Pole barns are great for storing merchandise, but no one would want to actually live in one—or would they? As a matter of fact, you can use a simple pole barn kit to build an extremely comfortable guest house. Dixieland Metals of Alabama, Dothan’s leading supplier of roofing materials and pole barn kits, has some tips for doing it well.

If you’re ready to start building, here’s what you should know:

• Do It In Order: Many people attempt to convert a pre-existing pole barn into a habitable space. While this is technically possible, it’s extremely difficult. You’ll save yourself a lot of trouble and money by starting from scratch with a brand new pole barn kit. That way, you can add all the necessary components in the correct order.

• Decide On Plumbing & Wiring Beforehand: If you plan on adding sinks or toilets to your guest house, decide where to put them now, and you’ll have an easier time planning. Once you’ve started pouring in cement, it will be hard to go back and change the layout.

• Prepare The Foundation: The ideal foundation for your guest house depends on the type of soil around your property. Most people will need to install concrete to hold the poles in place.

• Use Framing & Insulation: Start framing the interior walls and the ceiling with lumber, and then insulate the area with spray foam. This will not only create a cozy and energy-efficient guest house, it will also help mitigate rain noise from the metal roofing and siding.

• Think Vertically: Take advantage of the high ceilings of your pole building and consider installing mini-lofts, which you can use for a storage area, a closet space, or an extremely charming small bedroom.

Once you’ve taken care of necessities like insulation and plumbing, you can go about creating your new home as if it were a normal building. For quality pole barn kits, metal roofing and siding, and more, stop by Dixieland Metals of Alabama. For any questions about their supplies, just call (334) 678-0038, or visit their website for installation instructions, photos, and other resources.