How do I choose a steel building

40x60x10 steel building illustration with tan walls

How do I choose a steel building?

"How do I choose a steel building?"  You may be asking yourself this very question after seeing countless search results for steel buildings or metal buildings.  Maybe size determines your search, or it could be budget, or maybe even options and design.

Steel Building Size

The starting point in deciding what size you need is typically what size will fit your property considering any covenants and property set backs.  Whether you need a 30x40 for a garage, a 40x60 for a workshop, or a 50x100 - 100x200 building for warehouse or industrial applications, Renegade has the knowledge and buying power to help you get the best steel building at a great price.
30x40x10 steel building illustration with tan walls and brown trim

30x40 steel building

40x60 steel building illustration with tan walls and brown trim

40x60 steel building

50x100 steel building illustration with tan walls and brown trim

50x100 steel building

100x200x14 steel building illustration red walls with white trim

100x200 steel building

30x40x10 bay spacing illustration
The size of your building can also dictate how many doors you can have as well as where you can place them.  Take a 30x40 building, for instance, with 2 - 20' bays. This means that there would be 1 main frame located in the center of the building.  With a 20' bay you can only fit 1 large door in that space.  A 10' wide door requires a minimum of about 1'6" on either side which means you don't have room to add an additional large door in that bay.  Another consideration is space to move around whatever objects you bring in through that door.  Other things that come into play are steel building bracing as well as the height of the door openings.

Things that affect Steel Buildings Cost

  1. 1.
    Eave Height - while a 50x100 steel building, for instance, always equates to 5,000 sq ft, the eave height determines how much steel is used. This is one of the reasons you don't typically see a sq ft price on a steel building. The price is determined by the amount of steel, so a tall building is going to add steel, which adds weight and increases cost.
  2. 2.
    Roof Pitch - The most common roof pitch is 1:12 which means the roof rises 1 inch for every 1 foot as it goes toward the peak of the gable. Two factors affect the price in regards to the roof pitch, one is the addtional steel, the other is that many people choose a color panel for the roof vs the standard Galvalume panel.
  3. 3.
    Local Codes - Your location determines wind, snow and seismic loads that affect the engineering and structure of the building. Each of these loads create pressures on the building that determine the number and spacing of girts and purlins as well as the size and thickness of the I-beams. It also affects the material needed for the steel building bracing increasing the size and gauge of either the rods or I-beams.
  4. 4.
    Building Options - Windows, doors, wainscot, gutters, overhangs - pretty much any option you add to Customize your steel building has corresponding steel structure that contributes to the cost of your building.

Steel Building "Standard Size"

40x60 Renegade Steel Building 40x60 illustration, red walls with white trim
We are often asked about a standard size building.  We have some popular sizes, but there are no real standard sizes.  Each building is designed to each customers needs and engineered for their location.  That means that if you require a 44x72x15 building, we can help you out.  It also means that your not being penalized for getting the exact size building you need.  With that being said, there are ways to value engineer a building to keep your cost to a minimum.  That is one of the reasons we like to talk to our customers to help you work through your project, get the building you want, and see what designs may save you money.

Steel Building "Special Deals"

danger zone signsteel building special deal warning
Have you noticed or been told of any "special deals" when it comes to a pre-engineered steel building?  Be very careful with any company that is offering you a "special deal" on a building that a customer gave a deposit for and just walked away.  Read more about Steel Building Specials and decide if you're willing to take the risk.

Concrete, Labor, General Contractor

Steel Building assembly
Renegade is a steel building supplier and does not contract for concrete, labor or interior build out.  In order to be able to provide those services, a company would have to be registered as a general contractor in your area.  Since Renegade supplies building across the US, we are not setup to offer that service.  Realistically, companies that tell you they can offer that service to you are simply sub-contracting to local companies and adding fees on top of those costs.  We have found it more beneficial for our customers to contract directly with local businesses to provide concrete and labor.

Steel Building Buyers Guide

Still have questions about how to buy a steel building?  We put together a steel building buyers guide to help you through the process.
If you're in the market for a pre-engineered steel building, you owe it to yourself to spend a little time researching any company you are talking to.  You should actually dig in and look at results beyond what's on the first page.  While no company can satisfy everyone, they should at least be honest and fair in their business practices.  Renegade Steel Buildings tries very hard to be as upfront with our customers with the information we have available.  That is why we provide as much information as possible to help you become an informed buyer.   Give us a call and let us help you with your project.
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