Pre manufactured Building......help

C

CAS_HNTR

Active Member
Looking to put a building in and not sure where to start.... likely will be about 24x36, but I'm open to suggestions.

It will hold 1-2 tractors (Farmall H size), plus implements.....brush hog, disc, plow, cultipacker, small trailer, etc. Plus likely a 4 wheeler and/or golf cart.

Anyway........I am maybe thinking a lean to on the side for implements as opposed to inside space?

I'm sure you guys have some thoughts on dos and do nots......lets hear them
 
Build as big as you can afford and make sure there are no min size restrictions so that it can qualify as ag
 
Plan for as many lean-to's as possible. You never seem to have enough space. Some implements like plows, blades, discs and mowers and the like will weather just fine outside in a lean-to (you can cover if needed as well). Just make sure you can get the tractor or the like into them easily. Put down gravel under the lean-to at a minimum - having that stuff sit on dirt will promote rusting. Save the inside room for the more sensitive and expensive toys. The sky is the limit as to what you can do depending on what you want to spend. I have also seen equipment put on a cart/dolly to make shuffling them around inside easier (on concrete) as well.

I would certainly suggest a concrete floor for the interior of the building. Make sure it has a slight slope out the door and maybe even some floor drains. Gravel is fine, but it makes anything on small wheels useless. If concrete is too expensive I would at least want it in my "workshop" area so creeper, rolling stools and wheeled tool boxes can be used. I would make the lower wood frame construction treated lumber if possible. Further up - depending on how high you go it isn't as big of a deal. That lumber against concrete or more likely exposed to moisture needs to be treated if possible. Make sure you have a big enough door - the average garage door is only like 7 feet tall and 9 feet wide and that may or may not be enough.....my JD790 has a fixed ROPS and it just barely fits on R4 tires....it won't on ag tires based on height.

Like I said - sky's the limit. Just build as big as you can afford because you often are only going to do it once and like I said you tend to fill it up quickly.....if you don't your buddies will have all sorts of things they will offer to put in there for you!
 
Weasel said:
CAS you asked about my building on my tour thread but I wanted to post the info for you here as well:

https://www.hbocarportsinc.com
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Awesome! I've been researching these galvanized steel tubing framed buildings and wanted to ask someone who has one how it's working. How do you like it? I'm worried about wind, and I also want to add lean-to's and would like wood to attach to.
 
I know a guy that had one of those that are round top corrugated put up 3 times before it stayed but know another guy that put up his own and it stayed
 
catscratch said:
Awesome! I've been researching these galvanized steel tubing framed buildings and wanted to ask someone who has one how it's working. How do you like it? I'm worried about wind, and I also want to add lean-to's and would like wood to attach to.
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I love it. It's rated to 160 mph winds. I plan on adding lean-tos but they will be free standing (on their on support posts) because you can't attach them directly to the building. No problem though, just need a few extra posts.

05F5F4D8-7930-4543-93BF-5ACB3DBFFEF6.jpg
 
Weasel said:
I love it. It's rated to 160 mph winds. I plan on adding lean-tos but they will be free standing (on their on support posts) because you can't attach them directly to the building. No problem though, just need a few extra posts.

05F5F4D8-7930-4543-93BF-5ACB3DBFFEF6.jpg
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How is that thing anchored down?
 
My only piece of advice. Think about how big you want, then double it. Haha! Seriously though, it is shocking how quickly one can fill a space...
 
I suggest a polebarn type building, it's a long lasting building with cheaper upfront costs, but 24x36 seems too small for that amount of stuff, 30x40 would be better, 14' high to the ceiling with a 12' high door. Extra height is one of the cheaper things at a new building. Adding a lean'to will be the same cost as just building a bigger building, the more sq.ft. that you have in one open area the more value your building has long term, and the more things you can get into it. A 24x36 size with a 10x36 lean'to can never be converted to a 34x36 building in one clear span area, but a 34x36 can have a partition installed to make a 24x36 and a 10x36, hence the greater value at the same price. A round hoop style building is a ripoff, same upfront cost for less value and usability down the road. been building both style buildings for 30 years.......
 
Mennoniteman said:
I suggest a polebarn type building, it's a long lasting building with cheaper upfront costs, but 24x36 seems too small for that amount of stuff, 30x40 would be better, 14' high to the ceiling with a 12' high door. Extra height is one of the cheaper things at a new building. Adding a lean'to will be the same cost as just building a bigger building, the more sq.ft. that you have in one open area the more value your building has long term, and the more things you can get into it. A 24x36 size with a 10x36 lean'to can never be converted to a 34x36 building in one clear span area, but a 34x36 can have a partition installed to make a 24x36 and a 10x36, hence the greater value at the same price. A round hoop style building is a ripoff, same upfront cost for less value and usability down the road. been building both style buildings for 30 years.......
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Mennoniteman, what are your thoughts on the relative value of tradional post and beam pole barns vs. the steel framed ones that a number of outfits offer? They're now offering the steel tubed buildings in widths of up to 40' from what I can tell. It seems the traditional wood construction would be more conducive to full on insulation and interior finishing. But what about for pure storage?
 
