All the Info You Need For Your Build

If you're building a barndominium and getting stressed out by all the moving pieces, I am here to help. After enrolling in Barndominium Life University you'll feel confident, secure, and ready for your build.

A Team of True Experts

The team behind Barndominium Life University is the most experienced team in the barndominium industry. Morgan Roepke (your host) self-contracted a barndominium for her family in Missouri.

100% Money Back Guarantee

If you go through 100% of the course and decide it didn't provide enough value, we'll refund you no questions asked. We're that confident.

Building a Barndo Wasn't Easy

Actually, it was really freakin’ hard. Like, the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. My husband and I are full time public school teachers, we have 4 very young kids, and we decided to self-contract (build our home without a general contractor) while we built our barndo from scratch.

I know how you were feeling at this exact moment. When I was first getting started, I felt a range of emotions, and none of them were good: Overwhelmed, anxious, stressed. I had never built anything before in my life, and here I was trying to put everything together to build a home for our family. There was so much to consider. Finding land. Buying or financing land. Trying to put together a floor plan, then trying to find someone who can make those into actual house plans. Trying to find the right structure to build. Finding someone to actually PUT UP that structure.

Building a barndominium was so stressful that I actually started having regular anxiety attacks through the early planning stages, and many times, I almost gave up on our dream.

Long story short, building a barndominium myself was an insane thing to take on. I wish that I had someone there to be my guide, point out mistakes I was making, and just generally be a shoulder to cry on (besides my husband, shout to to Randie).

You’re probably feeling the same way. Are you feeling like you’re lost in this crazy world? Feel like your barndominium dreams are more like a pipe dream? Not sure where to start?

A comprehensive, turn key, proven system that slowly but surely turns your build ideas, skills, and lifestyle requirements into the necessary components to build your dream barndominium for your family, whether you hire a General Contractor or not.

This program is focused on 4 core areas:

• Preparing for your barndominium build

• Turning your design into reality

• Working with vendors, getting your budget in order and finalized

   

• Executing on your plan

With those 4 components in place and optimized, all you have to do is focus on showing up day after day and your build process will be greatly simplified.

It literally becomes plug and play after that - even if you've never built a home or even a shed before!

If you put in the work - you'll get the results!

Here's a sneak peek of what you'll learn inside the 14 core modules of Barndominium Life University:

Module 1 - Introduction to the Course

• Course objectives, what I will cover and what benefits you will receive

• I'll share more about me and my family's barndominium build. I am not special, I don't have a background in construction, and I'll explain why you don't need to either!

• Digital/printable notebook to make following along with the course easy and pain free

Module 2 - Barndominium Basics

• Define "What is a Barndominium" - this section came as a result of getting in touch with at least 100 people to ask this question. This is something you won't want to miss

• History of Barndominiums - While Chip and Joanna Gaines definitely popularized barndominiums, they did NOT invent them! We spill the details on the little-known history of barndominiums

• There's some benefits of building a barndominium that you probably didn't know about - I discuss all of them in this module!

• Barndominiums hold their resale value better than MOST home options out there assuming you do a few things - we'll explain what you need to do

Module 3 - Types of Barndominiums 

• There are more types of barndominiums than you might expect (steel framed, kits, wood frame, post frame, hybrid, barn conversions). I'll walk you through each type to help you get clarity on what type of build is best for your goals!

• There are about a million different mistakes you can make while erecting the shell of the barndominium itself. I'll highlight the mistakes we made so you can avoid them!

• There's a huge lack of knowledge about the difference between a builder and a kit provider. I'll clear up the confusion and provide a list of the top recommendations in your area

Module 4 -  Design

• You probably have a ton of ideas and features you want your dream home to have (bedrooms here, powder room there, kitchen facing a certain direction) - I'll help you take all those ideas and get them onto paper!

• Even if you've never picked up graph paper or used design software in your life, by the end of this module you'll feel confident to turn your idea into something that's usable!

• There's a surprising number of exterior styles that you can choose from (monitor, gable, gambrel, combinations) - I'll help explain the major differences and guide you toward a decision that will fit with your ideal floor plan

• If you're confused about whether you need an architect, a drafter, or just a builder - I'll clear up the confusion and give you confidence moving forward with your build

Module 5 - Self-Contracting vs Hiring a General Contractor

• There's a difference between a general contractor, self-contracting, and doing every single thing yourself. I'll explain these differences and allow you to choose the best path for you and your family

• I personally went the self-contracting route, which meant I handled a LOT of the responsibilities during the build process. Even if you've never laid plumbing lines or wired a home, self-contracting can still be a good route for you.

• Self-contracting can potentially save you between 10%-20% on your overall build cost, which makes it an excellent option if you're on a budget like we were. This module alone could save you $50,000 or more!

Module 6 - How to Hire a General Contractor and/or Barndominium Builder

• There are entire Facebook groups dedicated to "Bad Barndominium Builders" - unfortunately finding the right builder is extremely hard and if you're not careful you can get cheated out of your money. We explain everything you need to watch out for.

• Once you weed out the scammers, you still need to figure out which builders are good and which builders are GREAT. In this module, I provide tons of questions you need to use to properly vet potential builders.

• In this crazy market, builders and kit providers think that they have the upper hand over consumers. I'll teach you how to build rapport, get reference checks, and negotiate contracts so that builders are competing against each other for YOUR business - the way it should be.

