Step 1: Quote & contract
Tell us what you need. Our designers put together drawings and an organized, easy-to-read quote, then work through the details with you until the building is yours.
Barndominiums on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
We’ve built barndominiums in Cordova, Hurlock, Ridgely and Centreville. Here’s what building one on the Shore involves, from septic to the Critical Area.
Built on the Shore.
See all our work
Farmhouse barndominium
Cordova, MDA white farmhouse-style home with dormers and a wraparound porch, set on open farmland, with a great room under a loft and an open kitchen.
Barndominium with a timber gable entry
Hurlock, MDWhite board-and-batten siding, a black timber-frame gable over the front door, cupolas on the ridge and a covered patio along the back.
Barndominium with cupolas and a side porch
Ridgely, MDTwo cupolas, a timber gable porch and a long covered side porch outside; a vaulted great room with a plank ceiling and an open kitchen inside.
Barndominium with an attached garage
Centreville, MDA long, low white home under a blue metal roof, with the garage built into the same frame.
Can you build a barndominium in Maryland?
Yes. A barndominium is a house, and Maryland counties permit it like one. It has to meet the residential building code the county enforces, the zoning rules for your lot, and the county health department’s septic and well requirements. Post-frame is simply the way it’s framed.
What changes from county to county is the paperwork and the land itself. That’s where most of our planning time goes on the Shore, and it’s the part we handle for you: we draw the house to the county’s rules, prepare the permit application and see it through the inspections.
For the bigger picture, read can you live in a pole barn in Delaware or Maryland and our guide to permits on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
What’s different on the Shore.
Septic and water come first
Most rural lots on the Shore rely on a septic system and a private well. Before the county issues a building permit for a home, the county health department has to approve both, and a septic approval starts with testing the soil. Low, wet ground is common here, so this step can decide where on the lot the house goes and how big it can be.
The Critical Area near the water
Land within 1,000 feet of tidal waters and tidal wetlands is in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area (the Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area in parts of Worcester County). Inside it, counties limit lot coverage, clearing and how close you can build to the water. If your land is near a creek, river or the Bay, we check the county’s Critical Area maps before anything is drawn.
Flood zones
Much of the Shore is low and tidal. In a mapped flood zone, the county’s floodplain rules can set how high the finished floor must sit and what can go on the ground level. A barndominium’s garage and shop space can often sit lower than the living space, which can help on these lots.
Farmland and easements
Plenty of Shore barndominiums go up on farmland. If your land is under an agricultural preservation easement, adding a house may need the easement holder’s approval first, so check the deed before you plan.
Permit offices, county by county.
Each county has its own permit office, and some towns issue permits inside town limits. These are the county offices we work with in Maryland.
| County | Permit office and phone | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Caroline County | Caroline County Department of Planning & Codes410-479-8100 | 410-479-8100 |
| Talbot County | Talbot County Department of Permits and Inspections410-770-6840 | 410-770-6840 |
| Queen Anne's County | Queen Anne's County Department of Planning & Zoning, Zoning & Permits Division (Permitting/Zoning)(410) 758-4088 | (410) 758-4088 |
| Kent County, MD | Kent County Department of Planning, Housing and Zoning(410) 778-7423 | (410) 778-7423 |
| Cecil County | Cecil County Department of Land Use & Development Services, Permits & Inspections Division410-996-5235 | 410-996-5235 |
| Anne Arundel County | Anne Arundel County Department of Inspections and Permits, Permit Center(410) 222-7730 | (410) 222-7730 |
| Dorchester County | Dorchester County Department of Planning & Zoning (Permits, Inspections & Licensing)410-228-9636 (permits & inspections) | 410-228-9636 (permits & inspections) |
| Wicomico County | Wicomico County Department of Planning, Zoning & Community Development, Permits & Inspections (Building Division / Office of the Building Inspector)410-548-4810 | 410-548-4810 |
| Worcester County | Worcester County Department of Development Review & Permitting (DRP)(410) 632-1200 | (410) 632-1200 |
| Somerset County | Somerset County Department of Technical and Community Services (DTCS), Planning & Zoning / Building and Permitting410-651-1424 | 410-651-1424 |
Three easy steps.
One team handles the drawings, the permits and the build, and keeps you posted the whole way.
Step 2: Permits
We manage the permits for you, wherever you live. Homes usually take 3 to 5 months to permit, depending on the county. Garages and farm buildings move faster.
Step 3: Construction
Our crews build it and our project managers keep you posted every step of the way. Final payment comes after the county’s final inspection.
Questions about building in Maryland.
Still wondering about something? Call us at 302-399-4420.
Can you build a barndominium in Maryland?
Yes. A barndominium is a house, and Maryland counties permit it like one: it has to meet the residential building code the county enforces, the zoning rules for the lot and the health department’s septic and well requirements. We draw it to those rules and manage the permit.
How long does a barndominium take to permit on the Eastern Shore?
Homes usually take 3 to 5 months to permit, depending on the county. Septic approval, Critical Area review or a flood zone can add time, which is why we look at your lot before the drawings are final.
Have you built barndominiums in Maryland?
Yes, including homes in Cordova, Hurlock, Ridgely and Centreville. You can see them on our work page.
Which Maryland counties do you build in?
The Eastern Shore, from Cecil County down to Worcester and Somerset, and Anne Arundel County across the Bay. Our office is in Dover, Delaware.
Can I finance a barndominium in Maryland?
Many owners use a construction loan or a construction-to-permanent loan from a bank or credit union. Lenders will ask for the drawings and the contract, which come with your quote. Our financing page explains the options.
Let’s plan your Shore home.
Tell us about your land and the house you have in mind, and we’ll come back with drawings and a free quote.
302-399-4420
- info@pbuincde.com
- Office
- 575 N Dupont Hwy, Dover, DE 19901 (opens Google Maps in a new tab)
- Hours
- Mon to Fri, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
- We build in
- Maryland’s Eastern Shore and Delaware