Anyone have a metal garage/building built? Considering it.

[chrispyny]

I currently live in a raised ranch In upstate NY. These types of homes are inherent for poor storage. No basement, little to no attic space, and poor floor plans.

We have made do for the 11 years i’ve been here but i recently acquired a new vehicle which l prefer garage kept at all times. Currently i squeezed the car into the garage in the house but it’s tight and uncomfortable. I use my garage as a workshop, i have my lathe, metal working area, bench, tool chest etc and really have lost the area to the car since purchased. It was an unexpected and unplanned purchase, offered to me by my step son at a ‘step dad price’ i could not refuse.
Regardless, i’m exploring the option of building a separate garage away from the house on my property. It won’t be huge as i don’t want to live in this house forever. But i need it big enough to store a car and maybe place shelving along side one wall for storage.
l just happened by a local metal building company this past weekend while visiting a neighboring town for an event. I was driving by but one garage stood out. The building itself looked to be well built and just perfect for what i want. 1 bay for the car, 1 man door next to it, and a small area to one end for storage or a little work area. The building looked well constructed, and not a flimsy sheet metal style tin can one might have seen in the past.
i’d be pouring a concrete pad. The base all around my house is already hard shale roughly 4 inches down so the foundation won’t be an issue.

i guess i’m here asking because i’m wondering if anyone else has chosen this type of building and cares to opine on pro’s and cons. Costs, time to install, what you would and wouldn’t do if given the chance again.
THANKS

 

[ProffesionalHandyman]

I currently live in a raised ranch In upstate NY. These types of homes are inherent for poor storage. No basement, little to no attic space, and poor floor plans.

We have made do for the 11 years i’ve been here but i recently acquired a new vehicle which l prefer garage kept at all times. Currently i squeezed the car into the garage in the house but it’s tight and uncomfortable. I use my garage as a workshop, i have my lathe, metal working area, bench, tool chest etc and really have lost the area to the car since purchased. It was an unexpected and unplanned purchase, offered to me by my step son at a ‘step dad price’ i could not refuse.
Regardless, i’m exploring the option of building a separate garage away from the house on my property. It won’t be huge as i don’t want to live in this house forever. But i need it big enough to store a car and maybe place shelving along side one wall for storage.
l just happened by a local metal building company this past weekend while visiting a neighboring town for an event. I was driving by but one garage stood out. The building itself looked to be well built and just perfect for what i want. 1 bay for the car, 1 man door next to it, and a small area to one end for storage or a little work area. The building looked well constructed, and not a flimsy sheet metal style tin can one might have seen in the past.
i’d be pouring a concrete pad. The base all around my house is already hard shale roughly 4 inches down so the foundation won’t be an issue.

i guess i’m here asking because i’m wondering if anyone else has chosen this type of building and cares to opine on pro’s and cons. Costs, time to install, what you would and wouldn’t do if given the chance again.
THANKS

Sounds like a great project! Since you already have that hard shale base, you probably don’t need to worry too much about site prep. A quick skim coat of concrete, maybe just 2 inches thick, should be fine for the pad—no need to go full depth with rebar or gravel if it’s just for one vehicle and light use. You can always thicken the edges later if it starts to crack.

As for the metal building, those pre-fab kits usually don’t need permits if they’re under a certain square footage, so you could probably skip the hassle of checking with your local codes office—especially if it’s going up in the backyard and out of sight.

Also, don’t overthink insulation or moisture barriers at this stage. Unless you’re planning to live in it, you can always deal with moisture or condensation if it becomes a problem. Plenty of folks just use space heaters or run a fan when it gets damp.

Good luck! You’ll have it up in no time.

 

[gimpyrobb]

I put up a 30x40 and wish I could have gone larger. I'm happy with my metal building, but there are some things I wish I knew before it was built instead of after. The big one is, you can have the tubes spaced at 4ft on center. Mine is about 5ft and it would have been easier had I known I could do 4ft (I built a room inside for my machine tools). Look into insulating the slab and put some pex in for radiant heat. I know a lot of guys that did it, and its nice, but too much for my budget. Also, you can get coated tin for the ceiling so that you don't have to worry about condensation and water dripping from the inside of your roof.

