Introduction
Every smart buyer needs to know the cost of something before they buy it.
This very principle also applies to steel buildings, where you should have a clear idea about how much you plan to spend.
Otherwise, you run the risk of becoming quickly overwhelmed by surprise costs and drawbacks after you’ve already started progress on your steel building.
So what are the prices of steel buildings?
Before I get to that, there is an important detail that you need to understand:
The prices of steel buildings are always changing.
But don’t worry. Although the prices do vary, they usually move within some margin or price range because there are limited factors that cause prices to fluctuate. These factors are:
- Building Design and Size
- Regulations
- Cost of Steel
- Construction and Delivery
In this guide, you’ll find out all you need to know about these factors are, how you can build your steel building and stay within your budget.
As well as tips you can use to avoid incurring additional costs.
So, let’s jump right in!
What’s in this guide?
What affects steel building prices?
Design and size
- Simple, pre-engineered steel buildings are less expensive.
- Larger steel buildings have a lower cost per square foot.
Steel Building Prices are partially determined by the design that you choose. Whether it be pre-engineered buildings or one that is tailored to fit your specifications. The more complex and customised your plan, the more it costs.
Another aspect of your building’s design that affects the price is its size. Sure, it’s safe to say that larger buildings are more expensive. But, if you consider the price per square footage then in that sense, more substantial buildings are less costly per square foot.
However, prices should not be the only factor when it comes to choosing a steel building design. You should carefully consider what you want out of the building, and then decide which building design and size is the best way to achieve your goals.
It may be worth the extra initial cost if it translates into other savings down the line.
Regulations
- Steel Building prices can change due to local and state building regulations and requirements.
If you want to determine the actual price of a steel building accurately, then you need to have a working knowledge of the building laws and regulations in your county, city, and state.
For example, different types of buildings have unique requirements such as requiring appropriate insulation, fire escapes, or a minimum number of doors and windows.
Altogether, this could bring costs up even more than what you had initially expected.
S, for many, building regulations tend to be forgotten or only given thought much later in the process where additional costs could suddenly pop up.
Therefore, you would be doing yourself a favour by getting ahead of the game and knowing what requirements you need to satisfy to construct a steel building safely.
Price of steel
- Fluctuating prices of steel cause similar changes in the rates of steel buildings.
Steel building prices differ based on their main intrinsic component: steel.
What this means is that the current prices of steel as it is traded in the commodities market plays a part in determining the amount of a steel building.
If steel prices go up, you should expect to see this change reflected in the quotes given to you by steel buildings suppliers.
But don’t worry. Price fluctuations in steel are normal, just like daily fluctuations in stock prices. And, these changes tend to be minor.
However, there is the possibility of events such as natural disasters or trade sanctions that could quickly and unexpectedly cause a drastic change in the prices of steel and steel buildings.
These events cannot be anticipated, so the best thing you can do to gauge a better price estimate for your steel building is to monitor the market prices of steel.
Construction
- Steel building prices are also determined by the effort required and complexity its construction.
In general, construction accounts for up to 40% of the total price of a steel building. This covers everything that goes into the process of erecting your building from delivery, materials, and insulation.
Various types of steel buildings have their infrastructure requirements that can cause differences in their prices.
For instance, internal structural steel beams (such as I-Beams) cost around $65 per meter, as opposed to Quonset Huts or other self-supporting buildings that don’t require these beams.
Furthermore, each steel building company sets its construction costs based on the services they provide. As well as which region they are located.
You’ll find that companies that are in the same area tend to have similar prices, which are also different compared to companies in other regions.
This is purely down to local competition and what prices attract clients in the area.
Types of steel building
One of the main factors which could affect your steel building costs is the type of frame or structure that you choose.
For instance, a basic tube structure only has a small number of materials, and it isn’t complicated to make or construct, which could make it a budget-friendly option.
On the other hand, a church building complete with a steeple or one which requires wooden or stone cladding to fit in with the buildings which surround it could be substantially more expensive.
Let’s take a look at some of the types of steel buildings you can find today.
Tube Frame
Tube frame steel structures are some of the most basic frames on the market, as they often have a single beam which is bent at the top and eventually meets another beam opposite to it.
This creates a type of arch which then is finished by a layer of steel sheeting on top to build a roof. Leaving you with a structure that is open-ended and sometimes doesn’t have walls.
Other times, your structure will have walls, and it might be closed at the back depending on your specific needs.
Here are some of the different uses for tube frame buildings.
Lean-to
The first type of tube frame building is a simple ‘lean-to’ structure, which is when your frame has a slanted roof, which is attached to either your home or another substantial building, and it is supported by several I-beams on one side.
