SKC builds more than traditional homes. From custom workshops to barndominiums in Tennessee, here’s what SKC’s expanded capabilities mean for you.
When most people think of a custom home builder, they picture a house – walls, roof, bedrooms, maybe a two-car garage. SKC builds that. But they also build a lot more.
Recent projects and announcements from SKC have made clear that the team’s capabilities extend well beyond the conventional residential footprint. They’re building dedicated workshops for clients who need serious shop space. They’re constructing buildings for families who need a home and a functional workspace on the same property. And now, they’re building barndominiums in Tennessee – the versatile, hybrid buildings that have become one of the most searched new construction categories in the entire region.
If you’ve been following SKC’s Instagram or reading their newsletters, you already know this. But if you’re new to what SKC builds, this post is the definitive overview.
What Is a Barndominium?
A barndominium – or “barndo” – is a structure that combines the size and utility of a barn or industrial building with finished, livable interior space. The term covers a wide range of configurations:
- Full residential: The entire building is a home, designed with an open floor plan, high ceilings, and the architectural character of an agricultural or industrial structure
- Mixed-use: Part of the building is finished residential space; part is an unfinished shop, garage, or storage area
- Shop-primary: Primarily a workshop or garage with a living suite or apartment integrated into the structure
What they share is a combination of scale, versatility, and aesthetic that traditional residential construction doesn’t offer. They’re popular with:
- Landowners who want to live on their property while also having serious workspace
- Car and equipment collectors who need volume and storage
- Hobby farmers and rural property owners
- Anyone who wants the industrial-meets-modern aesthetic that barndominiums deliver so well
SKC is now building barndominiums on N Dickerson Chapel Road in Lebanon, TN – and based on the response to their social media poll about adding this offering, the demand was clearly there.
Why Barndominiums Are Popular in Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee has a combination of factors that makes it fertile ground for barndominium construction:
Land availability: Lebanon, Wilson County, and the surrounding areas still have meaningful acreage available at prices that support building both a home and a large accessory structure on the same property.
Lifestyle fit: A significant portion of Middle Tennessee residents work in trades, agriculture, or industries where having dedicated shop space at home isn’t a luxury – it’s a productivity multiplier. Barndominiums serve that population directly.
Cost efficiency: Building a barndominium instead of a traditional home plus a separate detached shop often results in a more efficient use of material and foundation costs, especially at larger scales.
Design versatility: The barndominium format is genuinely flexible. SKC can configure the living-to-shop ratio, interior layout, mechanical systems, and aesthetic details to match exactly what a client needs rather than fitting them into a template.
Custom Workshops: Purpose-Built Spaces for Serious Work
For clients who want a dedicated workshop without the residential component, SKC builds custom shops and detached accessory structures as standalone projects – often simultaneously with the home itself.
The workshop SKC shared in a recent newsletter showcases what’s possible: a structure designed specifically around the activities it needs to support. That might mean:
- Oversized doors for vehicle access (RVs, boats, heavy equipment, multiple cars)
- High ceiling clearance for lifts, storage racks, or tall fabrication work
- Dedicated electrical service – 220V outlets, sufficient amperage for machinery
- Finished interior sections alongside raw utility space – a comfortable area for planning and storage adjacent to the work zone
- Climate control in key areas without necessarily conditioning the entire structure
- Insulation packages appropriate for the Tennessee climate and the activities being done inside
The Smith and Commons families are both getting workshops built alongside their new homes – a coordinated project that lets SKC sequence the site work, foundation, and rough framing efficiently across both structures simultaneously.
The SKC Approach to Non-Traditional Builds
What sets SKC apart in the barndominium and custom shop space isn’t just the willingness to build them – it’s the experience and integrated team that makes them work.
In-House Site Prep and Excavation
SKC Dirt, the company’s excavation arm, handles grading, drainage, utility installation, septic, and driveway work. For barndominium and shop builds – which often happen on larger, more rural lots – having this capability in-house is a significant advantage. Site conditions on large lots can be more complex than a standard subdivision build, and having the same team manage site prep and construction means fewer coordination gaps.
Design Capability for Hybrid Structures
Barndominiums require thoughtful design in a way that traditional homes don’t – not because they’re more complex, but because the mix of residential and non-residential programming inside a single structure creates unique design challenges. How do you transition between the shop floor and the living space? How does the HVAC serve both zones efficiently? What does the interior layout look like at 40-foot ceilings?
SKC’s in-house design team has worked through these questions on real projects, not just in theory.
Local Knowledge
Building on rural land in Wilson County and the surrounding areas requires knowledge of local regulations, soil conditions, utility access, and permitting processes that out-of-area builders simply don’t have. SKC’s deep roots in Lebanon and Middle Tennessee mean fewer surprises and faster resolution when issues arise.
What It Costs to Build a Barndominium in Tennessee
Cost varies significantly based on:
- Total square footage (footprint and height)
- Ratio of finished to unfinished space – finished residential square footage costs substantially more per square foot than an unfinished shop
- Mechanical systems – HVAC zoning, electrical service levels, plumbing
- Finish level in the residential portion
- Site conditions – soil, topography, utility access, existing structures
The best starting point is a conversation with the SKC team. They can give you a realistic picture of what a specific build would cost on a specific piece of land – not a national average, but an actual Middle Tennessee number based on current material and labor markets.
Ice Dam Note: Protecting Non-Traditional Structures
One additional consideration for shop buildings and barndominiums in Tennessee: winter weather. Metal roofs – common on barndominium structures – are particularly susceptible to ice dam formation. Ice dams form when heat escapes through the roof, melts snow, and the resulting water refreezes at the colder eave edge.
The solution is proper attic insulation, sealed penetrations, and good roof ventilation – considerations that the SKC team builds into every structure, regardless of type.
Ready to Build a Barndominium or Custom Shop in Tennessee?
Whether you’re dreaming of a full barndominium on acreage in Wilson County or a dedicated workshop to build alongside your new home, SKC has the team, the experience, and the land connections to make it happen.
Contact the SKC team to start the conversation, or follow SKC on Facebook or Instagram to be the first to know about upcoming Meet the Builder events
Call: (615) 784-3330
SKC builds custom homes, barndominiums, custom shops, garages, and outdoor living spaces, and handles renovations throughout Lebanon, TN, Mt. Juliet, Wilson County, and Middle Tennessee. SKC Dirt provides in-house excavation services.