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Description
The barge house for sale here is one of the largest houseboats we offer. Built on 15 x 5 m pontoons, it carries an 11 x 4.5 m house with room for up to 12 people, and it travels like a regular motor boat on rivers, canals and lakes under the power of two 50 hp high thrust outboards. The layout can be adjusted to your needs, so it can become a family home, a group holiday rental, a floating office or an event space. It is new, built to order, and we quote delivery worldwide.
This page covers the specifications, what makes a barge house different, how it handles, cruising on rivers and canals, the many ways owners use it, mooring and permits, costs, ordering and delivery.
Barge house for sale: Specifications
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Model | Barge house |
| Type | Large motorized houseboat on pontoons |
| Condition | New, built to order |
| Overall length | 15.00 m (about 49 ft 3 in) |
| Maximum width | 5.05 m (about 16 ft 7 in) |
| Pontoon base | 15 m x 5 m |
| House dimensions | 11.00 m x 4.50 m |
| Capacity | Up to 12 people |
| Engines | 2 x 50 hp high thrust outboards |
| Layout | Adjustable to the customer’s needs |
| Design category | D (sheltered waters) |
| Price | $159,900 |
The final layout, equipment and price are confirmed in your quote after a design discussion.
What Is a Barge House?
A barge house is a floating home built on a wide, flat, barge style base. Traditional working barges carried cargo along rivers and canals. Today the same idea of a broad, stable platform carries a full house instead of freight. Barge houses are used as permanent homes, holiday homes and businesses, moored at marinas or along waterways, with water views and easy access to boating and outdoor life.
This barge house for sale takes that concept and adds real mobility. With twin outboards, it does not need a tug. You can cruise it to a new mooring like any motor boat.
A barge house for sale With Space for Up to 12 People
The 11 x 4.5 m house gives you about 49.5 square metres of interior footprint, plus deck space around it on the 15 x 5 m pontoon base. That is enough for several bedrooms, a large living and dining area, a full kitchen and bathrooms. Up to 12 people can be accommodated, depending on the layout you choose.
For a family, that means everyone has room and guests can stay. For a rental, it means you can host large groups, which many smaller houseboats cannot. For a business, it means real floor space for customers, staff and equipment.
Twin 50 hp High Thrust Outboards
Moving a big floating home calls for the right engines. High thrust outboards use gearing and propellers designed to push heavy loads efficiently at low speeds. Two of them give the barge house for sale controlled, confident handling, better steering in turns and a backup if one engine needs attention.
If you are supplying or replacing engines, browse our Mercury 50 HP outboards, Yamaha 50 HP outboards, Suzuki 50 HP outboards and Honda 50 HP outboards, and ask us which are best for the boat.
Cruising Rivers and Canals
The barge house travels like a regular motor boat, so you can explore rivers, canals and lakes at a relaxed pace. Before planning a route, check the waterway’s limits:
- Lock sizes. At 15 m long and 5.05 m wide, the boat needs broad locks. Many narrow canals have locks far smaller than this, so confirm lock dimensions first.
- Bridge heights. Check the air draft of your finished boat against the lowest bridge on your route.
- Depth. Confirm channel depth, especially in dry summers.
- Speed limits. Most rivers and canals set low limits to protect banks and moored boats.
- Mooring spots. Plan overnight stops with enough length and depth for a 15 m boat.
The barge house is built to design category D. Under the European Recreational Craft rules, that covers sheltered waters in winds up to force 4 and significant waves up to about 0.3 m, with occasional waves up to 0.5 m. Stay on sheltered water and watch the forecast.
Design the Layout Around Your Life
The barge’s layout can be adjusted to your needs. We arrange a meeting with the designer, who works through your brief and prepares the final plan and price. Common layouts include:
- Family home. Three or four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a big open living and kitchen space and a wide deck.
- Group rental. Several private bedrooms, each with its own bathroom if possible, and a large shared lounge for groups of up to 12.
- Bed and breakfast. Guest rooms plus owner’s quarters and a breakfast area.
- Floating office or studio. Open workspace, a meeting room and a kitchenette.
- Cafe, bar or event space. Service kitchen, seating, guest toilets and open deck.
Who Buys the barge house for sale
Families
A spacious floating home with room for everyone and space for guests.
Holiday rental operators
Large group stays are popular for family reunions, friends’ trips and celebrations. A boat that sleeps up to 12 opens a market most houseboats cannot serve.
Businesses
An eye catching office, showroom, cafe or event venue on the water.
