McLean County, Illinois Municipal building code & permit

Barndominium Builders in Bloomington, Illinois

We design and build barndominiums, pole barn homes and shop houses for owners in Bloomington, Illinois and the McLean County farm country around it. Tell us about your land and we will scope the build, the permit path and a price range for your parcel.

Get a Bloomington build quote (217) 794-6214

Bloomington at a glance

County: McLean County
Residential permits: City of Bloomington Building Safety Division

Barndominium services in Bloomington

We supply barndominium kits, custom plans and turnkey builds for Bloomington-Normal area owners. Inside Bloomington the city's Building Safety Division issues the permit; most acreage sits outside town in unincorporated McLean County, where the county Department of Building and Zoning handles permits. The first step is a free survey of your land and your plans.

Barndominium Kits in Bloomington

Barndominium kits for Illinois land: shell kits or fuller packages, sized to your county's snow load and frost line, delivered and put up by our crew.

Custom Plans in Bloomington

Custom and modified barndominium plans drawn for your Illinois lot, your county's code and the kit or build we quote — sealed where your county requires.

Turnkey Builds in Bloomington

One contract from land to keys. We coordinate permits, septic, well, site work, shell and finish for your barndominium anywhere in Illinois.

Pole Barn Homes (Post-Frame) in Bloomington

Pole barn homes built post-frame for Illinois acreage: wide clear spans, fewer footings, and posts and footings set to your county's rules.

Steel Construction in Bloomington

Red-iron clear-span steel frames for homes, shops and commercial barndominiums in Illinois, with sealed drawings wherever your county requires them.

Shouses in Bloomington

Shouse and shop house builds in Illinois: a heated shop and a finished home under one roof, planned around your doors, your county and your land.

Metal Homes in Bloomington

Metal building homes for Illinois winters: steel or wood frame, metal skin, and an insulation plan that stops condensation before it starts.

Site Preparation in Bloomington

Barndominium site preparation in Illinois: pad, footings, driveway, septic and well coordination, planned around your county's rules and your soil.

Permitting & Approvals in Bloomington

Barndominium permits in Illinois, handled: we find out who has authority over your parcel and take the zoning, building, septic and well approvals through.

Before you build in Bloomington

Building in Bloomington: the local facts

Municipal building code & permit

Inside Bloomington, Illinois the city's Building Safety Division enforces the 2018 International Residential Code; outside city limits, McLean County's Department of Building and Zoning issues permits.

Residential permits: City of Bloomington Building Safety Division
Septic permits: McLean County Health Department

01
The City of Bloomington's current building codes, effective January 1, 2021, include the 2018 International Residential Code.

Source: Building Codes | City of Bloomington, Illinois
02
Bloomington is working on adopting the 2021 International Residential Code and related 2021 codes, with formal implementation anticipated on January 1, 2027.

Source: Building Code Updates | City of Bloomington, Illinois
03
Outside city limits, McLean County's Department of Building and Zoning publishes the requirements for building permits in the unincorporated areas of the county, with a separate agricultural exemption.

Source: Building Permits | McLean County, IL - Official Website
04
The McLean County Health Department approves plans for new private sewage systems, issues the permits and inspects the installations.

Source: Septic Systems | McLean County, IL - Official Website

Finding land

Acreage near Bloomington

Bloomington and Normal are built out to their edges, so a parcel big enough for a home and shop is usually in unincorporated McLean County or one of its small villages. Those sites are typically off the sewer and need a McLean County Health Department septic permit.

Tell us what you want to build in Bloomington and we will price it against your land.

Start your project

Building in Bloomington: common questions

Who builds barndominiums in Bloomington, Illinois?

We do. We supply barndominium kits, custom plans, pole barn homes and turnkey builds for owners in Bloomington, Normal and the surrounding McLean County countryside. Start with a free survey and we will scope the building and a price range for your land.

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

Yes. Inside the city, the Building Safety Division reviews plans under the 2018 International Residential Code, with the 2021 edition anticipated from January 1, 2027. In unincorporated McLean County, apply to the county Department of Building and Zoning.

How much does a barndominium cost near Bloomington, Illinois?

We do not publish a flat price. Land, septic or sewer hookup, well or water service, driveway and finish level move the number, so we price each build against its parcel after a free survey.

Can I build a barndominium on farmland in McLean County?

Often, but a home on farm ground is a dwelling, not an agricultural building, so it needs a county building permit and a Health Department septic permit. Check the parcel's zoning with the county before you buy.

Do you sell barndominium kits for Bloomington-area lots?

Yes. We supply kits with plans drawn to the permit office's requirements, or we handle the full turnkey build from site work to finish.

Keep reading

What usually comes next once you are planning a build in Bloomington.

Nearby areas we build in

Barndominium builders in Champaign

Champaign County

Barndominium builders in Peoria

Peoria County

Barndominium builders in Decatur

Macon County

Ready to build in Bloomington?

Answer a few questions about your land, size and budget. We will come back with a plan, a price range for your parcel, and the permit path for where you are building.