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Learning Center

Answers before you order.

38 straight answers on planning, ordering, permitting and owning a steel-framed metal building in Colorado: snow and wind loads, carports, garages, shops, ag buildings and more.

L-00 Index · 7 clusters · 38 guides

Start with your question.

Every guide opens with the direct answer, then the detail, written for Colorado by the people who plan these buildings with customers, and reviewed by Micah Hostetler.

  1. L-01 Planning & Cost 6
  2. L-02 Why Steel Framing 5
  3. L-03 Permits, Codes & Engineering 5
  4. L-04 Site Prep & Foundations 5
  5. L-05 Agricultural Buildings 5
  6. L-06 Garages, Shops & Storage 7
  7. L-07 Owning & Maintaining 5
L-01 Planning & Cost

Planning & Cost

What a building really costs in our territory, what moves the number, and how to pay for it.

  1. 01 How Does Buying a Steel Building Through a Dealer Work? When you buy through a dealer, a local person plans the building with you and orders it from the manufacturer. The manufacturer builds the kit and sends its own crew to install it. At Rocky Mountain Metal, Micah Hostetler is that local person, and we oversee the project from the first site visit to the last bolt. Compare · 4 min read
  2. 02 How Does Financing a Metal Building Work? Most steel buildings are paid for through dealer financing, rent-to-own, a bank or credit-union loan, home equity, or an ag lender. Rocky Mountain Metal offers financing through Heartland, including 90-days-same-as-cash, and rent-to-own through RTO National. Compare · 3 min read
  3. 03 How Much Does a 40×60 Shop or Barn Cost to Build? A 40×60 steel building's price swings widely because "40×60" describes a footprint, not a finished building. Doors, height, concrete, insulation and your site's snow load decide the real number. Decide the use first, then get a quote. Compare · 4 min read
  4. 04 How Much Does a Metal Building Cost in Colorado? A steel-framed building's cost in Colorado depends on far more than its size. Snow and wind loads, doors, concrete, insulation and site work all move the number. The only reliable figure is a written quote for your site. Compare · 4 min read
  5. 05 Post-Frame vs Steel Building Cost: What Are You Really Paying For? Post-frame can look cheaper on the first quote, but the comparison changes once you count foundation, clear span, lifespan and upkeep. Rocky Mountain Metal sells steel-framed buildings only, because steel gives more building for the money long term. Compare · 3 min read
  6. 06 What Drives the Price of a Steel Building Up or Down? Beyond size, a steel building's price is driven by sidewall height, doors, the foundation, insulation, your site's snow and wind loads, and how much site work the ground needs. Those lines often matter more than the footprint. Compare · 4 min read
L-02 Why Steel Framing

Why Steel Framing

Why we sell steel-framed buildings, how long they last, and how they handle snow and wind.

  1. 01 Are Metal Buildings Good in Heavy Snow and High Wind? Yes. Steel-framed metal buildings handle heavy snow and high wind very well when they're engineered for your site's actual loads. The ones that struggle in Colorado storms are usually built to a generic spec instead of the county's design loads. Learn · 3 min read
  2. 02 Do Metal Buildings Rot? Why We Only Sell Steel-Framed Buildings A steel-framed metal building doesn't rot, because there's no wood in its structure. Rot hits buildings whose wood posts sit at or in the ground. That's a big reason Rocky Mountain Metal sells steel-framed buildings only. Learn · 3 min read
  3. 03 How Long Does a Steel-Framed Metal Building Last? A properly engineered and maintained steel-framed building lasts for decades. Its lifespan comes down to the steel frame on a solid foundation, panel and fastener quality, drainage at the base, engineering for your site's loads, and a little yearly upkeep. Learn · 4 min read
  4. 04 Post-Frame vs Steel-Frame Buildings: Why We Chose Steel Post-frame buildings stand on wood columns; steel-framed buildings stand on an anchored steel frame. Both can wear steel panels. Rocky Mountain Metal sells steel-framed only, because steel keeps wood out of the ground and opens up the interior. Compare · 3 min read
  5. 05 Steel Garage vs Stick-Built Garage: What's the Difference? A steel-framed garage carries its roof on an anchored steel frame; a stick-built garage uses closely spaced wood studs. Steel goes up quickly, spans wide openings and won't rot. Stick-built suits garages that must tie into a house. Compare · 3 min read
L-03 Permits, Codes & Engineering

Permits, Codes & Engineering

Permits, agricultural exemptions, setbacks, design loads and engineering, county by county.

