My business....

[Slingblade61]

This is newish for me and I'm trying real hard to get it off the ground.

I build barns. I have one under way right now and am trying to reel in a couple more.

I did a website........check it

Constructive criticism is welcome (don't make me regret showing you this).

[Silver]

Looks cool. The pictures of the barn construction remind me of the construction in Deadwood.

Good luck.

[EDSGolf]

Interesting business as I've often wondered if new barns are being built as all I see is old barns falling down. Good luck!

[Slingblade61]

Building monuments to my existence KA.........these will far out last the memory of a good round.

[Dorkman53]

Step 1. Move to Amish country
Step 2. Convince the Amish you are one of them.
Step 3. Get them actively involved in building the barns, but convince them the barns are all for your family.
Step 4. Sell the barns for a larger profit, due to labor cost savings.
Step 5. Go to prison for fraud.

[Bravo]

I like the site and I think the way you have "personalized it" makes a strong selling point for you.

I am analyzing your business from a marketing/selling standpoint...

1) Who are your top 3 sales targets? i.e. - landowner with old barn who wants to replace, landowner with no barn who wants one etc?

2) How are you currently trying to reach your sales targets - other than the website?

[Slingblade61]

3 sales targets?

I only have one right now.......upper middle class between 40 and 60 with some land and storage issues. I refer to these as yuppie toy boxes....a place to put their antique car, Harley or even a horse.

They should also be enamoured with the post and beam style.

Once a barn is standing people gawk, these get alot of "word of mouth" and people stop by to check it out.

I have circulars posted with business cards around town (My cards are eye catching and look similar to the website header) and a sign in front of the barn.

I have gotten 2 flacid leads so far, one from a guy in Georgia of all places and one from a woman who wants to live with her horse (apt over barn) but has not aquired any land yet.

[Slingblade61]

my card......

[Davebud]

I have also been in construction for a little over 20 years, I like what you are doing. It does flow against my first inclination, but that is because of my trades history. The longest trade I was involved in was insulation. Face sheathing a P&B construction makes it tough to insulate, not that it is important in a barn, just the first thing I think of. So are you making your own windows, ie. wooden panel windows? Not important, just wondering since you are doing mortice and pins, how far do you go towards an authentic 150 year old replica barn?

[Slingblade61]

Insulation.....were it to become necessary is achieved using stress skin panels or by building a conventional frame around the outside of the structure.

As far as replicating old barns go, um.....nope.

The outside appearance is very similar but the framing is stronger.

Barn builders of old would place the posts on stone piers buried in the ground and they would eventually rot. They would also use whole logs with one side hand hewn flat for floor joists, each one a different size and usually with sloppy, undersized tenons.

So these are modern interperpretations with stronger joinery.

[Bravo]

Sling:

Just a crazy thought or two...

1) Have you ever considered exhibiting at a Home and Garden show?

http://www.americanconsumershows.com/HGExpo.html?src=HN

I could not find any in CT but there is one in Westchester NY on the list..

2) How about approaching owners of horse farms in CT...

http://www.cthorsefarms.com/

Could developing some sort of relationship with this person/organization help you?

[The master]

Ver nice site indeed. Very professional.

One recomendation; the line " We build barns and other neat stuff", just doesn't come across to captavating.

Though great site, please take that as constructive criticism.

[Maverick]

too bad CT is far from ID..absolutely beautiful kitchens too.

[Davebud]

Originally Posted by Slingblade61

Insulation.....were it to become necessary is achieved using stress skin panels or by building a conventional frame around the outside of the structure.

As far as replicating old barns go, um.....nope.

The outside appearance is very similar but the framing is stronger.

Barn builders of old would place the posts on stone piers buried in the ground and they would eventually rot. They would also use whole logs with one side hand hewn flat for floor joists, each one a different size and usually with sloppy, undersized tenons.

So these are modern interperpretations with stronger joinery.

I did not think that you were trying to do exact replica, just like in boat building there are certain things that have to conform to todays codes and expectations.

[Dorkman53]

Originally Posted by Kilted Arab

If I ever move to CT and have a plot of land big enough to have a barn on, there's only one man I'm gonna call - and that's you, Sling!

You need a catchy slogan, a jingle...I'll get me thinking cap on...

Something like...

"Buy a barn from Big Bob
You know he'll do a cracking job
Big and strong, sturdy as hell
Bob builds his barns just like himself"

Don't give up that day job, KA.