Barndominium Shell Kit
A barndominium shell kit is the structure and skin of the building — trusses, laminated columns, steel roofing and siding, trim and hardware — engineered for your site and delivered as one package. You or your builder finish the inside.
- Includes
- Structure + steel
- Engineering
- Stamped, included
- Interior
- Your choice
- Delivery
- 11 states
Shell kit, erected shell or turnkey: know which one you are pricing.
Most barndominium price confusion comes from comparing different stages of the same building. Here is where each one stops.
Shell kit
Engineered materials above the foundation: trusses, laminated columns, steel roofing and siding, trim, fasteners and stamped drawings.
This is what we sell and deliver.
Erected shell
The shell kit plus a foundation or slab and a crew to stand it up. The result is a weather-tight building with an empty interior.
You, your framing crew or a builder from our network.
Turnkey home
Everything to move in: insulation, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, interior walls, cabinets, flooring and fixtures.
Your builder and trades, or you as owner-builder.
What ships in a Western shell kit.
- Engineered trussesCustom spans up to 86′ in one piece, designed for your site’s snow and wind loads and built in Wheatland.
- Laminated columnsStraighter than solid posts, with better treatment penetration where the column meets the ground.
- Steel roofing & siding35+ colors, including textured finishes and a woodgrain, backed by a 40-year paint warranty.
- Trim & flashingRidge cap, corner trim, J-channel and drip edge, color-matched to your steel.
- Fasteners & hardwareEvery screw, bolt, bracket and closure strip the build calls for — counted, not guessed.
- Stamped engineeringSite-specific drawings for your county’s loads, ready to hand to the building department.
- Delivered on our trucksOur flatbeds, our drivers, with an onboard forklift to set materials where your crew wants them.
Not included: concrete, site work, labor, insulation and interior finish. We’ll tell you exactly where the package stops before you order.
See every component →What you will still need after the shell.
Budget these separately. Interior finish, labor, concrete and site work typically add another 1.5 to 2 times the shell materials number.
- Concrete slab or foundation and site work
- Labor to erect the shell, unless you build it yourself
- Insulation and vapor control
- Plumbing, electrical and HVAC
- Interior framing, drywall, flooring and cabinets
- Permits and inspections for your county
Shell kit sizes and price ranges.
- 30x401,200 sq ft2-bedroom home, cabin, guest house$30K–$90K typical materials range
- 40x602,400 sq ft3–4 bedrooms, or living plus shop$60K–$150K typical materials range
- 40x803,200 sq fthome plus shop, or a large one-story home$80K–$240K typical materials range
- 50x804,000 sq ftluxury home plus RV or equipment bay$100K–$300K typical materials range
Barndominium shell kit questions.
What is a barndominium shell kit?
A barndominium shell kit is the engineered structure and exterior skin of the building — trusses, laminated columns, steel roofing and siding, trim and hardware — shipped as one package with stamped drawings. The interior is left for you or your builder to finish.
How much does a barndominium shell cost?
Industry-wide, barndominium shell materials run roughly $25 to $75 per square foot. A 40x60x16 shell package typically lands between $60,000 and $150,000. Interior finish, labor, concrete and site work typically add another 1.5 to 2 times the shell number.
What is the difference between a shell kit and a turnkey barndominium?
A shell kit is the materials for the structure and exterior. A turnkey barndominium includes the foundation, construction labor and every interior finish needed to move in. Buying the shell kit lets you control the finish budget and choose your own builder and trades.
Can I put up a barndominium shell kit myself?
Many owner-builders do, often hiring a framing crew for the structure and finishing the interior themselves. The package ships with stamped drawings and every structural component, and our Western Core program supports owner-builders.
Does the shell kit include windows and doors?
Framing for every door and window opening is included. Windows and entry doors can ship with the same package — we are an authorized Gerkin Windows dealer — and your quote lists exactly what is in it.
Price your barndominium shell.
Send the size or a floor plan and your build-site zip code. We will engineer the shell for your site and itemize exactly what is in the package.
Mon–Thu 7am–5pm, Fri 8am–3:30pm MT