Barndominium Builders in Houma, LA

Barndominium builders in Houma are building in the seat of Terrebonne Parish, in a part of Louisiana where most land sits only a few feet above sea level. Houma itself is at about 10 feet, and the parish averages about six feet above sea level, protected by extensive flood protection works. Water covers about 41 percent of Terrebonne Parish's 2,080 square miles. That is the setting for every foundation decision here.

One government for city and parish

Houma's city government was absorbed by the parish in 1984. Today the Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government covers both, which simplifies one question that comes up elsewhere in Louisiana: in Terrebonne, the permitting authority is the consolidated government whether your lot is in Houma or out along a bayou. We still confirm zoning and flood requirements for each specific parcel before design.

Lessons from Ida and Francine

In late August 2021, the eye wall of Category 4 Hurricane Ida struck Houma and caused widespread damage; a year later, reporting described the area as still devastated. Hurricane Francine made landfall on September 11, 2024. A barndominium here has to be designed for hurricane wind from the start: engineered anchorage, tied-down roof framing, rated overhead doors and openings, and a clear plan for how the roof and walls carry uplift to the foundation. Steel and post-frame buildings can do this well, but only when they are engineered as homes.

Clay that moves and holds water

South Louisiana has soils like the Schriever series, which the USDA describes as very-fine smectitic clay, poorly drained with very slow permeability, found on the lower parts of natural levees and in backswamp positions. Clay content in its control section runs 60 to 90 percent, and these soils are saturated near the surface from December through April in normal years and flood in most years unless protected by levees. Not every Houma lot is Schriever ground, but heavy, shrink-swell clays like it are why we want a soil report before designing the slab and why we often recommend a raised or elevated barndominium.

Septic on low bayou lots

Onsite sewage permits in Louisiana are handled by sanitarians at the parish health unit. Very slowly permeable clay and a shallow seasonal water table limit conventional drain fields, so many low sites end up with mechanical treatment units. Those need a maintenance provider endorsed for that type of unit, and homeowners must maintain them for as long as they live in the home.

Climate in numbers

Houma's 1991-2020 normals show about 65.42 inches of precipitation a year, with July the wettest month at 9.06 inches. The average July high is 91.3 degrees F. Hot, wet summers make humidity control the comfort issue inside a metal building, so we size HVAC for latent load and seal the envelope with spray foam rather than relying on fiberglass against steel.

Population and land

Houma counted 33,406 people in 2020, and the wider Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux metro had 208,178. Terrebonne Parish's population dipped from 111,860 in 2010 to 109,580 in 2020. For landowners, that means less pressure on rural acreage than on the Northshore, and more choice of parcels along the higher bayou ridges.

What fits Houma

• Elevated barndominiums on low or levee-protected land
• Shop houses for boats, trucks and marine gear
• Barndominium homes designed for hurricane wind
• Floor plans with mechanicals above flood level

Call (225) 320-7298 to talk about your Terrebonne Parish lot, or

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