Steel Buildings

Read metal building price estimates and learn what you can expect to pay

Steel buildings have long been a popular choice for man businesses that need additional storage space or manufacturing areas. In recent years, they've become more common in applications where appearance matters: as churches, retail outlets, and other customer-facing uses. Below is a breakdown in the types of metal building projects bought by consumers and worked on by contractors in 2013.

Metal Construction News' 33rd Annual Contractors Survey

The primary reason for their popularity is their lower cost of construction. But while it's easy to say steel buildings are cheaper than traditional construction, how much does it really cost? We surveyed thousands of BuyerZone users to find out what they paid for their steel buildings.Year over year there has been growth in the industry, and this type of construction isn't going anywhere.

Here's a look at how much you can really expect to pay based on what they reported:

BuyerZone users average cost: $9.92 per square foot

Average size building in our survey: 4300 sf

Under $10 per square foot is an attractive price for most builders, but it's important to keep in mind that the actual cost for a particular steel building can be hard to estimate. The buildings covered in our survey range from basic steel boxes with little insulation and one or two doors, to insulated, finished buildings with multiple doors, windows, skylights, and other extras.

It's important to keep in mind that the actual cost for a particular steel building can be hard to estimate. The buildings covered in our survey range from basic steel boxes with little insulation and one or two doors, to insulated, finished buildings with multiple doors, windows, skylights, and other extras.

The lowest cost per square foot we saw was $4.17, for a 3600 sf building priced at $15,000. That price was almost certainly for delivery of the building components - not construction. On the other end of the scale, one buyer reported a total cost of $213,000 for a 9600 sf building, which works out to over $22 per square foot. That building included significant insulation, a combination of overhead garage and walk doors, and shipping to Alaska, which most buyers don't have to worry about, and likely includes the construction of the building.

Here are a few sample responses from our pricing survey to give you a better idea of how much steel buildings cost.

$9.48/sf: Red Dot, 70'x 110' x 24' for $73,000. Building engineered, installation and warranty. (1) double exterior entrance door, (3) 36" exterior doors, (1) 12' overhead door, (1) 8' x 12' canopy over entrance (also included)." - Church, Burleson, Texas

$5.23/sf: 40' x 60' metal bldg w/1 10' drive-in door and 1 36" walk-in door. Complete insulation (3" thick). $12,550 total incl. shipping. Down pymt $3,977.00 Lifetime structural warranty, 40 year coating warranty ." - Food Services, Calhoun, Missouri

$9.87/sf: Price $7,400. 25' x 30' x 16' steel building w/o back panel, included 1 garage door opening 12 x 10 and one walk in door. 30 yr warranty." - Agriculture, Holly Springs, North Carolina

$9.79/sf: $23,500. It was built the way I wanted it, not the way the other quotes told me was best. And it is being built, not just brokered with me having to find a builder. [40' x 60']" - Non-profit, Mars, Pennsylvania

$9.22/sf: 80' x 80' w/ 2 double walk doors and 2 standard walk doors, 4" insulation on the roof , and 4" insulation on the walls. Delivered for $59,000." - Restaurant, Longview, Texas

Want more information on designing and buying a steel building? Read our Steel Buildings Buyer's Guide.

Information was provided by BuyerZone users. Quotes have been edited for clarity only.