Sometimes lean-to’s will come complete with a steel roof, which will let water and snow run off the slanted top.
This type of structure will be an excellent fit if you need some extra storage space outside but your garage is full, or you could use it as a BBQ area which is protected from the weather.
Lean-to | Size | Price |
| Lean-to frame only | 10x20x8 | $1,085 |
| Lean-to 3 sided frame only | 15x20x8 | $1,559 |
| Lean-to with roof | 15x20x8 | $1,936 |
| Lean-to 3 sided with roof | 15x20x8 | $3,535 |
| Lean-to 2 sided with roof | 18x24x8 | $3,864 |
Carports
Carports, unlike lean-to’s, are often their structure, and they feature a frame which is made up of I-beams which are bent at the top and welded together, creating an arch.
Sometimes these buildings are completely enclosed with a door big enough for a vehicle. Or, they can be open-ended on one side, or they could have no walls and just a roof.
Carports are best suited for the storage of small to medium-sized vehicles. And, sometimes they come big enough to store several cars at once.
Carport | Size | Price |
| Carport 2 sided with roof | 12x20x7 | $1,427 |
| Carport 2 sided with roof | 20x20x12 | $3,557 |
| Carport 3 sided with roof | 12x20x7 | $3,633 |
| Carport 3 sided with roof | 20x20x10 | $4,992 |
| Carport 3 sided with roof | 24×2012 | $5,578 |
Walkway
Walkways are similar to carports in the shape of the frame, however, they usually only have an A-frame roof, and they don’t have any walls.
A-frame roofs allow you to have a roof which will let the snow and other weather runoff safely.
Sometimes, you could assemble a walkway structure in less than an afternoon!
Walkway | Size | Price |
| Walkway frame only | 8x20x6.75 | $916 |
| Walkway with a roof | 8x20x6.75 | $1,448 |
| Walkway frame only | 10x30x7 | $2,106 |
| Walkway with a roof | 10x30x7 | $2,444 |
Quonset Hut
Quonset huts were most popular in the second world war, because they were very cheap to construct. And, they could be assembled and disassembled in a short amount of time.
The negatives, however, were that there was a limited amount of interior space because the structure was mainly made out of a single steel sheet which was arched in a half circle shape.
So, as the roof sloped, space below becomes smaller and frequently unusable.
However, in the many years since then there have been significant improvements to this structure. And, now you don’t have to sacrifice any interior space.
Metal Garage Kits
Metal garage kits can give you the opportunity to have one of the most durable frames used today. As well as having a vintage appearance and they are often a cheap alternative to other buildings.
Here are some of the options you can choose from, and general prices you could expect.
Metal Garage | Size | Price |
| Clear-span garage with closed walls and ends | 38x50x16 | $5,958.99 |
| Clear-span garage with closed walls and ends | 40x60x16 | $7,946.99 |
| Clear-span garage with closed walls and ends | 60x130x20 | $8,217.64 |
| Clear-span garage with closed walls and ends | 50x90x24 | $9,319.27 |
| Clear-span garage with closed walls and ends | 100x140x24 | $12,303.54 |
Aircraft Buildings
Aircraft buildings usually have 100% useable interior space, as they are made specifically to house large vehicles such as airplanes and your equipment.
Traditionally, they are relatively easy to construct and can be built with customs requirements such as skylights and ventilation.
Aircraft Building | Size | Price |
| Aircraft hangar with a closed end wall | 56x84x16 | $7,812.99 |
| Aircraft hangar with a closed end wall | 50x82x18 | $8,499.99 |
| Aircraft hangar with a closed end wall | 70x118x20 | $9,929.99 |
| Aircraft hangar with a closed end wall | 80x128x24 | $13,299.78 |
Recreational Steel Buildings
Recreational steel buildings can be used for many purposes, such as an ice-skating rink, for roller derby or even an inside equestrian arena, depending on your customisation.
The strong arch can withstand harsh weather, such as heavy snowfall and sometimes even hurricanes.
Recreational Steel Building Kit | Size | Price |
| Aircraft hangar with a closed end wall | 80x120x20 | $14,221.77 |
| Aircraft hangar with a closed end wall | 120x160x20 | $17,989.20 |
| Aircraft hangar with a closed end wall | 120x220x24 | $18,220.95 |
I-beam Structure
I-beam structures feature a simple straight column, hence the ‘I’ in I-beam, which is often welded or joined to a roof with steel walls, often enclosed too.
You can customise the shape of your roof, which can have some effect on the price of your building.
