Vic, I'm planning something somewhat similar. Biggest difference is I will have a lean-to type with the north wall solid wood and the west wall wood with a huge window in it. Rather than thermopane glass, which I don't have, I'll use 6-mil plastic for the inside layer and 12-mil reinforced plastic on the outside. Not sure what part of the Hoosier State you are from but I'm in Cincy and we have temps as low as minus-10 and as high as 100. But the pole barn idea is what I like. I don't need a foundation which will knock out a lot of time and expense getting it started. Using 10' 4x4s in the back (set two feet deep) and 8' in the front (also buried two feet), I shouldn't have to worry about anything except a tornado blowing it over. With a door on the east and the large west window, using a large fan should allow me to keep the heat down in summer. As time passes, I also hope to replace the front plastic with energy efficient windows that I can open in summer. Mike

I saw the response post in the other forum in which Billl advised you not to do either but to save your money for potential financing issues. Billl is right about the cash but I think you also need to take into account your overall need. For my husband and I, we have 100 acres that will serve as a home to goats, cows, and alpacas, so we need both. We aren't going to build our home for another 2 years, however we will move the animals before we move ourselves because once we sell our present home, they have to go to the farm while we move to an apartment or rental. We opted for the pond first to make sure that are no issues with water retention and our animals have a constant source of water. Our next project will be a barn. For us, it makes sense to go ahead in steps but if you are just wanting a barn or pond just for an appraisal, then you might want to save the money to go towards potential financing issues. If you have any questions, you might want to contact a realtor and/or appraisor in your area and get their professional opinion as the answer could vary based upon the location in which you live and the layout of your land and the surrounding area.

All the "what's nice" talk is really besides the point. The OP is building new and wants to maximize the appraisal in a crazy market. The ONLY winning strategy is to save whatever money they were going to spend on these improvements and hold that cash until they close on their permanent mortgage. The cash will be MUCH more valuable than a barn or pond at that point. It is SOOOOOOO much easier to close a deal by plunking down $50,000 in cash vs trying to argue about the worth of a barn. Once the appraisal is over and the mortgage process is complete, then the OP can start with any additions. At that point, if you are cash flowing any improvements, you should just order them in terms of what you value the most.

Yes, you're right any humor bypassed me. No, I'm not suggesting that you put all your plumbing into one single wall; I'm trying to help you understand what goes into building so you can make your ideas more efficient. It's smart to consolidate your plumb lines. Maybe illustrations will help: This is a very basic 5x8 bathroom (40 sf) with all its plumbing lined up in one wall -- this, of course, is a simplification -- no one's suggesting that you downsize to a minimal bathroom: Now here's a 5x8 bathroom (again, 40 sf) with the plumbing divided into two walls: Both bathrooms include the very same fixtures, and neither is more "liveable" than the other; however, the second one will be more expensive because water will have to run through multiple walls to service the fixtures. Because the second bath has more plumb lines, the second bath is more likely to suffer a leak and need expensive repairs in the future. Most interior walls are 4" thick, but walls that contain water must be 6-8" thick, so the second bathroom will lose a few inches of usable space. If you're talking about one bathroom, maybe it doesn't matter ... but when you're doing the same thing across the whole house, it's adding up to real space. If one of the above baths fits into your plan better (scoots in next to the available space next to the closet, allows your entrance to be more spacious, or whatever), then you might sacrifice the bathroom's efficiency to get a larger closet, or to make your entrance work out more conveniently -- but that's not what's happening in your plan. Your plumbing is just scattered around without regard to practicality; it can be consolidated without sacrificing "liveability". If you REALLY want to be efficient, you can line up two rooms to consolidate water. For example, a bathroom might "back up against" a laundry room -- both rooms can be served with water with only one wall being 6-8" -- plumbing efficiency at its best: In contrast, look at your master bath layout: You'll be running water through three different walls to accommodate your water needs, and it's not necessary. By turning the toilet and the shower both against the exterior wall, you can have them share the plumbing. Numerous other options exist as well. Maybe you're thinking that lining things up will end up too simple or too dull. Here's my master bath floorplan -- note that the tub, sink and shower all "line up" on one wall ... and the washer is just through the wall in the next room. The toilet is in a separate wall to prevent the room from becoming too long and narrow -- but at the heart of it, this is just the super-simple bathroom from above ... stretched out to add a few extras. It's efficient and cost-effective.I hope this helps you understand the concept of consolidating plumbing, and I hope it helps you understand that efficiency is not the enemy of "liveability". Again, good luck on your project, and that's all I have to say about it.