A loft adds usable square footage without adding footprint, which is why so many barndominium buyers ask for one. But the word covers two completely different things, and the difference decides whether the space is worth heating. On some plans the loft sits above the garage or shop as unheated storage. On others it is finished living space open to the great room below. These barndominium with loft plans are grouped by which one you are getting.
Ten plans below, from 1,800 to 4,385 heated square feet, priced $849.99 to $1,499.99. Lofts run from 333 square feet of storage above a garage to a 1,488 square foot finished second level. Every figure comes from the plan’s own spec sheet.
Barndominium Garage With Loft Plans
On these four, the loft is unheated bonus space above the work area. It is counted separately from the heated square footage, which is why the totals look smaller than the building. This is the cheaper kind of loft to build — you are framing a floor and a stair, not conditioned living space.
Cody AP-20003 — 1,160 Sq Ft Storage Loft
2,000 sq ft heated · 1,160 sq ft storage loft · 1,200 sq ft garage · 2 bed / 2 bath · 58′ x 80′ · $849.99
The largest loft in this lineup, and it is storage rather than living space. Living is all on one level below, so this suits someone who wants single-floor living but needs somewhere to put seasonal gear, tools and equipment out of sight. There are 1,248 square feet of porches on top of that.
Emerson BG-20068 — 658 Sq Ft Loft Above A 2,625 Sq Ft Garage
3,226 sq ft heated · 658 sq ft loft · 2,625 sq ft garage · 3 bed / 2 bath · 145′-8″ x 68′ · $1,450.00
The biggest garage on this page by a wide margin, with a loft above it and 2,429 square feet of porch. At nearly 146 feet wide this needs a genuinely wide lot — check your setbacks before you fall for it.
Thatcher BG-20016 — A Named Garage Loft On A 70×40 Footprint
1,986 sq ft heated · 367 sq ft garage loft · 1,182 sq ft garage · 3 bed / 2 bath · 70′ x 40′ · $1,250.00
The designer labels this one a garage loft outright, so there is no ambiguity about what you are getting. It is also the smallest footprint here, which makes it the most realistic option on a tight lot. A 666 square foot second floor sits above the living side.
See The Thatcher BG-20016 Plan
Spencer BCO-40176 — 333 Sq Ft Loft Overlooking The Living Area
1,800 sq ft heated · 333 sq ft loft · 1,400 sq ft garage · 3 bed / 2 bath · 86′ x 68′ · $849.99
The smallest loft here, positioned to overlook the living area below rather than the garage — it sits between the two categories on this page. Good as a home office or media area if you do not need a full second floor.
See The Spencer BCO-40176 Plan
Barndominium Floor Plans With A Loft Over The Living Area
On these six, the loft is finished space open to the room below. It is inside the heated square footage, it costs the same per square foot as the rest of the house to build, and it works as a second living room, office or playroom. The trade-off is noise and heating — an open loft shares both with the great room.
Allison BRZ-30043 — 1,488 Sq Ft Loft Level, 5 Bedrooms
3,288 sq ft heated (1,800 + 1,488) · 1,000 sq ft garage · 5 bed / 3 bath · 90′ x 70′ · $1,349.99
The largest loft level on this page and the only five-bedroom plan. Double-height ceilings in the central living room open up to it, and a 500 square foot breezeway connects the garage. If you want the loft to be the main event, this is the one.
See The Allison BRZ-30043 Plan
Wolfe PL-62304 — 1,346 Sq Ft Loft Level With A Separate Shop
3,226 sq ft heated (1,880 + 1,346) · 757 sq ft garage plus a 163 sq ft shop · 4 bed / 4 full baths · 80′ x 51′ · $1,349.99
The only plan here with a shop separate from the garage, and the only one with four full bathrooms — one per bedroom, plus a Jack and Jill arrangement upstairs. Metal shell construction on a concrete slab.
Bell LP-71009 — 970 Sq Ft Loft On A 42′ Wide Footprint
2,470 sq ft heated (1,500 + 970) · 2,000 sq ft garage · 4 bed / 3 bath · 42′ x 68′ · $1,349.99
At 42 feet wide this is the narrowest plan on the page, which makes it the one to look at on a lot that runs deep rather than wide. It still carries a 2,000 square foot garage and 2,772 square feet of porch and patio.
Fulton BCO-40127 — A Loft Open To Below On Three Sides
2,060 sq ft heated · loft 23′-5″ x 15′-7″ · 1,200 sq ft garage · 3 bed / 2 full baths and a half bath · 92′ x 50′ · $849.99
The loft here is open to below on three sides, with the two secondary bedrooms and a shared bathroom tucked behind it and a 24′ x 12′ deck off the upstairs. The master is downstairs, so the whole upper level works as a separate zone for kids or guests.
