A $150,000 bid and a $450,000 bid for the "same" barndominium are usually both honest — one is a shell on a prepared site and the other is a home with a septic system. The work of comparing bids is making them describe the same thing. The checklist below is the one we build our own estimates to; use it on ours.
Scope first
| Question | Why it moves the number |
|---|---|
| Shell, dry-in, or turnkey? | $45–$65 vs. $60–$85 vs. $160–$230 per square foot — see the cost guide |
| Living square footage and shop square footage, separately? | Shop is a third the cost of living area; a bid that quotes one number for both hides the ratio |
| Is the slab included? Thickness, footings to 30 inches, vapor retarder, base? | $8–$14/sq ft, and the part you cannot fix later |
| Site package: septic (which type, from which soil evaluation), well, driveway and entrance, electric service, clearing and grading? | $30,000–$80,000 typical; often "by owner" in a shell bid |
| County permit fees and escrows — included, passed through, or omitted? | Franklin's $350 escrow and square-footage fee; Jefferson's fee on $120/sq ft; Warren's $150 + $200; nothing in Lincoln |
| Engineering: is the structure stamped for Seismic Design Category C and the county's wind and snow values? | Required at plan review in Franklin and St. Charles; the lender and insurer expect it everywhere |
| Allowances for cabinets, counters, flooring, fixtures, appliances — listed with dollar amounts? | Where a $160 build becomes a $230 build |
| Insulation assembly specified (closed-cell on the steel? vented? R-values)? | The difference between a dry building and a dripping one |
| Exclusions listed? | The honest bid has a longer exclusions list than the vague one |
Money and process
- Fixed price or cost-plus? Fixed price with a change-order process is what a construction lender wants.
- Draw schedule tied to milestones — and who inspects the milestone in a county with no inspections.
- Deposit — none until the county has issued the permit (or, in Lincoln, until the septic permit and fire-district check are done); a deposit before the county says yes is a deposit you may not get back.
- Lien waivers at each draw.
- Builder's risk insurance — whose policy.
- Warranty — structural, roof (manufacturer's paint and panel warranties pass through), workmanship, and for how long.
- Schedule with a realistic lead time; "six weeks" means the shell erection, not the project.
Questions a St. Louis-ring bid must answer
- Which county is this bid built for, and what did you assume about its permit and inspections?
- What soil evaluation is the septic price based on? (If none, the septic number is a placeholder.)
- How far is the building site from the power line, and is the line-extension cost included?
- Is the design engineered for SDC C, or is it a kit from elsewhere?
- Who pulls the permit, pays the escrow, and schedules inspections?
- What is the living-to-shop split, and does the lender know it?
Red flags
- One number for the whole building with no living/shop split.
- A septic allowance with no soil evaluation behind it.
- "Permit by owner" in a Franklin or St. Charles County bid.
- "Engineering not required" for a post-frame building in a code county.
- A deposit due before the county has issued the permit.
- A price good only this week.
- No exclusions list.
The worksheet
Download the bid comparison worksheet — one column per bid, one row per line above, with the per-square-foot calculations for living and shop at the bottom.
Frequently asked questions
How many bids should I get? Three, on the same written scope — give each builder the same plan, county, parcel and site assumptions.
Should I bid the shell and the finish separately? If you intend to finish it yourself or with your own trades, yes. If you want one party responsible, no — split responsibility is where things fall through.
Your prices are published. Doesn't that make you the expensive one? Our bands are on the cost guide; the estimate is itemized. Compare the per-square-foot figures for living and shop on the same scope and see.
Next step
Custom barndominiums — a fixed-price, itemized estimate after the county and site check. Related: the cost guide · financing and appraisal.