Story County, Iowa Ames, Fort Dodge & North Central Iowa

Barndominium Builders in Ames, Iowa

Ames is a university city ringed by some of the best farmland in the state, and most barndominium conversations we have here are really about which side of the city line the house will sit on. We design and build barndominiums, shop houses and post frame homes, supply engineered building packages, and manage construction from footings to the final walkthrough. Inside the city, building permits come from the City of Ames inspections staff, who publish their review targets and inspection windows openly: residential permits have recently been averaging about six days for a first review. Outside the city, you are dealing with Story County, which works on a zoning permit and a very different set of land-use limits. A barndominium on a city lot has to fit setbacks, zoning and the city's adopted codes, and the inspector will want to see footings before concrete and framing before the walls are closed. Out in the county, the bigger question is whether the parcel is allowed a house in the first place. If you are sorting through barndominium contractors for a project around Ames, give us the parcel number or the address and we will tell you which office you are dealing with. Start the survey to get that answer before you commit to land.

Ames at a glance

Principal county: Story County
Building permit: City building department
Local facts on this page: 5, each linked to its source

Tell us about your land

Before you build in Ames

The local answers that shape a build here, each taken from the office or document that publishes it. Rules change, so we confirm them again against your parcel before drawing.

City-issued permitWho issues the permit

City of Ames Inspections (Building Codes)

Inside Ames city limits, the City issues building and electrical permits and inspects the work; permits are required for nearly all projects. Its stated goal is an initial review within 21 days of a complete application. Land outside the city is in unincorporated Story County, which issues zoning permits.

Source: Permitting and Inspections - City of Ames, Iowa (cityofames.org)

Homeowner permits: The City of Ames lets homeowners apply for permits on their own primary residence (not a registered rental) without a contractor; the one exception is that a homeowner cannot obtain a permit to upgrade the electrical service.
Review time: Ames staff aim for an initial review of every permit within 21 days of a complete application; the city reports residential permits averaging a 6-day review and commercial permits 10-16 days.
Inspection sequence: Ames building inspections: footing/foundation after excavation with reinforcement in place and before the pour (2-hour notice), framing once roof deck, framing, fireblocking and bracing are in place (24-hour notice), and a final when all work is complete.
Small sheds: In Ames, accessory structures such as a shed up to 120 square feet need no permit but remain subject to code standards such as setbacks and wind load.
Rural lot size (Story County): Outside the city, Story County generally requires a minimum of 35 acres for a home in the A-1 Agricultural district, with exceptions that need a Property Research review and may use a LESA score.

Building on land near Ames

Land near Ames splits into two very different markets. City lots and the newer subdivisions on the edges come with streets, municipal utilities and city review. Rural ground outside the limits is mostly Story County farmland zoned A-1, where a small acreage often cannot take a house at all without an exception. That is why we look at the parcel before the plan. A five-acre listing that looks perfect for one of our metal building homes may still need a county review before anyone can promise a building site. If you already own land, send the parcel and we will map out the permit path.

Where we build in this part of Iowa

Ames, Fort Dodge & North Central Iowa

What we build in Ames

Kits, custom plans and turnkey builds. The parcel decides the budget more than the floor area does, so we price against your land rather than a rate card.

Custom Plans

Custom barndominium floor plans drawn for your Iowa parcel: slab or basement, septic sized to bedroom count, design values from your own jurisdiction.

Barndominium Kits

Barndominium kits for Iowa land: steel or post-frame shell packages drawn to the design criteria your own county or city publishes, delivered to your site.

Turnkey Builds

Barndominium builders in Iowa for the whole job: site work, foundation, shell and interior finish under one contract, with county permits handled in order.

See every service

Have land in or near Ames? Tell us about the parcel and what you want to build, and we will check it against the local rules before anything is drawn.

Start your build survey

Building in Ames: questions

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How much does it cost to build a barndominium in Ames?

It depends on the plan, finishes and site: a city lot with sewer and water at the street costs far less to prepare than a rural site that needs a well and septic system. We quote from your plan and land, not a per-square-foot guess. For current ranges, read our barndominium cost guide.

Do I need a building permit for a barndominium in Ames?

Inside the city, yes. The City of Ames requires permits for nearly all projects and inspects the footing, framing and final stages. On land outside the limits, Story County requires a zoning permit for new construction instead. See permitting for how we prepare the drawings and applications.

Can I buy barndominium kits and finish the house myself in Ames?

Yes. Ames allows homeowner permits on a primary residence, so an owner-builder can pull permits and finish much of the work, apart from an electrical service upgrade. We supply barndominium kits with engineered drawings for the shell. See barndominium kits.

Do pole barn homes work on acreage outside Ames?

The building type is rarely the obstacle; the parcel is. Pole barn homes and steel-framed houses both suit rural Story County, as long as the land qualifies for a dwelling under the A-1 rules. See our Story County page for the county side.

Keep reading

What usually comes next once you know what Ames allows.

Barndominium Cost Guide

Sourced per-square-foot ranges by tier and size, and what moves the number on your land.

Read it

Is a Barndominium Legal in Iowa?

Zoning, septic and who inspects, before you buy the land.

Read it

How Long Does It Take?

From parcel to move-in, and which steps set the clock.

Read it

Sources for this page

The published pages behind the Ames facts above. Rules change, so check the current version with the office before you rely on it.

Barndominium builders near Ames

Nearby places we also build in. Across a city limit or a county line the permit office, zoning and septic rules can change, so each has its own page.

Story County

Iowa county

Boone County

Iowa county

Ankeny

Polk County, Iowa

Building in Ames?

Start with the survey. Tell us where the land is and what you want on it, and we will come back with which office permits it, what it will allow, and a plan to fit.

Start the survey