Red iron steel building

[Cammy]

Having been wanting to build a steel accessory building for a few years to house a garage and small shed worth of gear and equipment. Looking at a 30x60ish size building for our 2 acre plot. I understand the whole need permits thing and am not opposed so here is my question....

I want to stage the project to span enough time to allow me to pay cash for each phase. I have rough estimates of around $50k for the completed project. Looking for ideas to allow me to pay cash for the slab and footings and pause the project to save the cash for the building and install. Don't want to drag a permit out too far but would like to split the work into 3 phases if possible. the phases would be 1) flat work and footings, 2) building purchase 3) erection of building. Electrical would be at a later time and I do not plan on adding plumbing due to septic and well concerns.

My thoughts:
Get the approval from the county on siting and size but wait on permit.
Buy the building and have it delivered.
Draw permits and have flatwork done to include stub for electrical.
Hire crew to assemble.

Willing to stretch this over a year or so in order to avoid financing it.
Any ideas?

 

[2rocky]

Permits usually have a finish by date. Do you have enough time?

You might be money ahead to just save the money for a year and then go start to finish in one shot. Less chance of damaged materials, less chance of sub contractor flakes. Inertia is a bitch with projects, don't give up momentum....

 

[Cammy]

Plenty of time to do the project as it is a want vs a need. Just have issues writing checks with numbers I can barely spell and watching my savings take a major hit. I am one of those guys who has trouble spending $600.00 on a new gun but have no problem hitting Cabelas or bass pro 6 times for a $100.00 each visit LOL! As long as those visits are spread out by a few months.

 

[2rocky]

Dave Ramsey it....Pay yourself each month for the next year into a dedicated account.

 

[338 win mag]

Keep in mind that anchor bolt layout is usually building specific and you may need the plans before doing any footings or flatwork. Some companies require you to purchase a building in order to receive the plans. In our county you have to have engineered slab plans so its hard not to purchase the building beforehand and know exactly what type of slab to pour. This may be totally different where you live though.

 

[338 win mag]

Nevermind, I see where you mentioned purchasing the building first. You have it planned in the right order.

 

[Cammy]

Dave Ramsey it....Pay yourself each month for the next year into a dedicated account.

I taught Dave Ramsey everything he knows (that's what I tell my wife anyway). We were doing the Ramsey thing before the Ramsey thing was a thing.

Grew up dirt poor and learned the self reliance trade from my Grandmother and Mother. Hunt to eat and grow a garden every year. I knew I had made it when I walked into WalMart several years ago and knew I could pay cash for anything in the store. They are making it tough on me now days with all of the high priced electronic stuff though. LOL!

 

[Dan O]

I would suggest you go to the county building division where this will be constructed and sit down with them. Find out their requirements and acceptable time line. Then figure out when you can start and not have surprises down the road.

 

[dingle]

Have you spoken to your local metal building contractors who do buildings like this? It'll be worth getting on the phone with at least three to start with. I bet they're busy and steel prices are on a roller coaster as we speak. These contractors essentially act as vendors of of an engineered, manufactured building product that they take responsibility for when they deliver and erect it. Kingspan, Metallic, etc are companies that your local contractor might use to engineer and manufacture the superstructure. The contractor you choose will likely handle the whole building as a single project with a guaranteed maximum price, and some will provide the foundation construction as well. I don't imagine that the phasing you've described is going to be feasible or of much benefit to either you or the metal building contractor.

But if you want to do the foundation in cash, you'll have to coordinate a separate contract with a concrete builder and a structural engineer to engineer the foundations. This foundation engineer will require the reactions from metal building, which means the metal building will need to be designed and ready to submit for permit - but maybe not yet bought by you- before the concrete engineer can complete his work.

Depending on your location, your 50k all-in budget doesn't sound impossible.

What state are you in?

 

[ccc23454]

Permits.. Lol dont need them(atleast here) i think your going to be in for rude materials awaking if you dont have them already. My neighbor poured his shop foundation late spring, aint touched it since price for his lumber went from $7 stick to $22+ and not sure when they can get it to him because availability. Nutty! Good luck with the build i am SO GLAD i built mine last winter.

 

[dingle]

Permits.. Lol dont need them(atleast here) i think your going to be in for rude materials awaking if you dont have them already. My neighbor poured his shop foundation late spring, aint touched it since price for his lumber went from $7 stick to $22+ and not sure when they can get it to him because availability. Nutty! Good luck with the build i am SO GLAD i built mine last winter.

