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BARN INSPECTIONS
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After I wrote my books on barns I had a lot of requests from barn owners to have a look at their structures. I loved doing it as I got to see many interesting barns. I would tell them what was needed to repair them and for the ones that were reasonably close to where I lived, I said ok to trying to repair them. I found Mennonites who would climb the high barns to put new metal roofs on, or to take off the old barn boards and nail on new ones. I got my grown up sons to apply new three inch hemlock flooring, hauling the lumber from Amish sawmills. Foundations were repaired by a favourite British mason, who would also build buttresses if needed. I found the whole experience quite satisfying, not only were the barns being repaired and kept up, which was a good thing, but I was also able to make a living for myself and some neighbours.
Now I have an inspection service based on my decades of building and repairing timber frame barns. It begins by traveling to the barn and looking at every detail of it'the foundation, stables mow, roof and any additions. That fee begins at $200 plus gas (.36 per km). For some people that's all they want, to follow me around and to hear what has to be done and get an overview of their historic barn. For others they would prefer a detailed written report as well, which I can do for $150 and then send by email or letter.
Lots of people who buy a recreational farm don't know what to do with their barns. I have many recommendations and photos of barns I or others have fixed up for many different purposes. No matter what use a barn is put to the main thing to remember is that you will have a huge space that is beautiful to look at - large timbers transversing each other, a well worn wooden floor that can be varnished to make it easier to sweep, and a high roof line. These all can be used for parties, a breakfast nook above the granary, a bedroom in the granary, a big workshop in the stables or just a place to sit on a rainy day and look out the many windows that can be easily installed over a vista of fields and forests. Isn't that what we moved up here for?
For me, it's exciting to be able to inspect and sometimes repair my favourite kind of structures and earn a living from it. Email me for an appointment to see your barn anywhere in eastern Canada or the USA.
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