Module 7 - Budgeting without Busting

• The absolute number one fear I hear from people who want to build a barndo is "What if I get started and then go over my budget?" - That was my biggest fear too. In this module I'll provide everything you need to know in order to put your mind at ease and feel confident.

• I'll help you set up a working budget using Barndominium Life's Bid and Budget Tracker spreadsheet (included for FREE as part of enrolling)

• As you get started on your build, you'll feel confident and capable of making decisions that you know won't put you over your budget for your build. Yes, that means you might be able to splurge on the extra-fancy countertops :)

Module 8 - Securing Financing 

• There's a wide variety of loan products that can help with your barndominium build. We'll review the biggest types and give advice based on your specific situation.

• In some parts of the country, loan officers haven't even heard of a barndominium. Don't miss our great tip on what to call your barndominium so you can make sure you close on your loan

• Different lenders have different requirements about what you need in order to quality and how much money to have on hand. I'll break down what's typical and what's not typical. If you see a requirement for *this* thing - RUN.

Module 9 - How to Self-Contract Like a Boss

• If you decide to go the self-contracting route you'll need to know what you're getting yourself into. We've compiled a list of just about everything you'll be responsible for as a self-contracting homeowner. Don't start without it!

• So we previously covered how to vet and hire a builder and a GC. That said, if you're self-contracting hiring the subcontractors is a whole different ball game. You need to evaluate trustworthy, competent, and whether they can deliver the services they offer. I'll give you everything you need to make working with subs run smoothly.

• One of the hardest things about self-contracting is convincing your lender to fund your loan. I went through HELL during this phase. With my advice, it'll be smooth sailing as you prove yourself to your lender with ease.

• As a self-contractor, protecting yourself with insurance, contracts, lien waivers, and title is of the upmost importance. Don't start without these tips or things could go south - quickly.

Module 10 - Breaking Ground

• We had an absolutely crazy zoning issue come up right as we were breaking ground. It was completely avoidable, so I'll make sure you avoid it with this tip.

• Something that delays tons of barndo builds are the permitting challenges related to minimum square feet and shop/accessory buildings can have different sets of rules. While I'm not an expert in every country in the US, there are some guidelines that apply across MOST places.

• A difficult part of the build process is that many vendors you'll work with has to complete their work before the *next* vendor can get started. I'll provide useful tips for managing vendors like this and making sure your build doesn't get delayed.

Module 11 - Managing Construction

• If you're new to construction management (I was!) then you need this module. Everything related to keeping things on time and under budget is contained in this section.

• As a self-contractor, you're going to need to fire a subcontractor at some point. Unfortunately, that's the easy part. The hard part is figuring out if they're truly doing a bad job or if something out of their control is impacting their work. I'll help you make that call.

• Supply chain issues are still happening EVERYWHERE. After this module, you'll be a supply chain pro and won't be heartbroken when you don't have a garage door or HVAC component that delays your move-in.

Module 12 - Stage 1 of Construction

• You'll need to make big decisions about the foundation of your home. With these tips you'll know exactly what to do when foundation day arrives.

• One of the hardest parts of the construction journey can be getting utilities hooked up. Don't make the mistake I did and fall behind on your build schedule! 

• Framing can be one of the easiest parts of your build or one of the hardest. It all depends on the choices you make that we deep-dive on.

Module 13 - Stage 2 of Construction

• The great rough-in debate: Which comes first?!

• Plumbing into the slab - get expert advice on tips, figure out what to do if the plumbing is off (even by inches), and how to save money when designing for plumbing

• I'll help you create a holistic plan for energy efficiency - HVAC, windows, spray foam, solar power, and more!)

• We'll get up close and personal with my family's barndominium build and talk about basic electrical tips and optional electrical upgrades

Module 14 - Stage 3 of Construction

• Drywall hanging and finishing - what to consider when doing it DIY, what types of textures and how to save serious $$$

• I'll walk through finishing materials and interior design tips

• OK, maybe most important (not really, but maybe!) - I'll talk about the keys to designing an Instagram-worthy house. I've amassed a bit of a following on IG, and if you want to do the same you won't want to miss these tips.

All together, these video modules are worth over $2500 in consulting...

As you can see - the Barndominium Life University contains everything you need to break ground on your build and give your family a better life.

And as part of this special offer, if you join Barndominium Life University today you'll get three amazing bonuses worth over $1,100.

Bonus #1: Live Sessions with Morgan Roepke

Join me during live sessions that are ONLY open to Barndominium Life University members. On these sessions you can ask burning questions, get design feedback, and get help with nearly any aspect of your build!

$500 value

Bonus #2: Barndominium Life University Community

Tired of the Facebook groups that are filled with spammers, vendors trying to sell you stuff, and angry people shouting about politics and other crap? We are too. That's why we created the first private barndominium community. You can get your burning questions answered by Morgan directly. Plus the group is vetted for admission, so only people who are ACTUALLY building a barndo are allowed in.

$600 value

Bonus #3: Barndominium Bid and Budget Tracker Fillable PDF and Spreadsheet

In order to help you keep track of spending during your build, we are also including the Barndominium Bid and Budget Tracker Fillable PDF and Spreadsheet at NO additional cost!

$28 value