# Morton style home questions.



## m5askqu5

I'm new here. I've read a few threads, but still have questions. We're looking into a Morton style home. We have four children, will need five bedrooms, three baths. Is it less expensive to build everything on one level and have a 90' long home (which I think is somewhat too long) or build a basement with a few bedrooms in it? Anyone build one of these? We're in KS. Cheaper to go with a kit from a place like Kodiak or buy from a local to put up the shell and go from there? Care to share your cost/sq ft? I've read $75 is a good average. Any input is appreciated. Thanks.


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## dirtman

I don't know what a Morton style home is but basements are expensive, especially if they are done so that they make a suitable living space. It usually cheaper to build up than out.


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## Belfrybat

I'd never heard of Morton buildings before but I gather they are steel? http://mortonbuildings.com/buildings/residential/

I echo dirtman in that it's cheaper to go up than down. As to expense, you get what you pay for, and I would imagine $75 a square is unfinished?


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## Raymond James

You should be able to get an estimate from several local contractors who do dirt work on what it cost to dig a basement in your area. They should quote so much per square foot. Then figure out how much to pour the basement and the home above it. 

Figure out the cost of a slab on grade, home and compare. 

I would want at least a partial basement so I could have a tornado shelter. I would not want to put a bedroom in a basement unless it was a walkout basement. 


I prefer homes with walkout basement facing south. The one I really liked had a bathroom with shower, large play area for the kids, plenty of storage, safe room. If I were still there I would have put a green house on the south side . That home had 2 baths upstairs and 3 bedrooms. 

Morton buildings are cost effective as compared with traditional stick built homes when comparing cost per square foot. They can go up very quickly . I would go with a metal roof regardless of how it is built.


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## m5askqu5

Belfrybat said:


> I'd never heard of Morton buildings before but I gather they are steel? http://mortonbuildings.com/buildings/residential/
> 
> Yes, they're actually becoming more and more popular. People build homes inside them- I'm wanting ours to turn out something along these lines, they can be very nice homes:
> 
> http://mortonbuildings.com/reference_number/4028/?photo=8754
> http://mortonbuildings.com/reference_number/3815/?photo=5053
> 
> I echo dirtman in that it's cheaper to go up than down. As to expense, you get what you pay for, and I would imagine $75 a square is unfinished?


No, from what I've gathered, that's $75/ft finished! I've read you can average a stick-built home at around $100-$125/ft.


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## m5askqu5

Raymond James said:


> You should be able to get an estimate from several local contractors who do dirt work on what it cost to dig a basement in your area. They should quote so much per square foot. Then figure out how much to pour the basement and the home above it.
> 
> Figure out the cost of a slab on grade, home and compare.
> 
> I would want at least a partial basement so I could have a tornado shelter. I would not want to put a bedroom in a basement unless it was a walkout basement.
> 
> 
> I prefer homes with walkout basement facing south. The one I really liked had a bathroom with shower, large play area for the kids, plenty of storage, safe room. If I were still there I would have put a green house on the south side . That home had 2 baths upstairs and 3 bedrooms.
> 
> Morton buildings are cost effective as compared with traditional stick built homes when comparing cost per square foot. They can go up very quickly . I would go with a metal roof regardless of how it is built.


We're thinking along the same lines. Walkout, not a full basement, maybe half the house worth. Thanks for your tips.


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## m5askqu5

dirtman said:


> I don't know what a Morton style home is but basements are expensive, especially if they are done so that they make a suitable living space. It usually cheaper to build up than out.


I'm estimating our basement to come in (finished and approx. half the house- at 36x42) under $30K. This is only going by what I'm read on other threads. It's that or we have a 90' long house with five bedrooms on one floor.


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## jhambley

Our 80' long single story










See more photos and discussions at this thread:

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/country-living-forums/homestead-construction/503719-can-we-talk-barn-homes-barndominiums.html


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## m5askqu5

jhambley said:


> Our 80' long single story
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> See more photos and discussions at this thread:
> 
> http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/country-living-forums/homestead-construction/503719-can-we-talk-barn-homes-barndominiums.html



So do you wish it was more like 40' long with a basement underneath? Guess it depends on your needs. Is 80' super long to you? I feel like our current home is long and it's just over 60'. The new one would include a garage to drive into the side.