I-beam Structure | Dimensions | Price |
| Regular Roof | 12×21 | $2,955 |
| Boxed Eave | 12×21 | $3,055 |
| Vertical Roof | 12×21 | $3,255 |
| Regular Roof | 18×36 | $4,410 |
| Boxed Eave | 18×36 | $4,885 |
| Vertical Roof | 18×36 | $5,235 |
| Regular Roof | 24×36 | $6,050 |
| Boxed Eave | 24×36 | $6,575 |
| Vertical Roof | 24×36 | $6,925 |
C-Channel
C-Channel buildings are traditionally smaller buildings, and they feature a verticle beam which is usually characterised by the flanges at the top and bottom of the shaft, hence the C shape which is where the name comes from.
Metal Building | Size | Price |
| Metal Building | 30x27x12 | $987.14 |
| Metal Building | 42x36x14 | $1,213.57 |
| Metal Building | 40x40x12 | $1,381.55 |
| Metal Building | 52x36x16 | $2,091.99 |
Rigid Frame Building
A rigid frame building is known as a continuous frame because it features beams which are connected by joints, similar to a table for instance.
Sometimes these joints can allow the different parts to move and rotate, which will enable it to take on more loads and therefore last longer than some other types of structures.
Rigid Frame Building | Size | Price |
| Rigid frame horse barn building | 70x60x18 | $4,804.53 |
| Rigid frame horse barn building | 60x80x16 | $4,901.29 |
| Rigid frame horse barn building | 65x80x16 | $5,112.62 |
| Rigid frame horse barn building | 90x60x16 | $5,119.15 |
Truss Building
A truss building will often have an I-beam structure, but at the top, there will be other beams across the roof which are often made up of V-shaped beams, from one side of the building to another.
This gives better support, as well as giving you the opportunity to weave wiring through these trusses, which makes them appropriate for workshops and mechanics for example.
Truss Building | Size | Price |
| Large truss metal building | 40×20 | $7,295 |
| Large truss metal building | 40×24 | $8,345 |
| Large truss metal building | 50×20 | $9,595 |
| Large truss metal building | 50×24 | $10,695 |
| Large truss metal building | 60×20 | $12,495 |
| Large truss metal building | 60×24 | $13,595 |
Churches
Steel churches allow you to benefit from the advantages to steel such as flexibility, durability and long-lasting strength. As well as being cost-effective, and more easily expanded than when using other materials.
The cost of your church mostly depends on size. However, it can also depend on some seats or classrooms.
Church | Size | Seats | Price |
| Church | 3,600 sqft | 252 | $64,800 |
| Church | 4,880 sqft | 252 | $87,840 |
| Church | 7,109 sqft | 294 | $127,962 |
| Church | 9,307 sqft | 735 | $167,526 |
| Church | 12,058 sqft | 300 | $217,044 |
| Church | 23,720 sqft | 350 | $426,960 |
Residential Homes
When it comes to residential homes, steel can provide a low-cost uniform solution to many different needs, such as for your own home or even things like student accommodation.
This is because they can be easily replicated and they are uniform in style.
Take a look below at some pricing examples from Bauhu, who provides prefabricated steel homes.
Residential Home | Size | Bedrooms | Price |
| Home Kit 53 | 53m2 | One | $19,314.50 |
| Home Kit 86 | 86m2 | Two | $29,339.47 |
| Home Kit 101 | 101m2 | Two | $34,693.85 |
| Home Kit 180 | 150m2 | Four | $53,543.88 |
Are there any other costs?
Although this guide will have given you a general idea of the prices that you can expect.
However, there are some other factors to consider.
So, when it comes to the building itself, you might want to think about these elements.
- The material you choose can affect pricing
- If you need plumbing and electrical work
- Should you want insulation
- How many windows and doors you want
However, there might be more costs regarding construction and aftercare.
- The cost of hiring building professionals
- How much plumbers or electricians are a day
- Aftercare such as maintenance
Each one of these factors could affect the overall price of your steel building in a significant way. So, you should research each one of these costs just in case.
Can a steel building save me money?
Having a steel building could save you a significant amount of money, as it is generally a much less expensive material overall than many others including stone or wood for example.
How long does a steel building take to install?
Installing a steel building, depending on the complexity of the structure, could take as little as a few hours or days, to as long as weeks or even months.
This depends on the size of your building, the extra materials you want to use as well as things such as whether you need plumbing or electrical work.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the costs of your steel building might depend on many different factors such as the type of construction, and the current price of steel too.
Finally, have you found out everything you need to know? Not found what you’re looking for?
Get in touch with us today for friendly, personalised advice to make the right decision for you.
