Barndominium Builders in Blountville, TN

Barndominium builders have one big advantage in Blountville: the permit office is in town. Blountville is the county seat of Sullivan County, and Sullivan County Planning and Codes works out of Blountville on Highway 126. It is also unusual. Blountville is the only county seat in Tennessee that is not an incorporated city or town, so homes here are built under county rules rather than city rules. Tri-Cities Regional Airport is in Blountville too, placed there largely because it sits in the middle of Johnson City, Kingsport and Bristol.

We build custom barndominiums, shop houses and turnkey steel-frame homes on land in and around Blountville. Here is what we walk owners through.

Permits and codes in Sullivan County

Sullivan County requires building permits for all types of residential housing, from new homes to additions, decks and roofs. The county adopted the 2018 International Residential Code and the 2018 Energy Code, effective April 1, 2018. Those codes set what the inspector expects for footings, framing, insulation and air sealing, and they apply whether your home is a stick-built house or a barndominium on a post-frame or steel frame. Electrical permits are handled by the State of Tennessee and requested online, separately from the county building permit.

The county also lists other permits that may be needed: septic, sewer fees, stormwater management, floodplain, and driveway connections to TDOT or county roads. We put each one on the schedule in order so a missing approval doesn't hold up a slab pour.

Zoning is real here

Sullivan County adopted zoning in 1988. A zoning compliance permit and site plan are required for multi-family and non-residential work, and the county runs a Board of Zoning Appeals and a Regional Planning Commission. For a single-family barndo, the district still sets what can go where. If your plans include a large shop used for a business, ask early, because a business use can trigger a site plan. The county also publishes an online GIS zoning map.

Old town, old ground

James Brigham bought about 600 acres of the town site in 1782 and gave 30 acres to the county in 1792 for a county seat. Blountville was founded in 1795 and named after William Blount. Its historic district, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, includes the Old Deery Inn and the Anderson Townhouse from the 1700s. Lots near the old center tend to be smaller and closer together. Rural parcels around town are where most barndominiums go.

Caves, lake and limestone

Appalachian Caverns and Boone Lake both lie just south of town. Caverns tell you the bedrock is limestone. Soils that form over limestone in Tennessee's ridge-and-valley country include the Fullerton series, which the USDA describes as very deep and well drained, formed in residuum of cherty limestone on ridges, with slopes from 2 to 70 percent. Cherty ground can be rocky to dig, and limestone areas can hide voids, so a soil look before the slab heads off surprises.

Septic in the county

Rural parcels around Blountville usually need a septic system. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation issues the permit after an Environmental Scientist evaluates the site. After installation, the system gets a final inspection before it is covered, and TDEC issues a Certificate of Completion.

Common Blountville builds

• A barndominium on acreage with room for a garden and animals
• A shop house with a tall door for an RV or camper
• A single-story barndo with a wraparound porch and mudroom entry from the shop
• A two-story steel-frame home on a sloped lot with a walkout lower level

Call (423) 607-8447 or

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to plan your Blountville barndominium.