximity of horse areas to vehicle parking spaces.
- Electric and water or other service needs can be directed to one building versus two saving money.
- Security/fire suppression systems can be unitized.
- Savings on building purchase expense as construction costs are generally less for one building over two. This is especially true if the company chosen for the project has experience constructing both types of building, and already has necessary supply vendors for materials and the craftsman team (including draftsman) to complete the work on hand.
- A likely shorter timeline for overall build.
- Uniform appearance of unitized building.
- Less cost for site preparation.
Negative reasons to opt for the combination style barn include:
- Higher insurance rates.
- In certain towns there may be a building/permit requirement for fire safe sheetrock between levels and dividing/partition walls between horses and vehicle areas or other additional expenses.
- Higher permit costs and more scrutiny of plans due to multi-use nature of building, including possible loss of ‘agricultural’ status for barn structure for property taxes.
- Structure may be distant from the house to mitigate odors/noise from horses or to place barn close to pastures/arenas making it inconveniently sited for unloading groceries/other chores or for other family members to access the vehicles.
Certain construction companies have experience in building both barns and garages. Many horse barns are already designed equipped with overhead doors, similar style windows and hardware, that you would find in a garage build, so adding a garage space is not a huge ask.
Melding the horse barn with the garage space offers a neat way to house a truck and horse trailer, even allowing horses and show supplies to be loaded under cover. The garage can also provide the perfect spot to park the UTV/tractor or other barn equipment used on a daily basis. Be sure to provide adequate ventilation if running non-electrical driven equipment in the barn.
Significant savings on the trim and all exterior products including smaller items such as guttering can be enjoyed with a combination barn/garage, and site preparation costs are going to be less to level and compact/prepare a concrete pad etc. for one area versus two.
Before embarking on a combination horse barn/garage it is prudent to talk with the local building inspector to ensure that the type of structure you propose is an acceptable option. Meeting code requirements for fire safety, specialist ventilation, sealing of plumbing and electrical runs, zoning restrictions and/or other aspects that may be involved for approval such as metal framing or cored/dense heavy-duty lumber can negate the benefits of servicing horsepower needs for housing all under one roof.
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Feel free to contact Nikki Alvin-Smith for further information and high-res photos.
About Horizon Structures: One horse or twenty, there’s one thing all horse owners have in common…the need to provide safe and secure shelter for their equine partners. At Horizon Structures, we combine expert craftsmanship, top-of-the-line materials and smart “horse-friendly” design to create a full line of sheds and barns that any horse owner can feel confident is the right choice for their horses’ stabling needs.
All wood. Amish Made. Most of our buildings are shipped 100% pre-built and ready for same-day use. Larger barns are a modular construction and can be ready for your horses in less than a week. All our barn packages include everything you need –
Horizon Structures also sells chicken coops, equine hay feeders, greenhouses, dog kennels, 1 and 2 car garages, storage sheds and outdoor living structures and playsets.
Headquartered in South-Central Pennsylvania, Horizon Structures, LLC is owned by Dave Zook. Dave was raised in the Amish tradition and grew up working in the family-owned shed business. He started Horizon Structures in 2001 in response to an ever-increasing customer demand for high quality, affordable horse barns.
For additional information about the company or their product line, please visit their website at https://www.horizonstructures.com
About Nikki Alvin-Smith:
Content Creator | PR Partner | Seasoned Writer | Brand Builder |
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Grand Prix Dressage
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Please visit https://nikkialvinsmithstudio.com/ to learn more about her affordable services.
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Horizon Structures LLC, Atglen, PA
Media Contact: NAS@NikkiAlvinSmithStudio.com
Tel: 607 434 4470
https://www.HorizonStructures.com
Photos are available on request.