The word “shouse” comes from two words, shop and house. A shouse is essentially a personal workshop and/or storage space that’s connected to a house. It’s often situated on a piece of land used for fishing, hunting, or a different recreational activity.
While a traditional house usually features a small garage, a shouse includes a large garage or workshop that’s tailored to your unique needs. You can live in a shouse full-time or use it as a weekend or vacation property.
Shouses were introduced in the Middle Ages and made their debut in the Midwest about 20 years ago. With a shouse, workers like blacksmiths, for example, could easily offer their services to locals.
The concept of a shouse is still new and fairly unknown in the U.S. Since more and more people have the desire to intertwine their everyday lives with their hobbies and/or careers, however, shouses have slowly but surely increased in popularity.
Eliminates the Need to Commute: If you’re tired of walking or driving back and forth between your house and workshop, a shouse is the perfect solution. You can work or play without the hassle of going outside and facing the elements.
Creates More Time for Projects: Since a shouse consists of a workshop in your house, you’ll have more time to work on your projects and enjoy your hobbies.
Saves Money: While a number of factors will determine the cost of your shouse, it’ll likely be less expensive than a traditional house. A shouse can also save you on tax dollars because you’ll consolidate two structures and have fewer square feet of taxable property.
Offers the Ideal Storage Space: If you have large toys and tools, a shouse can offer the ideal storage solution. You’ll have plenty of room for everything you use on a regular and occasional basis.
Common Features of Shouses
No two shouses are created equal. Your shouse can be a single or multi-wing structure built to meet your particular lifestyle and preferences. In most cases, however, shouses contain the following features:
Thicker wall cavities for more insulation
Dedicated workspace and storage areas
Open floor plans
Non load bearing walls
Large ceilings
Luxury kitchens
In-floor heating
Regardless of what type of shouse you choose, you’re sure to enjoy a unique combination of comfort and utility. A place where you can get your work done, enjoy your hobbies, and unwind after a long day.
How Much Will a Shouse Cost?
In most cases, a shouse is more affordable than a traditional house. The following will be considered when the cost of your shouse is determined.
Physical Location: The location of your property will be important as it can affect the cost of utilities, landscaping, taxes, and more. A shouse in rural Iowa, for example will likely be less expensive than a shouse in the Pacific Northwest.
Size: The main purpose of your shouse will help determine its size. Of course, a shouse with more square footage that you can use for your job will run you more than a smaller space.
Features: As with a traditional house, the features you choose can increase or decrease the price of your house. A high-end kitchen and extra storage space will be pricier no-frills kitchen and less storage room.
Required Fees: Unlike other costs, building codes, restrictions, and homeowners associations will be out of your control yet play a vital role in your shouse’s cost.
Who is a Shouse For?
Since a shouse is a very specific type of property, it’s not right for everyone. However, if you lead a lifestyle in which you run a home-based business or participate in a serious hobby that requires constant access to your toys and tools, it may be just what the doctor ordered. A house with a workshop can accommodate your needs and make life easier and more enjoyable.
If you’re a mechanic, woodcrafter, or any other type of craftsman, a shouse may be just what you need. McElroy Metal, and our national network of contractors and distributors, are ready to help you bring the perfect shouse to life. Since our inception in 1963, we’ve earned a reputation as a top-notch metal roofing and siding manufacturer. Contact us today for more information!
Since 1963, McElroy Metal has served the construction industry with quality products and excellent customer service. The employee-owned components manufacturer is headquartered in Bossier City, La., and has 14 manufacturing facilities across the United States. Quality, service and performance have been the cornerstone of McElroy Metal’s business philosophy and have contributed to the success of the company through the years. As a preferred service provider, these values will continue to be at the forefront of McElroy Metal’s model along with a strong focus on the customer.
A shophouse is a building type serving both as a residence and a commercial business. It is defined in dictionary as a building type found in Southeast Asia that is "a shop opening on to the pavement and also used as the owner's residence", and became a commonly used term since the 1950s.
) is an innovative architectural concept that blends the utility of a workspace, such as a workshop, garage, or studio, with the comfort and functionality of a traditional home. With their increasing popularity, more and more people are opting for shouses as their preferred living arrangement.
Layout: The key distinction between the two lies in the layout. In a barndominium, the living and workspace are often intermingled, sharing the same open floor plan. This allows for seamless integration of work and living. Shouses usually delineate the living quarters from the workshop or business area.
A shouse is essentially a personal workshop and/or storage space that's connected to a house. It's often situated on a piece of land used for fishing, hunting, or a different recreational activity.
A shouse (shop house) is an innovative architectural concept that blends the utility of a workspace, such as a workshop, garage, or studio, with the comfort and functionality of a traditional home. With their increasing popularity, more and more people are opting for shouses as their preferred living arrangement.
The most common estimate asserts that a new barndominium with basic amenities will cost about $30 to $40 per square foot to build, compared to the cost of building a traditional home is around $100 to $200 per square foot.
If you are totaling up the average cost, then a great way to do it would be to look at the price per square foot. This can be expected to range from $50 to $120 per square foot. Metal houses are a popular choice for a shouse, and they are “on trend” in terms of how they look.
The sizes that would be suitable for a shouse are likely to be anything from 50×80 upwards. The more practical option being the equivalent of a fitness center size. Obviously, the size you choose will depend on your business and what you need the space for.
The cost to build a barndominium is $65 to $160 per square foot or $130,000 to $320,000 on average for a 2,000 SF home. Barndominium prices depend on the size, materials, and interior finishes chosen. Barndominium kit prices are $20 to $35 per square foot for materials only.
Many older families have embraced a “bungaloft” design (bungalow + loft), keeping their living space on the ground floor, and reserving the upstairs loft exclusively for guests or caretakers. Incorporating elevators in home designs that have more than one storey, allowing for easy movement between floors.
A shouse and a barndominium are very similar in style. A shouse offers a garage/ workshop space that is larger than the heated square footage of the living space of the home. A Barndominium is a single-family home designed with traditional and modern barn elements regardless of the size of the garage.
A shouse, or a shop house, is a residential structure with a shop incorporated into the design. Also known as a shop with living quarters, shouse homes are typically built as metal buildings.
Pros of barndominiums include a cheaper cost, fully customizable space, and lower maintenance. They're also highly durable with lots of extra room and are a more eco-friendly housing option. Meanwhile, cons include higher upfront costs, difficulties finding financing, and not all cities allow them.
On a per-square-foot basis, pole barn houses and barndominiums are the most affordable at around $50 to $160 per square foot. Other inexpensive home types include modular homes, tiny homes, shipping container homes, and standard one-story ranch homes.
In summary, while both barndominiums and shouses have a similar rustic aesthetic, the main difference lies in their primary purpose. Barndominiums are primarily residential homes with a barn-like exterior, while shouses are versatile buildings that combine living space with a workshop or storage area.
The biggest cost of building a barndominium comes from purchasing and building the metal shell, including the roof, doors, and windows. Other major exterior features that can affect the building cost include: Metal siding.
A barndominium is typically a barn a builder has converted into an all-purpose living and workspace. The name combines barn and condominium; people often shorten it to “barndo.” Some barndominiums are new structures built from a kit and made of metal.
Barndominiums have an advantage over homes in the durability department. Constructed with metal, a barndo offers superior protection from severe weather. The steel structure of a steel barndominium has a higher wind resistance than a conventional wood frame home.
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