Obtaining Permits for Your Steel Buildings

If you’re considering the purchase of one or more steel buildings, it’s important for you to obtain building permits from your municipality or township before you purchase your building. If you’re not certain from the start that you’ll be able to obtain the necessary permits, you could be on the hook for a contract to purchase a building you can’t put up. If this is your first experience with metal buildings, you may not understand the particulars of permitting.

While the paperwork is your responsibility as the owner of the building, many companies that sell prefabricated steel buildings have professionals on staff who can help guide you through the process and advise you on the various types of permits and paperwork you’ll need before you begin construction.

Your first step will be to consult the zoning board for your community to find out if there are restrictions on the size and outward appearance of your proposed steel buildings. Your community may limit the width, height and/or length of your building based on local ordinance. Your new building may have to meet specific requirements regarding appearance and setbacks from the road and property boundaries. You may need to complete a wetlands evaluation of your site, or be required to meet accessibility standards. You’ll be required to submit a plot plan which shows where and how the building will be located on your land and wait for approval before you can begin any construction on your property.

A survey of the neighborhood in which you intend to build can give you an idea of what kind of construction is permitted there. If there are other metal buildings already constructed, you’ll have an idea of how likely it is that your project will be approved.

In addition to zoning board approval, your steel buildings will also need to meet local construction codes. Those codes will vary depending on the state and municipality in which the building will be located. In the Northeast, for example, you may need to meet strict safety standards for roofs that have to withstand the weight of heavy snows. In Florida and other hurricane-prone areas, your building will have to meet standards for wind load. If your building will be occupied by a high number of people, such as an office building or retail store would, you’ll have to meet higher standards for safety than if your building were to be used solely for storage.

Many steel building companies will work with you to make sure that any building you purchase from them meets all local codes and standards. If a company doesn’t provide you with certified stamped engineered drawings and an anchor bolt plan, find another company that does. Those two documents will help you determine whether your new building will meet local codes. Without them, you could end up paying for a building you’ll never be able to use.