Pricing Steel Buildings
After researching steel buildings, and deciding you’re in the market for one, after you’ve decided its use, where it will be situated and other important details like that, you’re going to want to know what the structure is likely to cost you. Seems like a reasonable question. And here’s the reasonable answer:
It depends!
Pricing a steel building is part craft, part art. It’s good for you to have a grasp for how it’s done. In this article, let us describe the variables that go into pricing your building so you can get a feel for what’s involved.
*If your building is under 3,000 SF, Visit alliedbuildings.com/builder to drag&drop design and instantly price your steel building.
5 basic factors affecting how steel buildings are priced:
1. Building Design
2. The Price Of Steel
3. Fuel Costs
4. Buying Power
5. Custom Features
1. Building Design
Put simply, the design of your building determines the amount of work involved and the amount of steel required. As you would expect, simple, small lightweight buildings requiring no special structural engineering will cost less than larger, heavy-duty building projects that might, for example, have to withstand very strong winds or ground movement. Whereas labor costs don’t vary too much, steel prices do – as mentioned below.
Here are the main design considerations that affect the size, design and cost of your new steel building:
Wind load: different places have different wind ratings. So as you might expect, Florida – a state buffeted by very high winds and hurricanes – has a higher wind-rating than calmer Tennessee.
Dimensions: (width, height, roof pitch, length) – these variables affect the amount of steel required in different ways. Increasing the width of your structure, for example, affects price more than increasing the length of the structure.
Snow load: the load rating for snow is going to be higher in snowy Alaska than it is in balmy Houston. The stronger structure – which means additional steel – required in Alaska to safely hold that snow makes the building more expensive than a similar one constructed for, say, Houston.
Open Areas: leaving a side of the structure open to the elements means the roof has not got the same protection against up-drafts that it would have if the structure were a closed one. The increased wind load required translates into a costlier building.
Seismic Conditions: seismic ratings vary as you would expect according to the amount of seismic activity in your area. In areas where seismic activity exists ratings are high – as are the resulting building material costs.
As important as these may be, they aren’t the only factors affecting the design of the structure… Read through our steel building buyer’s guide to learn more about the structural design variations such as height, roof pitch and frame shape that may affect your design costs.
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2. The Price of Steel
Steel prices move daily. In fact, they fluctuate so much that to give you an accurate price for your new prefabricated building we have to consider the price of steel that month. For any steel manufacturer a price given in one month can alter – up or down – on another.
The basis of the building is a valuable world commodity – steel.
Steel is a prized material – but demand for it fluctuates – sometimes over an extended time period, sometimes over the course of 24 hours. The world experiences slumps in the demand for steel – which pushes prices down – and spikes in demand for steel – which pushes prices up. This is especially true when major world events such as government elections or pandemics are affecting the availability of steel.
Between these extremes there are rises and dips for a host of other reasons.
But with steel being such a big part of your steel building its price has a major effect on the building’s cost. Which means a good third of your building’s cost is determined in a substantial way by what’s going on elsewhere in the world – and how that might affect the price of the steel on the day you need it.
Read more about the 2020/2021 steel pricing changes here:
3. Fuel costs
Another commodity cost; this one affects the cost of getting heavy steel from the supplier to our factory and then transporting the heavy finished product from our factory to your job site. Fuel prices don’t tend to fluctuate like steel costs do but as we all know from time to time they do move around a bit.
4. Buying Power
Like many commodities the price of steel can be reduced if the buyer is buying in bulk. That’s practically impossible for an individual client to do. But a large steel manufacturer like Allied Steel Buildings always buys at a discount due to the amount we purchase. At Allied, this discount is passed on to our client- giving them a genuinely competitive quote.
5. Custom Features
Of course, other add-ons can also affect costs. Allied’s steel building kits can be designed with a wealth of features that make your building that much more user-friendly, comfortable and cost-efficient:
Insulation: if it’s important to maintain some sort of steady temperature in the building then good insulation is a must-have because it pays for itself over time. Still, in the initial construction phase its cost has to be factored in.
*Read more on When to insulate your prefab metal garage here:
Solar Panels: again, an addition to your building that will pay for itself over time but whose initial installation cost has to be accounted for in your initial budget.
Functional additions: there are simple add-ons that can improve the usability of your building – windows, vehicle doors, walk doors, skylights and similar.
Allied’s steel buildings are cheaper to construct than traditional buildings, quicker to erect and cost less to insure. If you’re serious about your steel building then we are too, and we can help you with a reliable budget price for your project. If you still have questions on constructing a steel building, check out our Steel Building Buyer’s Guide or give us a call at 1.877.997.8335.