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## jhambley

We moved from a two story home with a daylight basement. Too many stairs as you or your parents grow old. No sump pumps to worry about. We built this new home using Universal Design principles which makes it very easy to move around and live in.


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## farminghandyman

I not saying what you need or want, 

but we raised 4 kids in a story and a half house, that was 1104 sq foot on the ground floor and the upper was about 600, after we added a dormer that house a small room and 1/2 bath one full bath downstairs, the bed rooms were upstairs, in the "attic part" , one room suitable for a bed room down stairs, at times it would have been nice to have a little more room, but the living and dinning area are large, the living room is 16x16 and the dinning area is 14 x20, not bad for 110 year old house, 

one thing I like is when the kids grow up one can shut down the upper floor and live in the lower section of the house, Now in this house that has happened 4 times now, the first family my gran father, raised 5 kids, the next family I think 4 kids, my folks raised 3, and we raised 4 kids, 

what I am saying is if well designed muliti story or single floor, can be very workable and if you took my house, and layed it out on one floor, it would about 24 by 60 or so, 
(one advantage of the story and half is the storage in the attics off the rooms),
the extra 30 feet (if only 24 wide) you indicate, would cost you an extra $72,000 @ $100 square foot, and $54,000 @ $75 square foot.

Really a story and half house using real rafters, about the only extra in the framing cost over single story is a heavier ceiling/upper floor joist, and a floor materials in the upper level.


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## m5askqu5

Thanks for the tips. I have tossed around the idea of a loft with two bedrooms, bath up there. We're looking at an open floor plan, so the living/dining/entry and kitchen will all be one open space. A loft above the entry/dining as you walk in might work or one end of the home (above the other bedrooms?). Guessing it'd be cheaper to build a loft than a basement. But I'd sure love a basement.


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## KCFLY

do yourself a favor and get a quote for a basement foundation from a couple local contractors. KS is a good place for a basement if you are in a tornado area.


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## dirtman

I'm assuming that in your state code requires your footing to be at least 42 inches down. That's about half a basement wall right there so building a basement rather than a crawl would not be as much extra expense as it would be somewhere where you could build on a slab.


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## LittleRedHen

As a mom of 8 in 1800 sq feet... with one bathroom... Creativity can take you far when cost is an issue. I would love a 2nd bathroom from time to time but its the country so it hasn't been an issue except once in awhile. 95% of the day the bathroom is empty. We just have 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house with a full basement revamped into our family room and 2 more bedrooms plus a utility room


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## texican

Most expensive part of a home are the foundation and the roof. I built my first home, and had planned on a 24x30 home... since cash was non existent I had plenty of time to think about my next move.... figured it out and was able to get a second floor for another $500 for framing, plus windows... 

I'd build up instead of out...


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## m5askqu5

Now we're wondering about a slab (safe room maybe in the garage area) and three bedrooms on the main level with two in a loft. Wondering if that's less expensive AND more efficient? Or more efficient to build a basement with those two bedrooms and bath? Basically- what is the most efficient and cost friendly way to build a five bedroom, three bathroom home?


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## fishhead

A 90' roof is twice as expensive as a 45' roof. Almost the same with the footing and slab.


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## kycrawler

my wife and i drew up a floor plan for a pole barn style house 5 bedroom 2 bath that i will be building this spring 30x40 main structure 14' porch across the front with a 14x16 section of the porch built in as a sun/living room kids bedroooms are 8x12 1424 sq ft of living space 5 bedrooms 2 bath and a decent pantry


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## lamoncha lover

our place is 30 x 64 with a 10 ft deep covered porch across the whole front. We are housing 3 adults and 3 kids. We have one bathroom functioning right now..but will finish out the master bedroom bath at some point. It does not feel crowded at all!. If you go with a "morton" style steel building..acid stain your concrete floors I LOVE ours. and do spray foam insulation. A bit costly but a great investment.


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## Jim Bunton

I like the idea, would want a basement. Is it possible to have a basement with a Morton style home?

Jim Bunton


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