DIY 50×60 Steel Barndominium | Lechtaler Residence

Customer Journey with the Lechtaler Family in Live Oak, CA

When Jeff Lechtaler started planning his new home, he already had a pretty good idea of what he wanted – and he wanted to build as much of it himself as he could. As a sheet metal worker, Jeff was comfortable working with steel and had the hands-on experience to take on a project of this size. He designed his own floor plan, submitted his drawings to Worldwide Steel Buildings, and worked with the team to turn those ideas into a custom steel barndominium kit.

His goal was straightforward: create a practical home with plenty of space, keep the building design simple, and avoid unnecessary construction complexity. The result is a 50′ x 60′ x 12′ gable-style steel barndominium with a 4:12 roof pitch, white metal siding, charcoal roofing and trim, insulated walls and roof, a covered porch, and a partial mezzanine for additional living space.

Designing a Custom Barndominium Floor Plan

Jeff started with his own vision for the house. Rather than choosing a predetermined layout, he hand-drew the floor plan he wanted. A coworker/detailer then turned those sketches into a full set of construction plans before they were submitted to Worldwide Steel Buildings. From there, the steel building was designed around the living areas, garage space, mezzanine and exterior features he had planned.

Flexibility mattered most to Jeff. He wanted a straightforward rectangular shell he could finish around his own floor plan without adding unnecessary complexity. Throughout the planning process, he worked with our Senior Building Consultant, Quintin, whenever questions came up.

“If something was missing, needed clarification or required an adjustment, Quintin helped me work through it and kept the project moving!”

“The whole process was very straightforward and streamlined, and the drawings were approved by the city in the blink of an eye!” Jeff added.

DIY Barndominium Build Timeline: Kit Delivery to Move-In

Jeff purchased the building in 2021, received the building package in April 2022, and began construction in May 2023. He did much of the work on weekends while continuing to work during the week. Roughly a year and a half later, Jeff, his wife, son, and daughter moved into the finished home on December 18, 2024.

For Jeff, the appeal of a DIY steel building was control. Rather than handing the entire project to a general contractor, Jeff could work through the build himself, bring in help where needed, and keep the structure simple enough to match his own construction experience.

Raising a 50×60 Steel Frame as a Family

The Lechtaler residence was not a one-person project. Jeff’s wife helped erect and bolt the perimeter posts, and their son and daughter pitched in as the steel frame took shape. One of the biggest milestones was setting the building’s 50-foot trusses, using lifts to guide the steel into position overhead.

Worldwide’s steel building kits use pre-engineered framing components designed for on-site assembly. For an experienced, hands-on builder like Jeff, that gave him, his wife, son, and daughter a clear path from a bare slab to a complete steel frame.

Enclosing the Barndominium: Roof, Siding, and Covered Porch

Once the primary steel framing was up, the building quickly began to look more like a home. Roof panels, exterior framing, sheathing, house wrap, windows, and white metal siding gradually enclosed the structure. Jeff paired the white walls with a charcoal roof and trim for a clean, high-contrast exterior.

The covered porch became another major part of the exterior. It adds protected outdoor living space while visually breaking up the long sidewalls of the building – a practical feature that also gives the finished barndominium more of a residential feel.

Building Through a Difficult Market

The biggest challenge was not putting the building together – it was timing. Jeff began the project during a period of sharply higher construction and material costs, and he estimates the finished project ultimately cost roughly twice the budget he had originally planned.

That experience reinforced the approach he wanted from the beginning: keep the design straightforward, avoid unnecessary extras and do as much of the work himself as practical. For Jeff, the value of the steel-framed shell was the freedom to build out the home around his own skills rather than paying for a completely turnkey project.

Steel Framing Designed Around the Interior

One detail Jeff especially appreciated showed up later, when it was time to finish the inside of the house. Worldwide’s 6×6 wall posts sit within the wall assembly so the columns can be concealed as the interior is finished.

For Jeff, that simplified sheetrock work and gave him more freedom with the interior design. Early in construction, the red steel structure is impossible to miss. Once the rooms are framed and the walls are finished, that primary structure largely disappears behind a conventional residential interior.

Adding a Loft with a Partial Mezzanine

The home also incorporates a partial mezzanine, creating additional usable living space without giving up the open feel of the main level. During construction, the mezzanine can be seen framed into the structure above the rooms below. In the finished home, it overlooks the main living area behind a black railing.

Combined with the vaulted ceiling, the mezzanine takes advantage of the building’s height and makes the interior feel much more like a custom home than a traditional metal building.

Turning a Steel Building Into a Home

The transition from construction photos to the finished interior is one of the strongest parts of Jeff’s project. What begins as exposed steel, wood framing and a concrete floor becomes a bright, open living space with finished drywall, vaulted ceilings, recessed lighting and a large kitchen flowing directly into the living room.

The completed kitchen uses white cabinetry, stainless appliances and a large center island. From the main living space, very little of the structural steel is visible – the framing provides the shell while the finished interior reads as a comfortable residential home.

Home After a Year and a Half

After roughly a year and a half of weekend construction, Jeff, his wife, son, and daughter moved into their new home on December 18, 2024. The project took patience, especially through a difficult construction market, but Jeff’s assessment of the building process itself was simple: he described it as “fantastic” and the project as essentially “flawless” aside from the financial timing.

Ready to Build Your Own Barndominium?

Whether you are starting with your own floor plan or looking for ideas, Worldwide Steel Buildings can help you design a custom barndominium kit around the way you want to live. Try our 3D Building Designer to visualize dimensions, roof style, colors, doors, windows, porches, and other options. If terms like web truss, girt, or mezzanine are new to you, our Steel Construction Glossary can help. Worldwide Steel Buildings can also help you design a custom barndominium kit around the way you want to live. Explore our steel building kits or contact our building consultants at 800-825-0316 to get started.