Common Mistakes to Avoid When Constructing Your Steel Barn

No matter how you cut it, metal barns are an inseparable part of rural American life. They’ve provided farmers and growers the infrastructure they need to function correctly for years, and thanks to modern engineering techniques, they’ve never been stronger or more affordable. Due to their resilience and low cost, they’ve grown far beyond use as agriculture buildings. In fact, you'll regularly see these structures used for residential homes, commercial buildings, and even industrial applications.

Understanding what you'll need to design and construct your metal barn successfully might seem daunting if you're a first-time buyer. After all, metal barns are complex structures that come in a wide variety of configurations, styles, and capabilities.

So, to help you make the most out of your investment, we'll cover some common mistakes you'll want to avoid when designing and constructing your metal barn.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Designing and Constructing Your Steel Barn

So, you've chosen to go with a steel building. That's fantastic! Not only are steel buildings stronger than just about any other building type, but they’ll also last longer and cost less to maintain. They’re also much easier to install than stick-built buildings. But, despite these benefits and the relative ease of construction, there are several pitfalls you'll need to avoid if you hope to get the most out of your purchase.

1. Opting Out of Building Permits

In most regions of the US, local building authorities will require you to secure building permits for any permanent structure. These permits ensure that your building can handle the environment and meet specific safety standards. And while it may seem easy to simply avoid obtaining a permit, this is not advisable. Between significant fines and the potential ordered removal of your structure, failing to perform the necessary due diligence can be costly.

2. Not Properly Leveling Your Foundation

The foundation is one of the most critical facets of any structure. Unlevel foundations can cause major structural issues that grow over time, causing immense damage. As such, you’ll want to take the time to ensure that your installation site is properly leveled.

3. Choosing the Wrong Building Location

The location of your building is also crucial to the overall health of your structure. For example, if you choose a building site that rests below natural water runoff, you may face issues with flooding. Additionally, selecting a building site far from available utilities such as power and plumbing can be incredibly costly.

4. Not Properly Measuring Dimensions

If you make a mistake measuring your lot or don't perform the research to determine how large of a structure you need, you may be disappointed with the results. No one wants to invest in a building only to realize it's not large enough to accommodate their needs!

5. Going Cheap

As with any product, you get what you pay for. If you opt to use a sketchy building provider that offers metal barns for less, you may be surprised by the quality of your product. These structures may not use the same quality steel components, and framing and paneling might not have additives or coatings that prevent oxidation. It’s also possible that your building won’t be built to handle the climate in your region.

6. Cutting Corners with Safety

When it comes to installing your metal barn, it’s often a better option to let professionals handle it. If you don't have a background in construction, you may not be fully aware of certain safety precautions and may be at risk of injury. Professional installation crews are experienced, licensed, and prepared to erect your building safely, saving you time, money, and stress.

7. Self-Installation

If you have experience in contracting and aren't interested in seeking outside help with installation, metal barn kits may be a good option. These kits come with everything you'd find in a traditional building, except you install it yourself. In most cases, you'll even receive a discount on your building by foregoing installation!

8. Budget Miscalculations

Mistakes in developing a budget can result in significant issues with your building purchase and installation. To prevent any hiccups in your building budget, take extra time to account for both your structure’s overall cost and any additional expenses you may incur during the build. This will allow you to stay in the black and enjoy your structure without worrying about finances.

9. Failing to Notify Installation Crews About Underground Infrastructure

We can't stress enough how important it is to examine the infrastructure surrounding your building site. Not only can plumbing be damaged during an installation, but crewmembers are at risk of making contact with underground power lines. This poses a genuine risk of injury or death if not handled properly, so make sure you perform the research!

You, Too, Can Enjoy the Benefits of a Metal Barn

Whether you're looking for a way to protect your horses or designing a residential guest house for visitors, metal barns provide a wide array of benefits that other building types can't. For example, these structures are known for their:

1. Weather Resistance

Steel barns are engineered to handle the wind, snow, and seismic forces in your area, making them one of the safest building options on the market.

2. Bigger and Better

Thanks to technological advances, metal farm buildings can be constructed at immense sizes, making them the go-to choice for large-scale operations like livestock storage, riding arenas, and dairy production facilities.

3. Affordability

Lumber prices are steadily rising, making traditional construction techniques prohibitively expensive. But with steel, barns can be built up to 40% cheaper than stick-built structures. That’s a lot!

4. Quick Installation

Steel buildings come with the advantage of being designed in a manufacturing facility. This allows components to be installed quickly and efficiently when they arrive at the building site.

Ready for Your Dream Barn? Probuilt Steel Buildings Can Help!

If you’re tired of searching online for a “metal barn for sale” only to be met with a confusing lineup of structures and confusing jargon, you’re not alone! And Probuilt Steel Buildings can help make sense of it all!

Probuilt Steel Buildings is proud to offer an extensive selection of metal buildings to suit any need or application. From agricultural buildings to commercial metal barns and everything in between, we've got you covered and protected.

We pride ourselves on offering low metal barn prices and flexible financing options that make owning your steel structure easy and enjoyable. And for those that don’t want to choose traditional financing, we also have a great rent-to-own program with quick approvals and no hard credit checks!

So, it’s time to cut through the confusion and get what you need from your prefab metal barn! And Probuilt Steel Buildings is here to help! Give us a call today at (877) 754-1818 and let our team of building experts help you!