Barndominium Builders in Richmond, IN

Barndominium builders in Richmond are working at the eastern edge of Indiana, where the state line with Ohio is close enough that it can change which permit office you deal with. Richmond is the Wayne County seat, in the eastern part of the county and right against the Ohio border. Wayne County covers 404 square miles, bordered by Darke and Preble counties in Ohio and by Randolph, Henry, Fayette and Union counties in Indiana. If you are shopping for land on both sides of the line, remember that Indiana and Ohio have different codes and permit offices. Everything on this page is about the Indiana side.

The highest ground in Indiana

Hoosier Hill, Indiana's highest natural point at 1,257 feet, lies in northern Wayne County, about 12 miles north of Richmond. The Indiana Geological and Water Survey notes that it sits on the Tipton Till Plain and is unimpressive as a vantage point: this is a flat to gently rolling surface left by glaciers that filled in old bedrock valleys. Richmond itself sits at 978 feet. High, flat ground drains slowly, which is why soil and water come up so often in planning here.

The Whitewater River

Quaker families from North Carolina settled along the East Fork of the Whitewater River around 1806, and the river still runs through the area, with Whitewater Gorge Park in the city. Lots near the river or its tributaries need a flood map check and, on steeper banks, a careful look at where the building pad goes.

Soil on the till plain

Two USDA soil series give a good picture of eastern Indiana farm ground. Crosby, found in Indiana and Ohio on Wisconsinan till plains, is somewhat poorly drained with a perched water table 0.5 to 2 feet deep in winter and spring. Blount, also on till plains, has slow permeability in dense clay loam till and a similar perched water table. For a barndominium on soil like this, we raise the slab above grade, run drain tile around the perimeter where needed and keep roof water well away from the building. For the septic, expect the soil evaluation to shape the system design.

Cold and design loads

Wayne County's mean annual temperature in the 2020 Indiana Residential Code table is 49.9 F, cooler than counties around Indianapolis. The same table lists:

• 30-inch minimum footing depth
• 20 psf ground snow load
• 115 mph design wind speed
• Seismic design category A
• 2 F winter design temperature

Richmond's records run from 104 F to -27 F, with about 42.86 inches of precipitation a year. In a metal building, those cold extremes make continuous insulation, a good air barrier and correctly sized heat important, especially in a heated shop with large overhead doors.

Wind and storms

Wind exposure is site-specific under the code, and open till-plain fields are exposed. A barndominium's wide roof and tall walls need a continuous load path from the roof down to the anchors. An interior safe room is worth planning in from the start.

Getting around

I-70 serves Richmond at four exits, and US 40 follows the old National Road through the city. A parcel near an interchange makes commuting and deliveries simple. A parcel deep in the county gives more privacy. Either way, plan the driveway for delivery trucks and the equipment you will keep in the shop.

Septic and permits

Indiana's residential onsite sewage rule, 410 IAC 6-8.3, applies here, with permits issued by the local health department. Where a sewer line is close enough, the state requires connection instead of a septic system. Indiana Code 22-12-1-5 treats a one- or two-family home and its outbuildings, such as a garage or barn, as a Class 2 structure. Richmond also includes a non-contiguous section in Boston Township around the municipal airport, so confirm whether your parcel is inside the city or in the county before plans are drawn.

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