Barndominium Builders in Gray, TN

Barndominium builders looking at Gray can see its appeal on a map. Gray sits just outside the junction of Interstate 81 and Interstate 26 in Washington County, with I-26 running right through it. Johnson City, Kingsport and Bristol are all close. The area was mostly farmland until the 1990s, when suburban building began, and it has kept growing gradually since 2000. That mix of interstate access and leftover farm acreage is exactly where a shop house or a steel-frame barndo makes sense.

We design and build barndominiums, shop houses and custom metal building homes on land around Gray. Here is what we sort out before we put a price on your build.

First question: Johnson City or the county?

Gray is a census-designated place, not a city. Part of the area has been annexed by Johnson City, and the rest is unincorporated Washington County. That line matters more than anything else on your plat, because it decides which rules apply to your home, whether public sewer is an option, and which office reviews your plans. We confirm which side of the line your parcel is on before we design anything. Across Tennessee, the State Fire Marshal's Office issues residential building permits where a local government has not taken over that role with its own program, and it works from the 2018 International Residential Code with a few amendments.

What the inspections look like

Where the state program applies, the State Fire Marshal's FAQ lists a foundation inspection before concrete is placed, an extra slab inspection for non-monolithic pours in living areas, a rough-in inspection after framing and mechanical work, and a final before occupancy. Work must begin within 180 days of the permit being issued. The state permit covers the building only. Electrical, septic, zoning, grading and floodplain approvals are separate, so we line them up in order.

Ground that can hide a sinkhole

The Gray Fossil Site is the most famous piece of ground in town, and it is a reminder of what lies underneath. It was found in May 2000 during a state road project on State Route 75. The deposit is an ancient sinkhole that held a pond, filled with laminated clay and silt, roughly 220 by 180 meters across and 7 to 39 meters deep, dated to 4.5 to 4.9 million years ago. The road was moved, East Tennessee State University took on the site, and the museum opened in August 2007.

For a builder, the lesson is about limestone. Many valley soils in this part of Tennessee form over it. The USDA's Dewey series, for example, forms in limestone residuum on Tennessee uplands, and the agency notes that some Dewey areas are pitted with sinks and depressions. If your parcel shows a dip, a wet spot that never dries, or a depression in the pasture, we want to know before we place a slab or a drainfield near it.

Septic on former farmland

Outside sewer service, a septic permit is required for a new system, and TDEC evaluates the site. TDEC says processing can take up to 45 days from a complete application, and it asks owners to stake the house corners and mow the evaluation areas without disturbing the soil. Old farm fields often perc well, but terraces, old fill or a hidden sink can change the answer.

Typical Gray projects

• A barndominium with an attached shop on a few acres off the old farm roads
• A detached steel shop with a small apartment on an existing homesite
• A single-story barndo built for commuters who drive I-26 or I-81 daily
• Finish-out of an existing metal building into living quarters

Call (423) 607-8447 or

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to talk about a barndominium on your Gray property.