Good point. Hot-rolled steel prices are still chaotic nationwide at present but will hopefully be settling down in the first half of 2021, so not being in a rush will likely work to the OP's benefit.

 

[Steiny]

Keep in mind that anchor bolt layout is usually building specific and you may need the plans before doing any footings or flatwork. Some companies require you to purchase a building in order to receive the plans. In our county you have to have engineered slab plans so its hard not to purchase the building beforehand and know exactly what type of slab to pour. This may be totally different where you live though.

I was going to say basically the same thing.
If you want to do it in phases as suggested, you might be better served to plan on doing a "stick built" (2x4, 2x6 walls) structure.

 

[Cammy]

Dingle, Commiefornia.

The idea of buying the building first is to get the foundation plans (read engineered drawings) which will allow for the flat work to be done once the permit is pulled. I am sure that I could get extensions on permits but why have to worry about making sure to apply for an extension every 180 days. In my mind it is easier to get the preliminary approval (zoning and site approval) order the building and have it dropped (which could take a few months) and then attack the flatwork. After foundation inspection approval, the rest is gravy.

Looking at this as a value added project for the guy who will buy our house a few years down the road when we leave this state. Our 2 acres bumps up against the city limits with easy freeway access and would make a great location for someone with a small business. Avoiding stick built due to width restrictions when using trusses.


Plan on talking with the County after the first of the year to get their input as to the potential to do the project in phases. Most of the guys working the permit office are former contractors who may have some ideas.

 

[dingle]

Dingle, Commiefornia.

The idea of buying the building first is to get the foundation plans (read engineered drawings) which will allow for the flat work to be done once the permit is pulled. I am sure that I could get extensions on permits but why have to worry about making sure to apply for an extension every 180 days. In my mind it is easier to get the preliminary approval (zoning and site approval) order the building and have it dropped (which could take a few months) and then attack the flatwork. After foundation inspection approval, the rest is gravy.

Looking at this as a value added project for the guy who will buy our house a few years down the road when we leave this state. Our 2 acres bumps up against the city limits with easy freeway access and would make a great location for someone with a small business. Avoiding stick built due to width restrictions when using trusses.


Plan on talking with the County after the first of the year to get their input as to the potential to do the project in phases. Most of the guys working the permit office are former contractors who may have some ideas.

I hear you. You might have to prepare to be applying for extensions to zoning or building permits anyway because the "phasing" plan introduces a lot of unknowns (contractor availability, your ability to raise cash, a superstructure sitting and waiting to be erected), but it might be palatable enough for you in your area.

I think the bigger issue is going to be finding a metal building contractor that would want to design, order, and deliver a building on your personal laydown area but not erect it. I suppose if you could find one willing to arrange for that and willing to rewrite contracts to somehow absolve themselves of liabilities, I guess it might be feasible.

PM inbound.

 

[Steiny]

I think the bigger issue is going to be finding a metal building contractor that would want to design, order, and deliver a building on your personal laydown area but not erect it. I suppose if you could find one willing to arrange for that and willing to rewrite contracts to somehow absolve themselves of liabilities, I guess it might be feasible.

I did pre-engineered steel buildings for a living, built hundreds of them of all sizes. It's no big deal to get a metal building drop shipped and delivered to your location, you just need to pay for it and have the ability to unload it somewhere. The manufacturer will only provide you the anchor bolt setting plans, structural certifications, and the erection plans/drawings. Actual site plans, foundation plans, finishes, mechanical & electrical would need to be done by someone local.

If you do get one drop shipped early, place everything on wood cribbing up off the ground and on a slope so things shed water. Not a bad idea to cover things with tarps also. Insulation should be stored indoors. If it lays around in the elements unprotected more than a couple months you could start seeing some damage.

 

[wa_archer]

Figured I would try and open this back up. Sounds like a few guys that know a thing or two about steel built buildings. Planning on doing a shop with livable on our land in Idaho. What would the experts suggest a complete steel built or a stick built with metal siding and roof?

 

[Otto Matic]

Problem "Numero Uno" is living where you need a permit to erect a building! LOL!
All in good humor.

I'd begin with talking to the permitting entity. Tell them what your intention is. Ask them if you can get permits "per stage" or if it's an "all in" thing.
You'll probably still get deadlines.

Personally?
I'd start with footings and slab.
Purchase and store building (on slab) until you can afford to have it assembled.