oldsmbl

We are moving and I'm going to have a metal building put up. I've have no experience with a metal building and am reaching out to anyone that does. The garage will be 40x40 on a concrete slab with a 12 foot lean-to on each side. I am in South Carolina, so the bitter cold isn't an issue. Winter does get cold here, but usually climbs to 50 daily.
I have questions about insulation. What type? is it worth it? spray or roll?
ANY and ALL comments, suggestions and experiences will be appreciated. I am looking at starting this by years end. Thank you all in advance. Greg.

Jamesbo

IMHO, Every building/shed I've ever built was too small by the time it was finished

joe_padavano

I have a 28x32 metal building and a 36x48 pole building in addition to several other pole barns on the property. I've erected all of them myself with help from one or two other people. I bought the metal building locally from a person who purchased it but never erected it, so it was still in pieces strapped to pallets. The pole buildings are MUCH less expensive to erect, but not as well weather sealed unless you put a lot of effort into detailing the joints, eaves, etc - and obviously that adds cost. The metal building cost me $5K, about half price of a brand new kit. It requires an engineered foundation that cost be an additional $9K, including slab. The 10x12 roll up door cost me another $1500 or so, again installed myself. I spray foamed the building myself using two part kits I bought on ebay. Last winter I installed a propane heater that is great.

OLDSter Ralph

Lots of choices. I used 1/2" rebar every 12" and minimum of 6" concrete and "thickened edges". Run water line, gas lines and perhaps computer cables before the concrete is poured.. Get the electrical wiring done first, and wires run for lighting. Spray foam will seal the inside from rain, heat and cold. Make sure you have provisions for lifting heavy parts (engines/transmissions), someplace in the building. If you plan on a 2 post or 4 post lift, it wouldn't hurt to have thicker pads in the areas for the bases.
.....Just my two cents worth.

Vintage Chief

I found this company excellent to do business with and the materials were of very good quality. 14’7” @ center, 14’ sides, 30’x40’. You can design your own placement of overhead doors, entrance doors and windows. They drop it into their CAD program, give you a price, load it onto a semi-tractor and drop it off at your place. You must unload the materials. 1200 sq. Ft. Pad with I-beam anchors set, 4” deep pad w/ 10” deep side foundation (mono-pad pour) was $6500. Without cost of concrete pad cost to erect (which was simply) came out @ $17.50/sq. ft. I did change out nuts, bolts and washers from galvanized to Grade 5 stainless steel which added $650 - I reside along the Atlantic Ocean (salty air). Overhead (Company) doors were $2300 installed. I did the electrical myself - about $400 materials dedicated separate sub panel off the main.

Vintage Chief

EDIT: Change the electric cost to $1400. I forgot about the cost of my lighting fixtures.

joe_padavano

Yeah, see, location matters, both on the cost of concrete work and the design of the foundation. Here in NoVA, I had to go down 3ft to get below the frost line. Footings and concrete block foundation walls. I also went one course higher than planned to ensure it was out of any rain water pooling. Six inch slab. This is part of the reason why my slightly smaller slab and foundation were $9K.

Vintage Chief

1. Exactly, Joe. Once upon a time I resided in the frozen vast lands of the central corn belt (prior to the last ice age) where we had a permafrost later between 2’ - 3’ as I recall. Here along the coast of NC there is no such thing.