Structure Dried In

"Dried in" means the building is weather-tight — foundation poured, post-frame shell up, roof on, siding installed, and windows and exterior doors hung. From that point your trades can work inside out of the weather. Sherman delivers the home dried in; you handle everything from there.

Sherman builds the dirt work, foundation, engineered post-frame structure, roof, exterior siding, windows, and exterior doors. We also lay in the utility rough-ins (PVC sleeves and conduit) through the slab. From handoff forward, you run the rest as your own general contractor: mechanicals (electrical, plumbing, HVAC), insulation, drywall, paint, flooring, cabinetry, fixtures, and FF&E. You pick the subs, set the schedule, and control the budget on the interior.

Craftsman Series goes one step further — Sherman carries the build through the mechanical rough-ins (electrical, plumbing, and HVAC) before handing off. Structure Dried In stops earlier, at the weather-tight shell. Pick Structure Dried In if you want to source and run your own mechanical trades; pick Craftsman if you want Sherman to handle the rough-ins and you take it from there.

It is built for owner-builders who already have the time, contacts, and appetite to run their own project after the shell is up. Trades-people, working contractors, ranchers, and experienced DIYers all use this path. You get Sherman’s 50 years of post-frame structural expertise on the parts that absolutely have to be done right — foundation, framing, envelope — and full control after that.

Sherman’s scope — site prep through dried-in shell — typically moves faster than a full home build because we are not waiting on interior trades, finishes, or selections. Most shells go up in a matter of weeks of active build time once the foundation is set. Your overall move-in timeline then depends entirely on how fast you and your trades complete the interior after handoff.

Every project is scoped individually because site work, structure size, and design vary widely. There is no per-square-foot Sherman price for a dried-in shell — soil, slope, utility runs, and how much exterior detail you want all swing the number. We quote based on a real site walk and stamped drawings, with a $2,500 drafting fee on the front end.

Yes, but financing a partially completed home works differently than a turnkey build. Lenders typically evaluate the shell and your finishing plan together, so it helps to bring a clear scope of what your trades will do after handoff. Sherman can walk through the conversation and point you to financing resources used by other owner-builders in our service area.

Yes. The structure, foundation, and envelope are built to code under Sherman’s licensed contractor work (MN License #BC004619). The interior work you and your trades complete is then inspected on its own schedule by your local building department. Code compliance from final inspection to certificate of occupancy is the GC’s responsibility — you, in this case — but you are starting from a code-built shell.

Sherman Buildings serves Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin from our headquarters in Mora, MN. That includes the Twin Cities metro and east-central Minnesota, the Brainerd Lakes and Duluth regions, and the Wisconsin St. Croix Valley and Northwoods — Polk, Burnett, Barron, St. Croix, and surrounding counties. If you are searching for a shell-only or dried-in builder near you in this region, reach out and we will confirm coverage for your build site.