What Should I Plan Before Building a Small Steel Warehouse?

Start with how goods, vehicles and people move through the building, then size it. Decide door count and size, wall height, the slab and where trucks will turn around before you pick a footprint. A small steel warehouse is simple to build and expensive to change, so the planning is where the money is saved.

Key takeaways

• Plan around use first: storage racks, a work area, an office corner, truck or forklift traffic.
• Wall height and door height usually matter more than footprint for storage buildings.
• A steel frame can give you wide open floor space; how wide depends on the engineering for your building.
• Commercial use often brings different permit, fire and access rules than private storage. Check with your county or city early.
• Rocky Mountain Metal plans the building with you, and the building is engineered to your site's snow and wind loads.

What will the building be used for?

Write down a typical week inside the building. The answers drive almost every other decision.

• Storage only? Height and rack layout matter most.
• Vehicles or equipment? Door width and height, and turning room outside.
• Work area or shop? Power, lighting, heat and ventilation. See how to lay out a workshop.
• Customers or employees on site? Expect more questions from the building department about access, exits and restrooms.

How big should a small warehouse be?

Size it from the inside out:

1. Lay out what goes inside: racks, vehicles, a workbench, an office.
2. Add aisles and working room around each.
3. Add room to grow. Adding on later is possible but easier when planned. See can I add on later?.

Our Buildings & Pricing page shows real buildings with sizes and listed prices, including a large commercial shop, to give you a starting point.

How tall should the walls be?

For storage, height is often cheaper than footprint. Taller walls let you stack higher and fit taller doors. Match wall height to your tallest door and your racks, and leave room for lights and any overhead heater.

What about doors?

• Size roll-up doors for the largest vehicle or load you'll move, with margin.
• Put doors on the side away from prevailing wind and drifting snow where you can.
• Add walk doors near where people will work, not only at the big doors.

What does the site need?

• A level pad and a concrete slab sized to the building. See does a steel building need a slab?.
• Access for the delivery truck and room for the crew. See how much room a crew needs.
• Power, and water if you need it. See getting power and water to a building.
• Drainage away from the doors.

Do commercial buildings need different permits?

Often. A building used for business can trigger different requirements than a private garage or barn, and they vary by county and city. Permit requirements vary by county, and we'll walk you through what yours requires. Read do I need a permit? and setbacks, easements and HOAs.

How does Rocky Mountain Metal handle a warehouse project?

We look at your site, plan the building with you and place the order with 1st Choice Metal Buildings and Carports. The manufacturer's crew from Texas installs it, and we oversee the project. See small warehouses and request a free quote.

Frequently asked questions

Can a steel warehouse have no interior posts?

Steel framing allows wide open floor space. How wide depends on the engineering for your building and site. Tell us what needs to fit and we'll plan around it.

Can I put an office inside?

Yes. Many owners frame an office or restroom inside one corner. Plan the doors, windows and utilities for it from the start.

Should I insulate a warehouse?

If people work inside or you store anything sensitive to temperature or moisture, yes. See how to stop condensation.

Can I finance a commercial building?

Ask us. Rocky Mountain Metal offers rent-to-own through RTO National, financing through Heartland, and 90-days-same-as-cash. See financing.