  1. 01 Do I Need a Permit to Build a Barn or Shop in Colorado? In most Colorado counties, yes. A permanent barn, shop or garage above a small size usually needs a permit, and setbacks and zoning apply even under an ag exemption. Requirements vary by county, and we'll walk you through yours. Learn · 3 min read
  2. 02 Setbacks, Easements and HOAs: Where Can I Put a Building on My Land? Where a barn, shop or garage can go is decided by five things: zoning setbacks, recorded easements, well and septic clearances, floodplain and drainage rules, and any HOA covenants. Check all five before you fall in love with a spot. Learn · 4 min read
  3. 03 What Are Stamped Engineered Drawings and Why Does My Building Need Them? Stamped engineered drawings are building plans sealed by a licensed professional engineer, confirming the building as drawn will carry your site's snow and wind loads. Many Colorado counties require them, and insurers, lenders and buyers ask later. Learn · 3 min read
  4. 04 What Is an Agricultural Exemption for Barns in Colorado, and Do I Qualify? Colorado lets counties exempt agricultural buildings on agricultural land from some building-permit requirements. To qualify, the land must be agricultural and the building used for livestock, hay, feed, equipment or crops. Zoning, setbacks and electrical rules still apply. Learn · 3 min read
  5. 05 What Snow Load and Wind Load Does My Building Need to Be Engineered For? Your building must be engineered to the snow and wind loads your county assigns to your parcel. Both change with elevation and terrain. They drive the framing, anchoring and fastening, and belong on your drawings and quote. Learn · 3 min read
L-04 Site Prep & Foundations

Site Prep & Foundations

Slabs, pads, drainage, access, slopes, elevation and getting power and water to the building.

  1. 01 Can You Build a Metal Building on a Slope or at High Elevation? Yes. A steel-framed building needs a level foundation, so slopes are solved with cut and fill, a retained pad or an engineered foundation. Elevation mainly changes the engineering, since the building is designed to your site's snow and wind loads. Learn · 4 min read
  2. 02 Does a Steel Building Need a Concrete Slab? Usually, yes. Enclosed steel garages, workshops and warehouses typically sit on a concrete slab or footings the frame anchors to. Some carports and open structures can use other approved anchoring. Your building's engineering and your county decide. Learn · 4 min read
  3. 03 How Do I Get Power and Water to a Detached Shop or Barn? Power comes from a subpanel fed by your house panel or from a separate utility meter. Water comes through a buried line below frost depth to a frost-free hydrant or interior plumbing. Trench both before the slab is poured. Learn · 4 min read
  4. 04 How Do I Prepare My Site for a Metal Building? Good site prep means a level, compacted, well-drained pad a bit larger than the building, ground that sheds water away on every side, and a route a delivery truck can use. It makes install day smoother. Learn · 4 min read
  5. 05 How Much Room Does a Crew Need to Build on My Property? An install crew needs three kinds of room: a route a truck and long trailer can drive, a firm laydown area beside the pad, and clear working space around the building. Tight sites can work with early planning. Learn · 3 min read
L-05 Agricultural Buildings

Agricultural Buildings

Steel buildings for hay, livestock and equipment, with ventilation sized for real operations.

