Rolling upland farmland at the top of a wooded bluff, looking out over a flat river bottomland of crop fields.
Monroe County, Illinois County building code & permit

Barndominium Builders in Monroe County, Illinois

Looking for barndominium builders in Monroe County, Illinois? We plan and build barndominiums, pole barn homes and shop houses on acreage around Waterloo and Columbia, Illinois, from kit packages to turnkey builds designed to Monroe County's residential rules.

Monroe County at a glance

Region
Metro East
Residential permits
Monroe County Zoning Office

Barndominium services in Monroe County

We supply barndominium kits, draw custom plans and run turnkey builds for owners across Monroe County, Illinois. The county zoning code sets specific rules for every residence, including the foundation, roof pitch and minimum living area, so we design the home to them from the first sketch. Tell us where your land is and we will map the permit path and a price range for your parcel.

Barndominium Kits in Monroe County

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 Monroe County

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 Monroe County

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 Monroe County

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 Monroe County

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

Shouses in Monroe County

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 Monroe County

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 Monroe County

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

Permitting & Approvals in Monroe County

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 Monroe County

Building in Monroe County: the local facts

County building code & permit

Monroe County has adopted a county building code, with the International Residential Code among its referenced codes, and its Zoning Office handles permits in the unincorporated county; Waterloo and Columbia, Illinois permit inside their limits.

Residential permits
Monroe County Zoning Office

Source: Chapter 6: Building Regulations - Monroe County, IL

Septic permits
Monroe County Health Department, Environmental Health

Source: Private Sewage Disposal Systems – Monroe County Health Department

  1. 01

    Monroe County's zoning code says every residence must sit on a full-perimeter permanent foundation extending below the frost depth (unless it is in a Special Flood Hazard Area) and have a roof pitch of at least 3/12. Plan a perimeter foundation even for a post-frame home.

    Source: Article I: General Provisions - Monroe County, IL

  2. 02

    The same definition requires at least 900 square feet of living area and says every residence must be built to the adopted Monroe County Building Code.

    Source: Article I: General Provisions - Monroe County, IL

  3. 03

    Monroe County defines a farm as at least 40 acres in common ownership, and says homes occupied by people not engaged in the farm operation are not used for agricultural purposes.

    Source: Article I: General Provisions - Monroe County, IL

  4. 04

    The Monroe County Health Department issues a permit before any septic system is installed or repaired, and reviews each design against the state private sewage code and the Monroe County Private Sewage Ordinance.

    Source: Private Sewage Disposal Systems – Monroe County Health Department

  • Monroe County's building regulations adopt the International Building Code as the county building code, with the International Residential Code among its referenced codes, and keep a copy on file with the Monroe County Zoning Office. Chapter 6: Building Regulations - Monroe County, IL
Finding land

Acreage near Monroe County

Most barndominium land in Monroe County lies outside Waterloo and Columbia, Illinois, in the unincorporated county. Under the county zoning code a farm is at least 40 acres, and a house lived in by someone not farming the land is not an agricultural use, so plan a barndominium as a residence.

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

Building in Monroe County: common questions

Who builds barndominiums in Monroe County, Illinois?
We do. We supply barndominium kits, draw custom plans and run turnkey builds for owners around Waterloo, Columbia, Illinois and the rest of Monroe County. Start with the free land survey and we will scope the build for your parcel.
Can I build a post-frame barndominium in Monroe County?
Yes, but the living area has to meet the county's definition of a residence: a full-perimeter permanent foundation below the frost depth, a roof pitch of at least 3/12 and at least 900 square feet of living area. We design the post-frame structure and foundation to those rules.
Do I need a permit for a barndominium in unincorporated Monroe County?
Yes. The county zoning code requires every residence to be built to the adopted Monroe County Building Code, and the Monroe County Zoning Office handles permits outside the cities. Inside Waterloo or Columbia, Illinois, the city issues the permit.
Does a barndominium on farmland count as an agricultural building?
No. Monroe County's zoning code says homes lived in by people not engaged in the farm operation are not used for agricultural purposes, so the house is treated as a residence.
How much does a barndominium cost in Monroe County?
It depends on the size, the finish level, the foundation and the site work your parcel needs, such as a septic system or well. We price each build against your land after the survey instead of quoting a flat figure.

Ready to build in Monroe County?

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.