How to hire someone to rebuild a barn? (there are no Amish or Mennonites around)

[zxcvbob]

Fifty-something years ago my dad built a garage / tractor shed, with a 6" thick concrete slab (mixed the concrete by hand) and what I think is called post and beam construction using creosote 4x4s for the posts, and corrugated galvanized sheet metal for the roof and sides.  Some of the sides were replaced with wood siding and insulated when he finished a work room in there, but most of it is still "tin".  The tin is about rusted out, especially the roof which is starting to leak.  Also the neighborhood has gotten way more residential.  My brother wants to replace the building with something that actually looks like a garage.  A slab like that would cost a fortune to replace, and AFAIK creosote poles like that are no longer made and these are still in great shape.  So basically the roof needs to be replaced; probably with a residential metal roof, and the sides need to be redone with something like Hardie Plank, and garage doors put on the front where it just has open bays now.  If they do nothing the building is just gonna fall apart in a few years.

I have no idea how you find a contractor that knows how to do post and beam construction, much less do that kind of work (a pole barn, basically) and have it look nice.  For example, there are very few studs in the walls, just what would be called purlins if they were on the roof.  (and the roof does have purlins instead of decking)  The walls might need to be framed to do it right, but the posts should be the structural members and none of the walls need to be load-bearing.

This is still out in the country where you don't need a permit.  My mom has a handyman that probably could figure it out (he repaired a rotten top plate last year and did a good job) but redoing the whole building too big a job for one person (even tho' one person built it 50 years ago)

So how do you find someone to work on a project like that?  (this is in Montgomery County, Texas, BTW, not far from Conroe)

[Ben]

Out my way if you google "pole barns and shops near me" you get a pretty good selection of builders.

[zxcvbob]

Thanks, I wasn't sure what to search for

I helped mix the concrete.  He bought a little electric concrete mixer that probably mixed about 5 or 6 cubic feet at a time and we poured it in sections. (we'd poured a much smaller slab mixing the concrete in a wheelbarrow and I guess he learned his lesson)  He didn't buy bags of concrete mix, he bought bags of portland cement and a dump truck load of gravel and a load of sand.  But that's about all I remember how he built it.  I have no idea how he hung the rafters by himself; I wish I could remember that.

[Opportunity]

As far as I know, creosote is a very toxic compound in any case, even if the wooden structures were impregnated many years ago.

[Ben]

As far as I know, creosote is a very toxic compound in any case, even if the wooden structures were impregnated many years ago.

A benefit of having international members is learning about differences in things as mundane as wood preservation. Creosote has historically been a common method of protecting certain types of wood structures (power poles, for example) in the US exposed to the elements. What would be used for this in Russia?

[Kingcreek]

Unless it’s changed they just use untreated poles in much of Russia. They rot off at the ground pretty quick.

[Kingcreek]

You’re not really rebuilding the barn. Any decent handyman type should be able to roof and side it.
Here in my Midwest community we have a company that does steel buildings garages sheds and carports. It all Mexican labor, most of them probably no documento. That are hard workers and do any kind of work on the side like you’re needing. They have their own tools trucks and trailers and are used to working for cash and doing good work fast.

[zxcvbob]

You’re not really rebuilding the barn. Any decent handyman type should be able to roof and side it.
Here in my Midwest community we have a company that does steel buildings garages sheds and carports. It all Mexican labor, most of them probably no documento. That are hard workers and do any kind of work on the side like you’re needing. They have their own tools trucks and trailers and are used to working for cash and doing good work fast.

High priority is replacing the roof and tearing off a carport that was attached to the front because it leaks at the attachment when there's wind from the right direction; that's why the front plate rotted out and needed a big section replaced.  And a roofer should be able to put a standing seam metal roof on the existing purlins; might have to replace a few if they are dry rotted.  The sides can wait a while; they'll probably have to build some non-loadbearing walls to nail the siding to.  That's why I think Hardie siding would be best.  Also, termites will leave that alone.  I don't know how to frame in garage doors or barn doors on the front but someone should know how to do it.

But it's not my schedule and not my money.  They just asked me for some advice.

[Ben]

I don't know how to frame in garage doors or barn doors on the front but someone should know how to do it.

My dad had a carport/open front shop that he wanted to change to rollup doors in front. When he called the door company, they actually had several different independent handyman guys they worked with for doing the door framing.