Cost by size · 6 min read
How much does a 30x40 barndominium cost?
The entry-size barndominium — 1,200 sq ft under roof, and what it really runs.
Published July 30, 2026
The 30x40 is where a lot of barndominium dreams start — a 30-foot by 40-foot building, which comes out to 1,200 square feet on one level. It is the classic shop-with-living-quarters footprint and the entry size for people who want to build smart, not big.
As a planning range, a turnkey 1,200 sq ft barndominium runs about $182,400 to $220,800 in lower-cost states like Texas, Tennessee, and Georgia, and up to roughly $399,000 to $483,000 in the highest-cost states. Small does not automatically mean cheap — a lot depends on how much of that 1,200 sq ft you finish out as living space. Here is the honest breakdown.
The 30x40 number — and what it leaves out
A 30x40 barndominium is 1,200 sq ft under roof. In the lower-cost states we serve, a turnkey build runs about $182,400 to $220,800. In the highest-cost states, that same 1,200 sq ft can run $399,000 to $483,000. Most states land in between.
That range covers the home build from sub-slab plumbing and up — everything under the roof, combined. It does not cover the land or the work to make it buildable. On a small build especially, site costs like a well, septic, and a driveway can be a surprising share of the total, which is exactly why we price them out loud early.
This is a planning range for total under-roof square footage — living space, garage, and covered patios/porches combined — based on current scope and assumptions and subject to review. It covers the home build from sub-slab plumbing and up. It does not include land, site work, utilities, septic or well, driveways, or finish upgrades. A precise number requires plans and lender pre-approval — until then, any figure is an estimate, not a quote or guarantee.
The levers
What moves a 30x40 the most.
01
How much you actually finish
A 30x40 that is half insulated shop and half living space costs far less than one finished wall-to-wall as a home. The blended rate covers everything under the roof, but finished living space is where the money concentrates.
02
The state you build in
Our under-roof rate ranges from about $152/sq ft in lower-cost states to over $400/sq ft in the priciest. Even on a small 1,200 sq ft build, that swing is six figures.
03
Kitchen and bath count
Plumbing and cabinetry are the most expensive square feet in any home. One bath and a compact kitchen keep a 30x40 lean; a second bath or a full chef kitchen moves it up quickly.
04
A loft
A loft over part of the 30x40 adds finished square footage above the 1,200 — a common way to get a second bedroom or office without a bigger footprint, but it is finished space, so it adds to the number.
Outside the build number
What the 30x40 range does not include.
The build number is only part of what you will spend. These sit outside it:
- 01Land and the site work to make it buildable
- 02Utilities, septic or well, and long service runs
- 03Driveway, clearing, and grading
- 04Finish upgrades beyond the planning assumptions
How Solvara fits in.
We design your 30x40 around how you want to use it — living, shop, or both — ground the budget against the real drawings and the real site, and get you build-ready, then make qualified introductions to construction professionals when you are ready. We are not the builder or general contractor, and the contract to build is between you and the builder you choose. A small build is still a big decision; it is worth grounding the number before you commit.
Common questions
Straight answers, up front.
- How much does a 30x40 barndominium cost?
- A 30x40 barndominium is 1,200 sq ft under roof. As a planning range it runs about $182,400 to $220,800 turnkey in lower-cost states like Texas, Tennessee, and Georgia, and up to roughly $399,000 to $483,000 in the highest-cost states — from sub-slab plumbing and up. That excludes land, site work, utilities, septic or well, driveways, and finish upgrades. A precise number requires finished plans and lender pre-approval.
- How many square feet is a 30x40 barndominium?
- A 30x40 footprint is 1,200 square feet on a single level. A loft or partial second story adds finished square footage — and cost — above that.
- Is a 30x40 barndominium big enough to live in?
- It can be. 1,200 sq ft comfortably holds a one or two-bedroom home, and many people split a 30x40 between compact living quarters and a shop or garage. It is a popular first build and a common shop-with-living-quarters size.
- Does Solvara build 30x40 barndominiums?
- No. Solvara is a preconstruction planning and coordination company, not a builder or general contractor. We design your 30x40, ground the budget against the real plans and site, and get you build-ready — then make qualified introductions to construction professionals who build in your state.
Planning a 30x40? Start with a real plan.
Tell us your state, how you want to split living and shop space, and your land status, and we will come back with a grounded range and a clear next step.