Both get you the same barn from the same yard. The difference is who does the work, who carries the risk, and how fast it gets done. Here is how to choose.
Published Oct 20, 2026
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Updated Oct 22, 2026
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7 min read
10+
Years Building
500+
Barns Delivered
10′ / 12′
Bay Spacing Options
Kit or Built
Same Materials
See the price for your size
Every standard kit size, priced and searchable.
Or call 352-245-1775
A pole barn kit is the right call if you have a cleared, level site, a few helpers, basic equipment and time to build over several weekends. Having our crew build it makes more sense for larger barns, horse barns, tight schedules, or anyone who wants one company responsible for the concrete and the finished structure. Southern Pro Pole Barns & Buildings sells both from our yard in Ocala, so the materials are the same either way.
Each kit ships with the whole structure above the ground: roof metal, trusses, purlins, poles, hardware and a set of build plans. You supply the concrete, the labor and a prepared site.
Kits come in 10-foot or 12-foot bay spacing, from 12×12 free-standing lean-tos up to 50-foot-wide barns more than 90 feet long. You can see every standard size and its current price in the Barn Planner on our pole barn kits page, and sizes that are not listed can be quoted.
The barn is the same. What changes is who handles the concrete, the equipment and the build, and who answers for it when something is off.
Southern Pro pole barn kit vs. a barn built by our crew
| Category | Pole barn kit | Built by our crew |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | Southern Pro package | Same Southern Pro package |
| Concrete | You buy and pour it | Included |
| Labor | You or your own crew | Our crew |
| Equipment | You rent or own it | We bring it |
| Site prep | Your job, or hire us for it | Quoted with the build |
| Timeline | Set by your crew and your weekends | Scheduled build dates |
| If something is off | You fix it | We fix it |
| Best for | Simple open barns, handy owners | Large, enclosed and horse barns |
Usually yes on the invoice, but not always on the total. A kit takes our labor and concrete off the price, and you pick up every cost that labor was covering.
Before you compare numbers, plan for the costs a kit hands to you:
Kit prices are published for every standard size, and installation is quoted by location and barn size. The quickest way to compare is to price the kit in the Barn Planner, then ask us for an installed quote on the same size. If you are still working out a budget, our guide to pole barn costs in Florida covers what drives the total, and you can look at financing options for your barn before you decide.
Know your size? Price your kit now.
Search every standard size in the Barn Planner, or call for an installed quote.
Kits suit simple open barns and owners who have built before. Larger, enclosed and equine buildings almost always come out better with a crew that stands barns every week.
Planning a barn for horses? Our stables and stall barns are built to order, with stall layouts and airflow planned around how you use the barn every day.
Five things, in this order. Skipping any of them is the most common reason a kit build stalls.
1
Check setbacks, drainage and room for a delivery truck to reach the pad.
2
Florida sand drains well but shifts. A level, compacted pad keeps posts plumb and trusses square.
3
Most barns in Marion County need one. See the next section.
4
Book the auger, lift and concrete for the days you plan to set posts.
5
Measure diagonals before you dig. Square at the ground means square at the roof.
Steps one and two are where most DIY builds lose time. We clear land and prep pads in-house across Marion County, so kit buyers can hand us the dirt work and still build the barn themselves. Start with our site preparation checklist, or see our land clearing services and pad and site prep work.
In most cases, yes. A pole barn is treated as a structure that needs a building permit and plans that meet Florida Building Code wind requirements, whether it comes as a kit or is built by a contractor.
The main exception is a nonresidential farm building on land used for bona fide agriculture. Florida law (section 604.50, Florida Statutes) exempts those buildings from the building code, though setbacks and flood zone rules can still apply. Every parcel is different, so call Marion County Building Safety with your parcel number before you order.
Yes. Every Southern Pro kit includes black painted trusses at a 4/12 pitch. Our 50-foot-wide barns use double top-chord truss frames. See our pole barn trusses for lean-to and gable options.
Yes, if you have basic framing experience, two or three helpers and the right equipment. Every kit comes with detailed build plans and layout guides.
No. Concrete is included only when our crew builds the barn.
Kits come in 10-foot and 12-foot bay spacing, from 12×12 free-standing lean-tos up to 50-foot-wide barns more than 90 feet long. Sizes that are not listed can be quoted.
Yes. Turnkey installation is quoted by location and barn size. Call 352-245-1775 for an installed price.
We design, sell and build pole barns, horse barns, riding arenas and metal buildings from our yard at 9112 US-441 in Ocala. We sell kits for owners who want to build themselves and send our own crew for owners who would rather not, with land clearing and site prep handled in-house.
We serve Ocala, Marion County and the surrounding counties of Central and North Central Florida.
10+
Years Building
500+
Barns Delivered
100%
Transparent Pricing
Ocala
Locally Owned
★★★★★
“Excellent quality and a great eye for detail! Beyond my expectations!! Crew always friendly!!”
Shellie Wykoff
Southern Pro customer
Tell us your size and your site. We will price the kit, quote the build, and help you decide which one fits.
