Why the Cost of Metal Buildings Differ Drastically
If you’re a first-time buyer, you may be asking yourself “how much does a steel building cost?” While we are able to provide you with price ranges below for planning purposes, steel is a complex commodity and there are several factors that affect the cost of metal buildings. We always recommend requesting an accurate quote since the cost of a steel building can change drastically from company to company due to estimating accuracy, purchasing power and current sales. The cost of metal buildings can even change day by day if an unexpected price increase hits the global steel industry due to a spike in demand, lack of supply, or world affairs.
Pricing Resources
From our annual price forecast to pricing per SQFT and the cost to build a home or garage.
Frequently Asked Pricing Questions
How do wind speeds affect pricing?
Higher wind speeds in an area result in a higher price. For example, a building designed for Miami-Dade County is more expensive because it requires engineering for 175 mph wind than a building designed for the “The Windy City,” because a building being constructed in Chicago only requires a 90 mph rating.
Is it cheaper to make my building wider or longer?
Steel buildings can have a clear span width of up to 300′ which requires more steel. An increase in length conversely doesn’t change the price as drastically as making the building wider or taller.
How does snow load affect the price of my building.
If you were planning on erecting a steel building in Alaska you would need a building rated for 120 pounds per square foot of snow, which would be more expensive than a building constructed in many areas of Colorado which only requires a rating of 43.
Do open areas increase the price?
Many people are drawn to open wall steel buildings or even a leanto attached to an enclosed structure. This style of building requires an increase in the corresponding wind load because there are no walls to deflect a gust of wind which in turn lifts up on the roof. This increase in wind load engineering would result in an increase in price.
Does the seismic conditions in my area affect pricing?
Metal buildings are also engineered to withstand seismic conditions. A building designed for San Francisco needs a seismic rating of 320 over 90. That rating makes the building designed for San Fran more expensive than a building headed to North Dakota that requires a seismic rating of just 20 over 10.
Building Pricing by Building System
The final piece of the pricing puzzle depends on the building system you choose. No matter which two building systems you are comparing, there are pros and cons to each solution and each system’s characteristics have a direct affect on its cost.
