Written by Rocky Mountain Metal · Reviewed by Micah Hostetler, Owner · Based in Penrose, CO, serving Colorado.
It varies with the building, the season, your county's permit process and the manufacturer's schedule. The steps are: site visit, order, permitting, delivery and installation. We'll give you a timeline with your quote.
Key takeaways
- Five steps: site visit, order, permitting, delivery, installation.
- The building is manufactured in Texas by 1st Choice Metal Buildings and Carports.
- Permit requirements and turnaround vary by county.
- Your foundation and site have to be ready before the manufacturer's crew arrives.
- On-site installation is the short part; ordering, permitting and scheduling are the long part.
How does the process start?
1. Site visit and quote
Quote requests get a response within one business day. At the site visit we look at access, drainage, setbacks and utilities, and talk through how you'll use the building. Together you settle the size, wall height, roof style, doors, windows and options. Getting the design right here matters, because changes after the order are harder. See how much does a metal building cost?
2. Placing the order
Rocky Mountain Metal is a dealer for 1st Choice Metal Buildings and Carports. Once you approve the quote, the order goes to the manufacturer in Texas, and the building is engineered to your site's snow and wind loads. The engineered drawings that come with it are what the county reviews. See stamped engineered drawings.
3. Permitting
Permit requirements vary by county. Some counties need a full building permit with a site plan and engineered drawings, some have ag exemptions for qualifying buildings, and turnaround depends on the department and the season. We'll walk you through what yours requires. Complete applications move fastest, and HOA review, if you have one, should be done first. See do I need a permit?
4. Site and foundation prep
While the permit and order are in progress, the site gets ready: grading, the pad, driveway access and any utility trenching, then the foundation the engineered drawings call for. Concrete needs time to cure before the building is anchored to it. Close to home in the Penrose and Fremont County area, Rocky Mountain Metal can coordinate this as part of a start-to-finish project. Farther out, we supply and oversee the building, and you line up local site and concrete work to our specs. See preparing your site.
5. Delivery and installation
When the building is ready and your site is ready, delivery is scheduled. The manufacturer's installation crew from Texas comes to your property and puts up the frame, panels, trim and doors included in the order. Rocky Mountain Metal oversees the project, and Micah stays your point of contact throughout. Install time depends on the size and complexity of the building and on the weather. See how much room does a crew need?
6. Finishing
Electrical, plumbing, interior insulation work beyond the order, and heat follow, by your own trades or phased over time as the budget allows.
What speeds things up?
- Settling the design completely before the order goes in
- A complete permit application with engineered drawings and a clean site plan
- Standard sizes, colors and options
- A site and foundation that are ready when the building is
- Starting the conversation in winter for a spring or summer install
What slows things down?
- Design changes after the order
- HOA review, variances or an incomplete permit application
- Special options or colors
- A foundation that isn't ready or hasn't cured
- Wet spring ground, frozen ground, or a high-elevation site late in the season. See building at high elevation
- Busy season, when counties and manufacturers both back up
Does the season matter?
Steel buildings can go up in cold weather, but site work and concrete prefer thawed ground, and snow on the site slows everything. Higher sites have a shorter reliable window. Many owners plan and order in winter, permit in late winter, and install in spring before the summer rush.
How do I get a timeline for my building?
Every site, county and building is different, so we don't quote a one-size-fits-all number. Micah will give you a realistic timeline with your quote and keep you posted as the order, permit and delivery move along. See our service area and start with a free quote.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the actual installation take?
It depends on the building's size, options and the weather. The on-site install is typically the shortest step once the foundation is ready and the building is delivered.
When should I call to have a building by summer?
Winter. Ordering, permitting and scheduling all take time, and spring is when everyone else calls.
Who installs the building?
The manufacturer's installation crew from Texas. Rocky Mountain Metal plans the building with you, places the order and oversees the project.
Does Rocky Mountain Metal handle permits?
Permit requirements vary by county. We'll walk you through what yours requires and what the county will want to see.
