Barndominium Builders in Princeton, TX

Barndominium builders following growth in Collin County end up in Princeton sooner or later. The town had 6,807 residents in 2010, 17,027 in 2020, and an estimated 43,524 in 2025. It sits just east of the center of Collin County on U.S. Route 380, 8 miles east of McKinney, the county seat, and 8 miles west of Farmersville, with Lowry Crossing on its western border. Land outside the city is still where a barndominium with a real shop and room to breathe makes sense.

How Collin County permits a home outside city limits

Collin County runs one of the more detailed rural permit processes in the area, and it applies to Princeton's extraterritorial jurisdiction too. The county states plainly that ETJ properties are still in the county and all permitting goes through the county. For a new barndominium: 1. Apply for a development permit through the Collin County Citizen Self-Service Portal 2. If you are in an ETJ, submit an ETJ Verification form signed by the city 3. Staff send the matching septic permit through the same portal, so you do not file it separately 4. Review starts once fees are paid and can take up to 30 days 5. A third-party inspector performs at least three inspections: foundation before concrete, framing and mechanical before drywall, and final 6. The builder submits notice of the passing final inspection within 10 days

Permits expire after 365 days with no activity, so we time the application to the build schedule.

No power until the septic passes

One detail catches people off guard: Collin County will not release permanent power if septic inspections have not been completed and passed. On a barndo build, the septic system should be designed, installed and inspected in step with the house so the electric meter release does not hold up move-in.

Lot size in Collin County

Collin County ties septic eligibility to when a lot was created. Lots divided between 1983 and 2008 need at least 1 acre, or 1.5 acres with a water well. Lots divided in 2008 or later must start with 1 usable acre, or 1.5 acres with 1 usable acre if there is a well. Easements and ponds generally do not count. Before you buy land near Princeton, we can look at the plat date and usable area with you.

Princeton's past

When the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad came through in 1881, residents wanted the name Wilson's Switch, but the post office could not use Wilson because it was already taken, so they chose Princeton to honor landowner Prince Dowlin; a post office followed in 1888. In 1940 a camp of 76 cabins was built west of town to house up to 400 migrant workers for the onion and cotton seasons, and in February 1945 it became a camp for German prisoners of war for eight months. The town still holds an Onion Festival, which began in 2005. Princeton sits at about 587 feet.

Designing for a fast-changing area

Princeton land is filling in quickly. A barndominium on acreage today may have neighbors in a few years, so we think about:

• Placing the home and shop to keep privacy as nearby land develops
• Exterior finishes that hold value next to newer homes
• Driveway access that works if the road is widened
• Room on the site for a future shop, pool or guest quarters

Building envelope basics

Every Princeton barndo gets an engineered slab from a soils report, engineered framing and anchorage, continuous insulation and vapor control on the steel, and HVAC sized to the actual load. Call (469) 310-8310 or

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