Elkaddict said:
Mennoniteman, what are your thoughts on the relative value of tradional post and beam pole barns vs. the steel framed ones that a number of outfits offer? They're now offering the steel tubed buildings in widths of up to 40' from what I can tell. It seems the traditional wood construction would be more conducive to full on insulation and interior finishing. But what about for pure storage?
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Well, first of all there's a difference between "Post&Beam" and "Pole Barn" A "Post&Beam" building usually refers to an older style construction similar to "Mortise & Tenon" construction where your interior has numerous posts and beams supporting the framework and is not a clear span building. A "Pole Barn" is a more modern style relatively speaking, that generally has wooden roof trusses and a clear span interior.
I'm assuming you're referring to a "Pole Barn" compared to a steel building. A "Pole Barn" has pressure treated posts in the ground on concrete for footings, perhaps wrapped in plastic or a concrete bottom, and an all wood frame, often with painted steel siding on the exterior. The footings on a "Pole Barn" are the cost savers, it's a proven system that works at lower labor and material costs. Generally smaller sized steel framed buildings can't compare to wood in price due to the cost of the required poured concrete footings. Steel can go taller and wider in size, so bigger commercial buildings are usually steel. For small garages and shops very few are steel framed because of the price and also steel is much more costly to finish out the interior. There are companies that advertise steel building kits for a cheap price but they are usually a rip off. I build and have built all of these types of buildings and have seen quite a few of these kits in customers back yards that they are trying desperately to get rid of because they are not approved by local building codes, or they can't find anybody to put up for them, or the cost of the required concrete pier footings. Most owners of steel tubed buidings that I've run into tell me they wish they'd got a wood frame pole building, way more versatile and a greater resale value down the road. Beware of any building company that has high pressure sales. They pressure you for a downpayment because the special price is about to expire. In the fine print it states that you have to take delivery by x date and pay in full, then you find that the labor and footings cost way more than you can afford. Also, a lot people with a round roof building wish they had a traditional straight walled building later on.
 
Bringing this thread back to the top.
Mennoniteman, (or anyone else) what's your opinion on steel I-beam type buildings. I'm getting lots of quotes from people and I have one of these I-beam buildings quoted that is very comparable to the pole-barn quotes I'm getting. It's also a clearspan which I see as a plus.
 
cat, I'm not Mennoniteman (but I am a man and attend a Mennonite church ;)). I am a construction manager for a company that does mostly pre-engineered metal buildings, which is what I assume you are referring to as "steel I-beam type".

The first question - what size building are you looking at? If the span is 40' or less, check closely to be sure that you are getting a comparable package. My first suspicion is that if a pre-engineered metal building in the size range mentioned on this thread appears to be competitive with a pole building of identical dimensions, something is not "apples to apples". I say this because when I am contacted by someone looking for a quote on a 30 x 40 building (or similar size), my first question is "Do you want a pre-engineered metal building even if it costs more than a pole building?" If the answer is "I am looking for the best price/most economical", I suggest that they talk to one of the local reputable pole builders.

As Mennoniteman said, the cost of the foundations required for the metal buildings usually pushes them well above pole building costs, and I would add that most people are far more comfortable with (and better equipped for) adding their own finishes or additions to a wood-framed building.

If you are talking about spans of 60+', metal buildings may begin to compete, but spans of 80' and more are where steel really comes into its own, so to speak.

My company has erected a couple of those building packages supplied by one of those high-pressure outfits that advertises prominently. Each time, I was called in after the purchase was made and the purchaser was badly disappointed with what the package included, along with being in a financial bind because they bought without understanding the lengthy "Not Included" list of needful things. I am not saying that you can't have a good experience with a company like that, but my opinion is that particular niche epitomizes the old "buyer beware" scenario.

Of course, there is also the possiblity that someone in your area is giving you a ridiculously good deal on a metal building while all the pole builders you talked to are overloaded and therefore charging a premium. :) Just be careful, as that's not a typical scenario.
 
Here are 3 examples of recent quotes (all 24x40x16H):
Polebarn with wooden rafters - $15,200 + $5k cement
Polebarn with clearspan steel trusses - $17,950 + $5k cement
I-beam steel hybrid polebarn with clearspan steel trusses - $19,900 (includes cement)
 
Oh, I gotcha now. Still a pole barn construction type, but with light gage trusses and subbing steel columns for wood posts. I haven't been involved with one of those, and haven't seen a lot of them being built here in PA, so will defer to someone who knows more about them.
 
Here are a couple of pics of what the steel I-beam frame looks like from the guy's website. This to me looks like the better deal but I have no experience with steel, just wood post buildings.
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10557352_940348209315314_7774906448134764728_n.jpg

10628317_923232977693504_4671575187765512826_n.jpg
 
Elkaddict said:
Cat, do those prices include any insulation?
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The $17k one is quoted with 2" vinyl backed insulation roof and walls. The others are not insulated.
I asked all of them to be quoted without insulation for comparison reasons, but the one company forgot to delete it from the package.
 
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