Owner describes new barn as "second home."

The Post-Frame Advantage E-Newsletter typically reports on the successful application of post-frame to various commercial building needs. But an October 4 episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition featuring the construction of a post-frame horse barn along with a new home, helped generate enormous national publicity regarding post-frame construction's relevance in terms of time- and cost-saving demands.

The TV show's highpoint was the awestruck reaction of Chris and Niki Hampton of Ash Grove, MO, to a new 36x48x12 post-frame horse barn that stood in place of their weathered 50-year-old one, which had suffered severe structural damage and lacked electricity. The new barn features two 6x48-foot porches, six 12x12-foot horse stalls, a 12x12-foot tack room, a 12x12-foot feed room, six Dutch doors, and one 12x11 split sliding door with crossbucks.

""When we saw our new barn, we were beside ourselves. We were so proud of our old barn, but to see the new one was like upgrading from a Ford Festiva to a brand new Mercedes," said Chris Hampton in a thank-you letter to the National Barn Company, which led the building effort.

"It is not only a barn to us, it is a second home," wrote Chris, who serves as president of the Missouri Family Rodeo Association. "If my wife would let me put in an air-conditioning unit, I would make it my first home."

Lucky for the Hamptons, their first home is a new spacious house that replaced their cramped 1-bedroom/1-bath farmhouse, which had housed the couple and their six children, four of them nieces and nephews ages 2 to 8 who were recently adopted on a moment’s notice. Both structures were built by a virtual army of local builders and other volunteers.

Brian Keane, president and owner of the National Barn Company-Central Division, says his firm is proud to have helped a family in need and says that up to 20 staff members, including some from Tennessee and Kentucky, worked on-site at any given time. Many of his suppliers, and even members of Chris’s rodeo association, also pitched in by donating top-grade equipment for the stalls and tack room, as well as feed.

"We were contacted 10 days before the project was scheduled to start, and we worked extremely hard to get suppliers involved, coordinate the design, and schedule all the necessary deliveries and builders," Keane said. Another challenge came late in the process when they were told that, instead of putting in a sliding door on one gable end, a greenhouse was to be attached. "While this added more time and challenges, we were able to use more metal flashing and make it work."

In addition to working long days and dealing with rainy weather conditions, Keane said the project faced other difficulties. "Southern Missouri has very rocky soil, so we had a real challenge with the digging of the post holes. This delayed our progress from the start, but we were able to get the barn completed on schedule with the help of many eager volunteers."

As for publicity, Keane acknowledges that the national exposure has resulted in many phone calls and interest in National Barn Company's buildings, but he downplays that and instead focuses on the project’s higher purpose of helping others. "This was a wonderful experience, and it was amazing to see so many people volunteering their time and skills to provide something for this family."

But Chris Hampton has other ideas. He says he’ll gladly serve as a walking advertisement for Keane’s company. “Hopefully we can bless you with a lot of business. My uncle, who is a very reputable horse trainer in this part of the country, told me that I don’t know what I have in this barn. I do realize what I have—a piece of art and a building that was erected in the spirit of love, kindness, and selflessness. I absolutely love it."

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Brian Keane also extends his thanks and appreciation to the following companies that assisted in this project: Central States Manufacturing (metal roof, siding, and trim), Plyco (walk doors, dutch doors, cupolas), Rockin-J Horse Stalls, Martin Building Products (insulation), and Post Protector, Craco (trusses).