Take a look at some additional accessory add-ons here:
[Accessories]
Building Under 3,000SF? Get The Most Bang For Your Buck!
Design your own building with our 3D Steel Building Designer.
Allied has developed a 3D steel building design platform that allows you to price your own building from the comfort of your home. This platform allows you to build your steel building workshop with easy drag and drop options. You’ll be able to add or remove accessories with the click of a mouse, and evaluate the real-time pricing as it changes with each design revision. These workshops are excellent for garages, small warehouses, home shops, and sheds. These building kits are easy to assemble & highly functional, a perfect DIY weekend project.
All kits include:
Z-Purlins & Z-Girts
Structural steel I-Beam framing
Color wall sheeting
PBR Panel, 40 Year Warranty on most colors
Carbon steel fasteners, lifetime warranty
All necessary hardware
Color trim
Structural bracing
US made materials
Click here to start designing: 3D Steel Building Designer
Is your mind set on steel? In our opinion, you shouldn’t consider any other material. Here’s why:
So, you need a new garage. Why not? From protecting valuable assets, such as cars, boats, motorcycles, or tools, to creating more storage space, a garage is a worthy investment for both commercial and personal use. Building a new garage can be a daunting task, but by utilizing steel as a primary building material, you can create a sturdier and more valuable structure. Here’s why steel should be at the top of your building materials list for your garage.
Flexible Designs
You need a garage that functions for you and your goals. A steel design offers an unmatched level of adaptability and malleability. No matter how you plan to use your garage, Allied Steel Buildings can engineer a design that will suit your needs. Almost everything is customizable on the interior and exterior of the building, including options for doors, insulation, skylights, windows, and much more. Furthermore, it is easier to make additions and customizations to a steel garage than a traditional wooden, brick, or stone structure.
Stronger Than the Competition
With the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any construction material available, steel surpasses everything else when it comes to protecting your most valuable assets. When you have a steel building as your garage, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your valuables are safe from earthquakes, fires, and other disasters, as well as time itself. The only real secure location for your possessions is within a steel structure.
Incredibly Cost-Effective
Compared to their most common alternative, wood garages, steel garages are relatively inexpensive due to numerous factors. Steel garages offer incomparable integrity and durability, meaning they will last much longer and require less upkeep than wood structures. Many steel garages may not need maintenance for 15 or 20 years after the initial construction. Moreover, steel garages are prefabricated, so we assemble all major components offsite.
When they arrive at your location, the garage only requires assembly with the materials provided. If you have standard shop tools and a small crew with construction experience, you can save significantly on labor expenses by choosing steel. Also, some studies suggest that a steel garage can increase the value of your house by as much as 13 percent when compared to similar homes without a garage.
Easy to Maintain
Unlike traditional wood garages or other garages built from materials more susceptible to damage and decay, steel buildings are easy to clean and maintain. Often, all you need is a pressure washer, a duster, and a little time to do the trick. You don’t even have to repaint them since they are designed to withstand the elements.
Selecting The Right Partner
Allied Steel Buildings is one of the nation’s leading providers of high-quality and innovative Steel Buildings. We design & engineer some of the most efficient, reliable, and high-quality structures on the market. Our Workshop Steel Buildings are perfect for meeting the needs of a residential Garage and storage building.
Our expert engineering team can help you design an efficient and economical steel building that can be used for a wide variety of functions, including equipment storage, garages, carports, building kits, RV storage, workshops, recreational buildings, mini storage buildings, and still more. Allied Steel’s pre-engineered storage buildings incorporate innovative clear span design that allows for uninterrupted space – and optimal flexibility and storage room – from wall to wall for up to 300 feet wide.
Furthermore, our incredibly cost-effective and timely construction methods can save you 60% compared to conventional building methods. We’re national leaders when it comes to designing, shipping, and constructing buildings with the utmost efficiency. Our residential steel buildings offer many advantages you won’t find anywhere else at this price, including versatile and attractive designs, energy efficiency, fire resistance, and a range of design options for you to choose (including your choice of wall panel, trim colors, decorative stucco, brick, and other motifs and materials).
When we design and build these structures, we take long-term considerations into account. Our buildings are durable, long-lasting, and virtually maintenance-free. When you invest in an Allied Steel Building, you’re savings many years worth of upkeep and worry. Our professional, experienced, and attentive staff will work with you every step of the way to keep you updated and meet your every need and request. No other company can combine both technical and personal expertise on this level.
Furthermore, our engineered structures will meet local building codes and geographical site features. Get started building your dream by calling 1-877-997-8335 for a free professional consultation and further information.
We’re with you all the way!
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