Costs of Steel Buildings

Steel buildings are among the most versatile choices for nearly any type of construction, but they’re especially popular with homeowners and hobbyists who want a storage building or workshop on their property. They’re also often used as garages, barns, auto workshops, home offices or small stores. Steel buildings come in a variety of colors that match the most popular house colors, making them an ideal choice for installation on a residential property.

You can build them on different types of foundations, allowing you to choose the most economical for your uses. To top it off, steel buildings are essentially fireproof, resist insect infestation and are relatively low-maintenance. It’s no wonder, then, that they’re popular with many different types of owners. Steel building prices range widely from about $1,000 to well over $50,000 depending on the size and options that you choose. These typical costs can give you an idea of what it might cost to build the garden shed or home office of your dreams.

Hoop style steel buildings are often chosen as an option to metal pole barns. Neither requires a foundation, cutting the costs of building considerably. A DIY construction kit for a steel barn – which contains all the materials needed to get your building up and ready to use – will run you from $5,000 to $30,000, depending on the size and finish options you choose. It will cost you between $8,000 and $50,000 to have one built for you by a professional contractor.

If you’re going to build a prefab steel building on a foundation, the cost for the basic structure will run between $5,000 and $15,000 depending on the size, the options you choose and the quality of the materials. Some dealers of steel buildings include shipping in their price quotes, but others will charge you separately for shipping. The cost of shipping will vary depending on the distance shipped and the weight of the shipment.

While many people erect their own steel buildings, others decide to hire a contractor to put up their building. Paying a contractor, installing a foundation and adding finishing touches like electricity, plumbing, walls and flooring can add $20 to $50 per square foot to the cost of your steel building. For a 10 by 12-foot steel building – a standard storage building size – that’s an additional $2,000 to $6,000.

What Should Be Included in Your Steel Building Kit

These prices don’t include the cost of the land, of course. You can expect certain things to be included when you purchase a steel building kit. Steel building kits will usually provide all the materials you need to put you your structure except the floor or foundation and anchor bolts, if you’ll be using them.

Your kit will also usually include engineer-certified drawings, anchor bolt patterns and construction plans. Those – especially the engineer-certified drawings – may be required by your local building code authority before they’ll issue you a license.

Tips for Shopping for Steel Buildings

Before you purchase a metal building, ask for references from other customers and be sure to check the references. Check with the Better Business Bureau for complaints and do a search online for any complaints and problems from other people.

As you can see from the prices listed here, steel buildings are often the most economical choice for garden sheds, garages, barns and other residential, agricultural and industrial buildings. For more information and a price quote, contact a dealer of steel buildings with specifics about what you want.