People seeking a waterfront lifestyle
Buyers who want waterfront living without waterfront property prices, and the freedom to change their view.
Mooring, Permits and Rules
Rules for houseboats differ by country, region and waterway, and they are often stricter for large or commercial units. Before delivery, check:
- Availability of a berth for a 15 x 5.05 m boat.
- Registration and any licence needed to drive it.
- Whether full time residence is allowed.
- Permits for rentals, events or food service.
- Waste water rules and pump out facilities.
- Shore power and water connections.
- Insurance requirements.
We will supply the documents your local authority or marina asks for.
Running Costs to Plan For
- Mooring for a large berth, which varies widely by location.
- Insurance for the structure, engines, contents, liability and any business use.
- Utilities such as shore power, water and pump out.
- Fuel for the twin outboards when cruising.
- Maintenance of pontoons, engines, systems and finishes.
- Winter care in cold climates.
Rental or business income can offset much of this, depending on your location and how actively you run it.
Running a Group Rental
- Confirm your mooring allows paying guests and get any permit needed.
- Decide whether guests stay moored or cruise. Most owners keep large units moored, or offer skippered trips.
- Give each bedroom privacy and plan enough bathrooms for a full house.
- Write a clear guest guide covering power, water, waste, heating and safety.
- Arrange cleaning and laundry between stays.
- Market to groups: celebrations, family gatherings and team retreats.
A Weekend Aboard With Friends
Friday evening, twelve friends arrive at the marina with bags and food for the weekend. The barge house for sale has room for everyone. Bedrooms are claimed, drinks are poured and dinner is cooked together in the big kitchen. On Saturday you start the twin outboards and cruise slowly downriver, past fields and villages, to a mooring by a riverside meadow. Some swim, some fish from the deck, and some just read in the sun. In the evening a long table on deck seats everyone for dinner under the stars. Sunday you cruise back, tidy up and hand over to the next group.
Barge House, Narrowboat or Classic Barge?
Narrowboats are long and slim, built to fit narrow canals and small locks. They are great for canal cruising but feel like a corridor inside, and most are only about 2 m wide.
Classic steel barges, such as converted working barges, have lots of character and deep, heavy hulls. They can be expensive to buy and maintain, and older hulls may need costly repairs.
This barge house for sale is built new on a wide pontoon base. Its 4.5 m wide house feels like a real home rather than a corridor, with proper rooms and generous living space. It costs less to maintain than an old steel hull, and it is built to your layout. The trade off is that its width needs broad waterways and locks.
Living Aboard Full Time
Many owners choose a barge house as their permanent home. The wide house has the space for normal family life: separate bedrooms, a real kitchen and a living room with a view. To make full time life easy, plan for a postal address, a parking spot near the mooring, good mobile coverage, and heating and insulation suited to your winters. Check that your mooring and local rules allow residential use before you commit.
A Floating Office, Studio or Venue
A barge house makes a memorable workplace. An architect’s studio, a creative agency, a therapy practice or a small company headquarters on the water gets noticed and remembered. With up to 11 x 4.5 m of house, there is room for desks, a meeting room, a kitchenette and a bathroom.
As an event venue, the barge house for sale can host private dinners, small receptions, workshops and launches, either moored or on a short cruise. Check with your local authority about permits for public use, and talk to an insurer about public liability before you open.
Choosing Your Interior Finishes
Because the barge is built to order, you can choose the style. Some owners want a light, modern Scandinavian feel with pale timber, white walls and big windows. Others prefer a warm, classic barge interior with darker wood and cosy lighting. Commercial users may want hard wearing floors and simple, easy to clean surfaces. Share photos of styles you like with the designer, and they will build them into your plan and quote.
Bring a Tender
With a boat this size, a small tender is very useful. It lets you nip ashore for supplies, explore shallow creeks or fish while the barge stays moored. A light inflatable such as a Takacat 300 LX stores easily on deck and pairs with a small outboard or electric motor. Ask us to add one to your quote.
More Questions Buyers Ask
How long does the build take?
That depends on your layout, equipment and the builder’s schedule. We confirm an estimate with your quote.
Can it be used all year?
Yes, with suitable heating and insulation. Discuss your climate with us so the right package is included.
How fast does it cruise?
Like all houseboats, it cruises gently. Expect relaxed speeds suited to rivers, canals and lakes, and follow local limits.
Can I visit to see one?
Contact us and we will discuss viewing options and share photos and plans of recent builds.