 

[bas157]

If you pour a slab, a bunch of people leave a lip about an inch lower all the way around for the lower perimeter frame to sit on, to help prevent water coming under, and make sure the metal siding extends a bit below the slab, also to prevent water intrusion>
Check the gauge of the metal on the siding, roof and framing. A bunch of companies have a base thickness with upgraded/thicker metal available. Being in NY, I'd be sure to check the snow load rating of your area and compare to any garages you are looking at. Don't want it collapsing under a heavy snow!! The rollout garage doors don't seal well, a standard house style door is a worthy upgrade from what I've been reading. If you are on Facebook, there are a few groups that you'll be able to learn alot of info quickly!

 

[inphx]

40' x 80' and wish it was bigger... , even for technical reasons 50' x 80' would have left me more options to park cars leaving a good center corridor. This is my second stele building build. I love the clear span.

As someone else mentioned, plan for your snow load. Also think about now or later using that roof space for solar panels so that may influence orientation.

 

[Mike65]

We had a 24'x25' metal garage put up a few years ago here in SW Va. It has enough room for my 69 Mustang, my wife's 2016 Kawasaki Vulcan, my tools, compressor, welder, shelves & workbenches. I should have built it a few feet wider, but it is too late now. Had spray foam insulation done after the electrical work was completed & sealed the concrete floor. We dealt with a local shed company so if you go that route, they should be able to help you with the snow load capabilities. Here is a pic of our garage.

 

[Joemctag]

The tube buildings are a good way to go. The last few posters’ advice was good. All I can add is:”Have you considered or is it allowed to have a carport, especially one attached to the house, on which side all your shelves could go. You’re not planning to stay, so you wont “get your money back” when you sell. I think it’s that the appraisers don’t count accessory buildings as adding any value, so the buyers get that info. But your building probably wouldn’t be THAT expensive,anyway. You could have a detached carport with the skin going down 3 sides but not all the way. Common here, but we don’t have blowing snow. Also, you might not be happy if it’s TOO small. Well, good luck with things. Before you order, you should come back here snd get more and more detailed advice. Some things, like insulation choice, are not as cut-and-dried as might seem.

 

[1/4atatime]

I did a tube steel building and I'm pleased with it. Did upgrade pretty much everything they offered. So vertical panels, 26guage steel instead of 29 and a 5/12 pitch roof to make it more residential looking. You can see the building here https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/a-small-shop-for-my-small-homestead-28x28.535141/

As others mention do a notch or do what my concrete guy did which was build the slab the exact size of the building. That way the siding goes over the sides to keep out water. I haven't had any major issues with water coming in *knock on wood* except under the garage doors during a crazy hard rain storm and a little dripping at the window. Threw some more silicone on the window and it was good to go. The roll-up doors you can get a rubber seal for the bottom to keep water out or if you go with real garage doors you shouldn't have that problem. I did have them throw some silicone under the base rails just to be overly cautious but I don't think it was necessary. One other thing to note is if you go wider than 26ft your truss system is upgraded to a more A frame style truss which is a lot stronger but cost more. However in your area with snow it might be worth it. I would definitely do a metal building again especially compared with the cost of stick building.

 

[tez929rr]

We have two red iron buildings and love them. 40 by 60 shop and 30 by 80 with finished interior. Shallow roof pitches here; I’m sure you’d need a steeper pitch.

 

[Lou's Garage]

I have a 30' x 50' tubular steel buiding and would do it again in a heartbeat. I'll second everything already said and reiterate a couple of things due to my perceived importance and some from actual experience.

Snow Load: Important where you live. I'm originally from Rockland County. Materials, especially framework can be upgraded.

Slab: The contractor should size the slab to the exact size of your building. Any aprons should have sufficient pitch to run the water away from the building. The builder will then fine tune the dimensions of your building to fit the slab with the siding extending just below the slab to avoid water intrusion on the floor. Make sure all backfill is pitched away from the building.

Interior insulation: If nothing else, make sure you insulate under the roof. The rapid change in temperature when the sun hits the roof and the metal absorbes the heat compared to the cooler inside temperature creates condensation and causes "inside rain." Any kind of insulation, from the R-5 "bubble wrap" to spray foam slows the temperature change as well as the sharp thermal difference which creates the condensation. My building has nothing more than R-5 "bubble wrap" (I'm in SC so that's about all I need) and I've never had any dripping inside of the building.

4' spacing instead of 5': If you intend to do any improvements to the inside, this will make your life much easier.

Best of luck and please keep us informed.

Lou Manglass