Shop Houses in Charlotte, NC

Shop houses are barndominiums that pair living quarters with a large shop, garage, RV bay or equipment space under one roof. We build shop houses on acreage around Charlotte for people who want room for trucks, tractors, boats or a trade without a separate outbuilding.

Two kinds of space, one code

The living side is a dwelling under the North Carolina Residential Code, inspected like any house. The shop side shares the frame, so the wall between them, fire separation, doors and ventilation all need to be planned. Local zoning may also limit what the shop can be used for, so we check that before the layout is final.

Slab and doors for real loads

A shop slab is designed for what will park on it. Heavier equipment, lifts and wide overhead doors change slab thickness, reinforcement and the frame's door headers. On the region's clay soils, and especially shrink-swell ground such as the Iredell series, grading and drainage around big door openings matter.

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Comfort on both sides

The living quarters get full insulation, vapor control and HVAC. The shop can be fully conditioned, partly insulated or left as a closed shell, but bare metal over an unheated shop in Charlotte's humid air will sweat. With about 59 freezing nights a year and hot, wet summers, we usually recommend at least insulating the shop roof.

Driveways that fit the shop

A shop is only as useful as the drive that reaches it. Trailers and long trucks need turning room, a gravel or paved apron in front of the doors and drainage that keeps water from running toward the slab. We lay the drive out with the building, not after it.

Lake and boat storage

With Lake Norman, Lake Wylie and Mountain Island Lake close by, boat bays are a natural fit. Door height and depth are set by the boat on its trailer, so bring the measurements.

Permits for the shop side

In Cleveland County, a zoning permit is required for accessory buildings such as workshops larger than 12 feet on any side, and Mint Hill requires a building permit for any garage or shed over 12 feet on a side. When the shop shares the home's roof, it is part of the home's permit. On a septic lot, North Carolina's G.S. 130A-338 holds electrical, plumbing and heating permits until the septic construction authorization is issued, so shop power cannot be roughed in ahead of that approval.

Insurance and appraisal

HomeGuide notes that insurance can be harder to place when a barndominium includes a workshop or agricultural use, and appraisals can be difficult where comparable sales are scarce. Raise the shop's size and use with your insurer and lender while the plan is still a sketch, and keep the living area clearly defined as a home.

Water around a big slab

The Iredell soil series carries a perched water table 1 to 2 feet down from December through April. A large shop slab on that kind of ground needs a raised pad and drainage that carries winter water away from the doors.