Barge house for sale vs Other Houseboats
| Model | Length x width | House | Engine | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barge house | 15.00 x 5.05 m | 11.00 x 4.50 m | 2 x 50 hp | $159,900 |
| Apart XL | 12.00 x 5.00 m | 8.50 x 4.50 m | 2 x 50 hp | $127,900 |
| Home on water | 13.50 x 5.00 m | 9.60 x 3.30 m | Stationary | $129,000 |
| Modern House 15 | On request | On request | On request | $169,000 |
Choose the barge house for the most interior space and up to 12 people in a mobile floating home. Choose the Apart XL for a slightly smaller, customisable unit with off grid options. Choose the home on water if your boat will stay in one place.
Power, Water and Comfort Options
Most barge houses connect to shore power and water at their mooring, with waste handled by onboard tanks and pump out or a marina connection. When you brief the designer, ask about options that suit your climate and how you will use the boat: heating for cold winters, air conditioning for hot summers, solar panels for time away from the dock, larger water tanks for longer cruises and extra insulation for year round living. Choosing these at the build stage is far easier and cheaper than adding them later.
Families With Children
Children love living on the water, and a wide barge house feels safe and roomy. Add a few simple measures: railings with child proof gates on the deck, non slip surfaces, a life jacket for each child to wear on deck, and clear rules about when they can go outside. A family room inside gives space for play on rainy days. Many families find their children spend far more time outdoors on a barge house for sale than they ever did in a flat.
Pets Aboard
Dogs and cats adapt well to houseboat life. Fit a ramp or steps so pets can get on and off safely, keep a pet life jacket for dogs, and make sure there is a shaded spot on deck in summer. Check marina rules on pets before you move in.
Insuring a Barge House
Ask a specialist marine insurer to cover the structure and pontoons, both outboards, the contents, third party liability and any business use. Tell them where the boat will be moored, how often it will move, and whether people will live aboard or rent it.
How Ordering Works
- Contact us with how you plan to use the boat and where it will be moored.
- Meet the designer to agree the layout and equipment.
- Receive your quote with the final specification, price and build estimate.
- Build to order.
- Delivery to your nearest suitable port or agreed point.
- Launch and handover at your mooring.
Worldwide Delivery
We sell the barge house for sale to buyers worldwide. Because of its size, delivery is planned for each order, covering transport, the port of arrival and the launch method. Send us your location and we will include a freight plan with your quote.
Please read our terms and conditions and refund and return policy, and see our customer reviews.
Delivery and Launch Day
Confirm that roads and the launch site can take a large, wide load, and that a crane or slipway of the right capacity is booked. Prepare the berth with lines, fenders and shore connections. After launch, the engines and systems are tested and you receive the builder’s handover notes.
Caring for Your barge house for sale
- Inspect pontoons, mooring lines and fenders regularly.
- Clean pontoons at the waterline to limit growth.
- Service both outboards on schedule.
- Ventilate the house to prevent condensation.
- Protect water systems from frost in cold climates.
- Wash and treat exterior finishes each season.
- Check smoke and carbon monoxide alarms monthly.
Through the Seasons
Spring is for inspections and a deep clean. Summer brings cruising and the busiest rental weeks. Autumn is calm and quiet on rivers and lakes. In cold climates, plan winter heating, frost protection and ventilation with your marina well ahead.
Safety Aboard
Keep life jackets for everyone aboard, fire extinguishers, a first aid kit, a horn and navigation lights. Fit smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. With up to 12 people aboard, give every guest a short safety briefing. For background on boat design categories, read this Recreational Craft Directive overview.
Buy the barge house for sale From Us
NJ Marines Outboard Engines is based in Fresno, California, and supplies boats, houseboats and outboards worldwide. Call or WhatsApp +1 209 690 5983, learn more on our about page, or contact us via the contact page to arrange a meeting with the designer.
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FAQ: barge house for sale
How big is the barge house?
15.00 m long and 5.05 m wide, with an 11.00 x 4.50 m house on 15 x 5 m pontoons.
How many people can it hold?
Up to 12, depending on the layout.
Can it move under its own power?
Yes. Two 50 hp high thrust outboards let it travel like a motor boat.
Can I design the layout?
Yes. The layout is adjusted to your needs with the designer.
Will it fit through canal locks?
It needs broad locks. Check lock sizes on your route before cruising.
Do you deliver the barge house for sale worldwide?
Yes. We plan and quote delivery for each order.
Final Word
The barge house for sale gives you a true home on the water with space for up to 12 people, a layout designed around you and twin engines to take it wherever the water allows. Contact us today to meet the designer and get your final price.
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