Valencia County, New Mexico Albuquerque & the Middle Rio Grande

Barndominium Builders in Los Lunas, New Mexico

Los Lunas sits on both sides of the Rio Grande in Valencia County, with irrigated valley land along the river and newer subdivisions climbing the mesa to the west. Owners come to us here for a shop house on an acre or two of valley ground, or a larger steel building on the edge of town. We prepare barndominium plans and supply kit packages; the house is built by a New Mexico-licensed contractor, or by the owner under a homeowner permit when it will be their primary residence. Permitting in the village has two halves. The Village of Los Lunas reviews a development plan for zoning, floodplain, drainage and utility connections, and the state's Construction Industries Division reviews and issues the structural and trade permits and carries out those inspections. Both approvals have to be in hand before construction starts, and the village's own inspector checks placement, setbacks, height and drainage on the lot. If you are talking to barndominium contractors about a Los Lunas parcel, make sure they plan for both reviews rather than just the state one. Tell us about the land in the survey and we will show you which parts of the village code and the state code touch it.

Los Lunas at a glance

Principal county: Valencia County
Building permit: State of New Mexico (no local program)
Local facts on this page: 5, each linked to its source

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Before you build in Los Lunas

The local answers that shape a build here, each taken from the office or document that publishes it. Rules change, so we confirm them again against your parcel before drawing.

State-issued permitWho issues the permit

New Mexico Construction Industries Division (CID), with a Village of Los Lunas development plan approval

The Village of Los Lunas approves a Development Plan Application for zoning, floodplain, grading and utilities before development, including a new home or an accessory building over 120 sq ft. Structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and gas permits are reviewed and issued by CID, which also issues the certificate of occupancy. Applicants coordinate with both.

Source: Development Plans/Building Permits | Los Lunas, NM - Official Site (loslunasnm.gov)

Village development plan: The village requires a Development Plan Application, approved before development, for a new home, a commercial building, or an accessory structure over 120 square feet. For residential projects it may review the site plan, zoning, floodplain, water consumption, grading and drainage, utility connections and driveways onto village roads.
Who inspects what: The village's Zoning and Development Inspector checks structure placement, setbacks, height, landscaping, grading and drainage flow and floodplain compliance on the lot. The state Construction Industries Division handles structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and gas inspections and issues certificates of occupancy.
Zoning code: The Los Lunas Zoning Code (Title 17) sets permitted uses, minimum lot sizes, maximum heights, setbacks, landscaping and parking. Some uses need a conditional use permit from the Planning and Zoning Commission or a designated use permit from the Village Council, and the village's Community Map shows each property's zone.
Irrigation district: The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District's Belen Division, its largest, encompasses Los Lunas and Belen. It takes water from the Rio Grande at the Isleta Diversion dam and maintains about 420 miles of canals serving roughly 30,100 irrigated acres in Valencia and northern Socorro counties.
Energy code climate zone: The state's residential energy code, 14.7.6 NMAC, lists Los Lunas at 4,856 feet in climate zone 4B, which fixes the envelope insulation and window values the drawings need.

Building on land near Los Lunas

Land near Los Lunas comes in two kinds. Valley parcels close to the river are often small, flat and crossed by irrigation ditches, and the village checks floodplain and drainage on them as part of the development plan. Mesa parcels to the west are larger and drier, with longer runs to utilities. Where there is no sewer, a septic permit from the New Mexico Environment Department comes before the house permit, and a domestic well needs a permit from the Office of the State Engineer. Metal building homes suit both settings, but the lot's flood zone, ditch easements and water source should be settled before a plan is chosen.

Other locations in this part of New Mexico

Albuquerque & the Middle Rio Grande

Plans and kits for Los Lunas

Custom plans and kit packages, drawn to the local design figures. Construction is carried out by a New Mexico-licensed contractor. The parcel decides the budget more than the floor area does, so we quote against your land rather than a rate card.

Custom Plans

Custom barndominium plans drawn for your New Mexico parcel: sun, wind and drainage, the look you want, and design values for your site's elevation.

Barndominium Kits

Barndominium kits for New Mexico land: steel or post-frame shell packages drawn to the snow, wind and frost values for your site, delivered to your parcel.

Post-Frame Homes

Post frame and pole barn homes in New Mexico, built as real dwellings: posts set for your soil, termite protection, and a wall that handles heat and cold.

See every service

Have land in or near Los Lunas? Tell us about the parcel and what you want to build, and we will check it against the local rules before anything is drawn.

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Building in Los Lunas: questions

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How much does it cost to build a barndominium in Los Lunas?

Site conditions move the number most. A valley lot inside a mapped floodplain brings extra review and site work, and a mesa lot may need a well, a septic system and a long utility run, and each of those can outweigh a change in size. We keep pricing out of these pages; the barndominium cost guide sets out sourced ranges, and after you describe the parcel in the survey we quote the plans and kit.

Do I need a building permit for a barndominium in Los Lunas?

Yes, and from two places. The Village of Los Lunas must approve a development plan covering zoning, floodplain, drainage and utilities, and the state's Construction Industries Division issues the structural and trade permits and inspects the building. Outside the village limits, see our Valencia County page for how that side works.

Can I build from barndominium kits near the river in Los Lunas?

Often, yes, but the lot decides the details. On valley land the village's floodplain review applies, and ditch easements can limit where the building sits. We supply barndominium kits drawn for the site once those limits are known, and a New Mexico-licensed contractor or the owner under a homeowner permit erects them.

Are pole barn homes and post frame homes allowed in Los Lunas?

The zoning code regulates the use of the lot, its setbacks and building height, not the framing method, so pole barn homes are reviewed like any other house in a residential zone. The state then reviews the structure itself. Our post-frame homes page covers how those buildings are designed.

Keep reading

What usually comes next once you know what Los Lunas allows.

Barndominium Cost Guide

Sourced per-square-foot ranges by tier and size, and what moves the number on your land.

Read it

Is a Barndominium Legal in New Mexico?

Zoning, septic and who inspects, before you buy the land.

Read it

How Long Does It Take?

From parcel to move-in, and which steps set the clock.

Read it

Sources for this page

The published pages behind the Los Lunas facts above. Rules change, so check the current version with the office before you rely on it.

Barndominiums near Los Lunas

Nearby places we also cover. Across a city limit or a county line the permit office, zoning and septic rules can change, so each has its own page.

Valencia County

New Mexico county

South Valley

Bernalillo County, New Mexico

Torrance County

New Mexico county

Albuquerque

Bernalillo County, New Mexico

Building in Los Lunas?

Start with the survey. Tell us where the land is and what you want on it, and we will come back with which office permits it, what it will allow, and a plan to fit.

Start the survey