Darlene JRW-10008 — 690 Sq Ft Loft Bonus Room, One Bedroom
2,054 sq ft heated (1,364 + 690) · 2,596 sq ft garage · 1 bed / 1 bath · 95′ x 64′ · $1,250.00
An unusual one: a single bedroom against a 2,596 square foot garage and 1,180 square feet of covered storage. The 690 square foot loft bonus room is where a second sleeping space would go if you finished it out. Built for someone whose priority is the work space.
See The Darlene JRW-10008 Plan
Wickard LP-2803 — 4,385 Sq Ft With A Loft Open To The Downstairs
4,385 sq ft heated · 3,522 sq ft garage · 3 bed / 2 bath · 50′ x 100′ · $1,499.99
The largest plan on the page in both living space and garage, on a 50′ x 100′ footprint. The loft is open to the downstairs and sized for a playroom or teen hangout rather than a formal room. Only three bedrooms despite the square footage, so the space goes into living areas.
Loft Plans By Footprint
Most people arrive with a building size already fixed, usually by the lot or by what the builder quotes per square foot. These collections group plans by footprint, and each includes layouts with a loft.
- 30×40 barndominium floor plans — 1,200 sq ft, the smallest footprint where a loft still earns its stair
- 40×60 barndominium house plans — 2,400 sq ft, the most common starting point
- 40×50 barndominium house plans — 2,000 sq ft
- 50×100 barndominium house plans — 5,000 sq ft, where the garage becomes a workspace
What A Loft Costs To Build
Budget $65 to $160 per square foot for finished living space. A 970 square foot loft like the Bell’s therefore adds roughly $63,000 to $155,000 to the build, because it is heated space and costs the same as the rest of the house.
An unheated garage loft is a different number entirely. You are framing a floor, a stair and a rail — no insulation, no HVAC, no finished ceiling — so the cost per square foot lands well below the finished range. That is the real argument for the storage loft plans above: the Cody adds 1,160 square feet of usable space for a fraction of what the same area would cost finished.
Both figures are planning ranges. Get local bids before you commit to either.
Choosing Between These Loft Plans
- Tight lot: Thatcher BG-20016 at 70′ x 40′, or Bell LP-71009 at 42′ wide if your lot runs deep.
- Storage is the point: Cody AP-20003, 1,160 sq ft of unheated loft over single-level living.
- Biggest shop or garage: Wickard LP-2803 at 3,522 sq ft, or Darlene JRW-10008 at 2,596 sq ft if you only need one bedroom.
- Large family: Allison BRZ-30043, five bedrooms and the biggest loft level here.
- Smallest budget: Cody, Spencer and Fulton all list at $849.99.
- Separate shop, not just a garage: Wolfe PL-62304 is the only plan here with both.
Barndominium Loft Plans — Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Difference Between A Loft And A Second Floor?
A loft is open to the room below rather than closed off by walls and a ceiling. That is what gives a great room its double height, and it is why lofts feel larger than their square footage. A conventional second floor is fully separated. Some plans on this page have both — a loft area plus enclosed bedrooms on the same level.
Is A Loft Counted In The Heated Square Footage?
It depends where it sits. A finished loft open to the living area is counted as heated space. A storage loft above the garage is listed separately as unheated, which is why a plan can advertise 2,000 heated square feet and still have a 1,160 square foot loft. Check which one a plan means before comparing totals.
What Does It Cost To Add A Loft?
Finished loft space runs the same as the rest of the house, $65 to $160 per square foot. An unheated storage loft above a garage costs considerably less, because there is no insulation, HVAC or finished ceiling involved — just a floor, a stair and a rail. Get local bids, since framing costs vary widely by region.
Can A Loft Be Used As A Bedroom?
Usually not without changes. Most building codes require a bedroom to have a door, a window meeting egress requirements, and a wall separating it from other rooms — an open loft has none of those by definition. Enclosing one is a paid modification, and the price varies by plan and designer.
Do These Plans Come With The Loft Framing Details?
Every plan here includes the structural drawings for the level it is on — floor framing, roof framing and wall sections. What is included varies by designer, so check the plan page for the exact sheet list before you order. Printed sets and material lists are usually available as add-ons.
Which Loft Plan Works Best On A Narrow Lot?
Bell LP-71009 at 42 feet wide, and Thatcher BG-20016 at 70′ x 40′. Both keep the building narrow and put the square footage into depth and height instead. Emerson BG-20068 is the opposite extreme at nearly 146 feet wide and needs a lot to match.
