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In the fall of 2023, FBi Buildings began its expansion into Missouri. We know that purchasing a pole barn is a big decision, and finding quality post-frame builders can also be time-consuming
Before you select the cheapest builder for the job, you must also factor in the service your post-frame builder offers, their warranty, and the quality of materials they use.
Whether you are looking to build a horse barn, a barndominium, a new warehouse, or an ag machine shed, we have compiled a list of Missouri’s top pole barn builders.
Top 5 Missouri Pole Barn Builders
Morton Buildings, Inc.
Morton Buildings has served its residential, agricultural, and commercial community since the late 1940s. This employee-owned company has over 100 construction centers nationwide to assist you with your building and repair needs. They also have seven manufacturing facilities for producing many of their building components.
Wick Buildings
With the sale of over 75,000 buildings since its founding in 1954, Wick Buildings is one of the nation’s largest producers of post-frame buildings. They build various pole buildings, including pole barn homes, many of which are award-winning. What sets Wick apart from the competition is its exceptional engineering, reliable, high-quality materials, extensive warranty and service, local, trustworthy builders, and highly-trained, award-winning crews.
Lester Buildings
Founded in 1947, Lester Buildings is a leading manufacturer and builder of custom pre-engineered, post-frame building systems for farm, livestock, equine, hobby, and commercial purposes. It also sells material-only packages. What sets them apart? Three things: a professional, collaborative planning experience from concept to completion, customization, and value.
Build Rite Buildings
Established in 1981 in Southwest Missouri, this Mennonite-owned and operated construction company has built its reputation on a foundation of quality, speed, and longevity for a price that anyone can afford. Their goal is to provide consistent, high-quality customer service along with the best buildings in Missouri. From your initial interaction to your final walk-through of your new building, you will be treated with respect, transparency, and, most importantly, high-quality craftsmanship.
King City Lumber
With over 50 years of building business, they construct any size building to fit your needs. They ensure a well-designed, quality, long-lasting building. From the planning stage through the completed project alongside a knowledgeable sales consultant. They also are National Frame Builder Association members!
When it comes to pole barn builders, not all builders are the same. Some builders only offer material packages or a DIY pole barn kit.
Some have pre-made building designs and floor plan design tools. FBi and many pole barn builders offer custom-designed buildings. But not all have engineers in-house to follow building codes like FBi does.
FBi Buildings will help you get the pole barn building permits, while others expect you to get them independently on your own.
Other builders, like FBi Buildings, will ask you to have your site prepped. Then, they will come in and put up the building shellshell of the building. Next, they will help you connect with local contractors to finish the remainder of the build.
And then there are a few builders out there that will do it all from start to finish with turn key service.
Just like how the building process and amount of work completed may vary from builder to builder, so do the post-frame construction materials. If you want to build a pole barn to stand the test of time, go with a builder who prioritizes quality materials that maintain your building’s structural integrity.
Metal
The metal on your pole barn can be 26 gauge or 29 gauge steel. There are two main measurements used to indicate the strength of steel. Those measurements are thickness and yield strength.
Regarding the gauge, the higher the number, the thinner the steel. This is why the 29-gauge is thinner than the 26-gauge. 26-gauge will usually outperform any 29-gauge material. A heavier gauge will make sense in hail-prone areas due to impact resistance.
Generally speaking, as a steel panel gets thicker, it could also get more expensive. Consider if the relatively small savings are worth the risk of using less durable panels.
Screws
When comparing post-frame builders, you must pay close attention to which fastening system they use. We recommend using screws over nails. The former has superior holding power compared to the latter (700 pounds versus 250 pounds).
Lumber
Did you know there are six types of lumber used in pole barn construction? Ask your pole barn builder about the type of lumber they use. Generally, we use and recommend Southern Yellow Pine #1 for truss webs and SYP MSR2400 for headers and truss chords.
Paint
The last material to compare is the paint. You might not have thought about what your barn will look like in the long term. 
Most post-frame builders use a PVDF paint system. Some competitors offer metal panels coated with SMPs or Kynar 500.
If given a choice, you should specify that you’ll only accept steel finished with the latter. The result is a durable structure that withstands abrasion, ultraviolet radiation, extreme weather, chemicals, and solvents.
As you can see, multiple factors go into a quality pole barn builder. These are our top five pole barn builders located in Missouri. Not one company is better than the next, as different post-frame builders have different focuses and priorities.
The only thing they have in common is that they all offer quality construction at competitive prices. They may use different grades of lumber, and their labor time may vary, but you can be sure they will deliver a well-built building with the best materials available to last you decades.
Do you have more questions about pole barn homes that are not covered in this article? If you need help designing and planning, please contact FBi Buildings at 800.552.2981 or click here to email us. If you’re ready to get a price, click here to request a quote, and a member of our sales team will call you.