  1. 01 How Big Should a Horse Barn Be? Stall, Aisle and Ceiling Sizing Start from the stall: 12×12 for an average horse, a center aisle at least 12 feet wide, and 10 to 12 feet of clear height. Add tack, feed and hay space, and a 36-foot-wide barn fits naturally. Learn · 4 min read
  2. 02 How Do I Size an Equipment or Tractor Storage Building? Measure your largest machine with its widest implement attached, add working clearance, then add the next machine you'll buy. Expect doors about two feet bigger than that machine each way and 14- to 16-foot sidewalls for cab tractors with loaders. Learn · 4 min read
  3. 03 How Do I Ventilate a Livestock Barn in Colorado's Climate? Ventilate a livestock barn; don't seal it. Animals constantly produce heat, moisture and ammonia. In Colorado's dry climate, cool air in at the eaves and warm air out at the ridge keeps it fresh without drafts. Learn · 4 min read
  4. 04 How Should I Store Hay to Keep It Dry and Reduce Fire Risk? Store hay under a roof, off the ground, with air moving around the stack, away from animals and equipment. Moisture molds hay; hay baled too wet heats and can ignite. A ventilated steel hay barn handles both. Learn · 4 min read
  5. 05 What Is a Loafing Shed and How Big Does Mine Need to Be? A loafing shed is a three-sided shelter animals walk in and out of freely. Plan about 12×12 feet per horse and 40 to 50 square feet per cow, with the open side facing away from winter storms. Learn · 4 min read
L-06 Garages, Shops & Storage

Garages, Shops & Storage

Sizing, layout, height, insulation, heat and condensation for garages, workshops and RV storage.

  1. 01 How Big Should a Detached Garage Be? 2-Car, 3-Car and Shop Sizes A comfortable two-car detached garage is at least 24×24, or 24×30 for full-size trucks. A three-car runs 30×36 to 36×40. Adding a workshop means 10 to 16 more feet of depth or a third bay. Learn · 4 min read
  2. 02 How Do I Insulate and Heat a Shop in Colorado? A shop you'll use all winter needs insulated walls and roof, a vapor retarder on the warm side, sealed insulated doors, and a properly sized heater. In a steel building, insulation also stops condensation. Learn · 4 min read
  3. 03 How Do I Lay Out a Workshop Building? Doors, Bays, Height and Light Lay out a shop around how work moves: vehicles come in the big doors, an open bay leaves room to walk around, and benches line the doorless walls. Settle doors, bay depth, wall height and power before ordering. Learn · 4 min read
  4. 04 How Do I Stop Condensation in a Metal Building? Condensation forms when moist inside air touches steel panels colder than its dew point. Stop it three ways: keep moisture out, keep the steel above the dew point with insulation, and ventilate. Most buildings need at least two. Learn · 4 min read
  5. 05 How Tall Does an RV Garage Need to Be? Most RV garages need a 14-foot-tall door and 16-foot sidewalls. Measure your rig at its highest point, add at least a foot for the door, then add about two more feet above the door for its tracks and opener. Learn · 4 min read
  6. 06 Metal Carport vs Metal Garage: Which Do You Need? Choose a metal carport if you mainly need a roof over vehicles or equipment and quick access. Choose an enclosed metal garage if you need security, a weather-tight space or room to work. Many buyers in Colorado land in between, with a partly enclosed building or a garage with a lean-to. Compare · 3 min read
  7. 07 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. Learn · 3 min read
L-07 Owning & Maintaining

Owning & Maintaining

Maintenance, snow, storm damage, additions, and how long the whole process takes.

  1. 01 Can I Add On to a Steel Building Later? Usually, yes. A steel building is easiest to grow lengthwise with matching frames, or sideways with a lean-to. Carports can often be enclosed. Widening or raising the walls is hard, so choose width and height now. Learn · 4 min read
  2. 02 Do I Need to Shovel Snow Off a Metal Roof? If your steel building was engineered for your site's snow load, you shouldn't need to shovel it in a normal winter. Exceptions: extreme storms, rain on wet snow, deep drifts, or an unknown design load. Learn · 4 min read
  3. 03 How Long Does It Take to Build a Metal Building, From Quote to Done? 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. Learn · 4 min read
  4. 04 Metal Building Maintenance Checklist for Colorado Owners A steel building needs little: a spring and fall walk-around, attention to fasteners and sealant, doors that seal, drainage away from the walls, and a look after big storms. That catches small problems early. Learn · 4 min read
  5. 05 What Should I Do After Hail or Wind Damages My Metal Building? After hail or high wind: make the building safe, photograph everything, protect it from more weather, then sort cosmetic from structural with your insurer and a contractor. Hail dents are often cosmetic; wind damage usually needs prompt repair. Learn · 4 min read
A-06Start Your Build

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Based in Penrose, CO · Serving Colorado
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