Raised in a barn

Ever heard the phrase “raised in a barn”? What if the barn is a barndominium, a combination of a traditional barn and a condominium?

Duane and Nancy Fontana had their barndominium ground breaking ceremony with a gold shovel, gold balloons and gold champagne on Wednesday, March 16.

Duane said, “I believe it will be the first barndominium built in Huntley.”

Why a barndominium?

Duane said, “The trend of building barndominiums has become the latest real estate rage featuring incredible designs. A barndominium, or barndo for short, can be anything from a high-end home to a very basic housing structure. A similarity between barndos being built today is that they are often sheeted with metal on the exterior, giving a classic-modern paradoxical vibe or built as a post and beam structure.”

How did they begin to plan?

Duane said, “I started researching post and beam barn companies online last February. I narrowed it down to two companies, both located in Nebraska. Nancy and I and my son, daughter-in-law and two grandsons took a road trip to visit both of them. We visited the larger company first. Very impressive operation. We toured their facility and had all my questions answered. We then went to the smaller company, Legacy Post and Beam. They also took us on a tour and answered all my questions.”

What criteria did Duane use to make a decision?

Duane said, “It was based on the quality of their work and the choice of lumber, Douglas fir rather than pine.”

The Fontanas had to design the structure, get a building permit, determine the grading, soil testing and submit an architectural plan to meet all Huntley building codes and of course find and hire the skills needed to construct the barndominium.

What happens next?

Duane said, “They are now in the process of cutting the posts and beams, drilling holes for the steel brackets and assembling the ‘bents.’ There will be 6 of them to act as the backbone of the structure. They will then label all the individual pieces, take the “bents” apart wrap them up and ship them via semi-trucks to our location for re-assembly. My son and I and a few other helpers will assemble the bents, and build the walls.”

Friends and family gathered to toast the success of the project. Nancy and Duane broke the ground with the gold shovel. The symbolic act of using a golden shovel to unearth the first soil from a development site is a ritual meant to bestow success and good fortune on the project.

What are plans for this barndominium?

Nancy said, “I spent my summers growing up on my grandparents’ farm in Iowa. I have loved barns and farms since then. We never had a barn to use for fun or growing plants inside, but I believe you never stop learning and should never stop having fun. This should keep our mind and body moving forever. I do hope we can get some interest from maybe the Garden Club for our proposed hydroponic gardening, I already invited someone to have a square dance party in the barn, and my granddaughter wants her sixteenth birthday and wedding there. I see a lot of potential for this barn…time will tell!”

Duane said, “I plan to grow various fruits and vegetables conventionally and hydroponically to donate to the food pantry. I will also plan fundraisers with entertainment to donate to various worthy causes.”

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