Conway Homestead Shells: Single-Story Shell Homes & Barndominiums
Looking for a barndominium or shell home builder near Conway? We design your single-story shell home, supply the insulated SIP panels, and help you line up a local crew in Faulkner County or nearby to set it on your slab.
Free, no forms. Rather talk it through? Book a free call.
HOW A HOMESTEAD SHELL WORKS
A homestead shell is the strong, insulated outside of your home (walls, roof and exterior) set on a slab and weather-tight, ready for the inside to be finished. Same idea as a shell home or barndominium shell, built with SIP panels instead of studs.
We design it
A single-story plan sized to your budget and your land. One level, no stairs, on a slab. You keep the plans no matter what.
Panels ship to your site
Factory-cut EPS SIP panels (walls and roof) are made in Iowa and delivered to your Arkansas job site. DreamStart is an EPS Authorized Dealer.
A local crew sets it
We help you find and vet a builder near your land. You contract with them directly, and they set the shell, usually weather-tight in 3 to 5 days.
BUILDING IN CONWAY AT A GLANCE
Panel delivery
Panels ship by truck from the EPS factory in Graettinger, Iowa, about 740 road miles to Conway.
Rural land
Statewide, Arkansas farm real estate averaged about $4,350 an acre in 2026 (USDA). That's a statewide figure; land in Faulkner County, close to Conway and Little Rock, often costs more.
Sales tax on materials
The combined sales tax rate in Conway is about 9.125%: 6.5% state, 0.5% Faulkner County and 2.125% city (the city rate rose in April 2026). Rates outside city limits differ. Our calculator figures tax on materials by ZIP.
Footings
We design footings at least 36 inches below grade, or deeper if required by your city or county.
The Lineup
Single-Level Homes Built for One-Level Living
Every design is one story, 1,500+ sq ft, on a slab with no stairs. Pick a starting point, then make it yours with your design package.
Taylor
1,680 sq ft · one level · 1 bed
Compact, with a 2-car garage
See the Taylor
Oak
2,210 sq ft · one level · 3 bed
One level plus a 50x60 shop
See the Oak
Jackson
2,814 sq ft · one level · 3 bed
Main-floor safe room and office
See the JacksonBUILDING AROUND CONWAY: CENTRAL ARKANSAS CONDITIONS
Conway sits in central Arkansas between the Arkansas River and the Ozark foothills, with creeks, lakes and rolling farmland across Faulkner County. Here's what to plan for.
Tornado Country
On April 27, 2014, an EF4 tornado tracked 41 miles through Mayflower and Vilonia, both in Faulkner County (National Weather Service). SIP walls and roof work as solid structural panels, and your panel package is engineered to your site's design wind speed. You can also plan a safe room into the design.
Framed in About Half the Time
An independent RS Means study found SIP framing took 45 to 55% less time than stick-framing the same house. Once your slab is ready and the factory-cut panels arrive, a local crew typically has the shell weather-tight in 3 to 5 days.
Creeks, Lakes and Floodplains
Land near Cadron Creek, Lake Conway and the Arkansas River can sit in a mapped flood zone. Outside the cities, Faulkner County's emergency management office handles floodplain permits, so check the FEMA map before you buy.
Plenty of Rain
Conway averages roughly 50 inches of rain a year (NOAA normal for a Conway station: 51.6 inches). Plan site grading and slab height so water drains away from the house, and get the shell closed in fast once panels arrive.
PERMITS AROUND CONWAY: COUNTY NOTES
Inside city limits, the city issues building permits and inspects. Out in the county, rules are lighter in many places, but floodplain, septic and address rules still apply. Rules change, so confirm with the city or county before you buy land.
Outside City Limits: Check With the County
Inside City Limits: Expect Plan Review
Your design package includes SIP engineering documentation for your county's permit office. Always confirm current rules with the county before you buy land.
ARKANSAS CITIES WE SERVE
We design for land anywhere in Arkansas. Pick a city for local permit notes and county details.
FINANCING A HOMESTEAD SHELL IN ARKANSAS
Rural land in Faulkner County is often bought with a land loan first, then built on with a construction loan. Common paths:
Many buyers finance the land first, then the home. Some lenders can roll the land and construction into one loan. Lenders look closely at road access, utilities and whether the parcel can take a septic system, so line those up early.
Much of rural Arkansas is USDA-eligible. USDA's guaranteed loan offers no-down-payment financing, including a single-close construction-to-permanent loan through approved lenders, for households under the income limit. Check your land on USDA's map.
Farm Credit of Western Arkansas covers Faulkner, Perry, Yell, Conway, Van Buren and other nearby counties, and offers long-term financing for rural land, homes and home construction.
CONWAY QUESTIONS, ANSWERED
Do I need a permit for a barndominium in Faulkner County?+
Inside Conway, yes: a new home needs a building permit, and the city reviews site, floor, foundation and wall-bracing plans before it issues one. Impact fees apply to new homes, and a floodplain permit comes first if the lot is in a flood zone. Greenbrier, Vilonia, Mayflower and Wooster handle permits inside their own limits. In unincorporated Faulkner County, the county's OEM/911 office handles floodplain permits and 911 addresses, and septic goes through the Arkansas Department of Health. Ask the county what your parcel needs before you buy.
How do rural property loans work in Faulkner County?+
Most buyers either finance the land first with a land loan and then take a construction loan for the home, or find a lender who will roll both into one loan. Farm Credit of Western Arkansas serves Faulkner County and nearby Perry, Yell, Conway and Van Buren counties, and offers long-term loans for rural land, homes and home construction. Local banks and credit unions also make land loans, and parts of rural Faulkner County may qualify for USDA home loans. Expect lenders to ask about road access, utilities and septic before they approve a rural parcel.
Who builds barndominiums around Conway?+
Local builders and framing crews do the construction. DreamStart doesn't build: we design your single-story shell home, supply the EPS SIP panel package as an EPS Authorized Dealer, and help you find and vet a builder near your land in Faulkner County or nearby. You hire and pay your builder directly.
How do I know if my Faulkner County land is in a flood zone?+
Check the FEMA flood map for the parcel. Land near Cadron Creek, Lake Conway and the Arkansas River is worth a close look. Outside the cities, Faulkner County OEM/911 manages floodplain permits, and any development in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area needs a floodplain development permit before work starts. Inside a city, ask that city.
SEE WHAT YOUR CONWAY SHELL HOME COSTS
Start with your size. When the number makes sense, the next step is your design.
Building elsewhere in Arkansas? See Arkansas homestead shells.
Arkansas builders and framing crews: join our crew network to set factory-cut SIP shells.