| The popularity of the steel garage kit is increasing. | | | | plan for them. This can cost an additional $500-$2000 |
| People appreciate the easy maintenance of steel. | | | | in addition to the original building cost. Let's add this |
| Steel buildings do not have to be painted and | | | | cost to the cost of obtaining correct structural |
| maintained like wood structures, and insects don't eat | | | | calculations after the fact. |
| steel. Also, the fire-resistant properties of steel over | | | | You will also probably need a site plan. Speak with |
| wood are becoming ever so important in wildland | | | | your permitting agency to determine exactly what |
| urban interface communities. | | | | they require. The specifications will probably differ |
| With this popularity comes a growing internet | | | | between a project classified as commercial or as |
| availability of garage kits. You can find companies | | | | residential. If you project is classified as commercial, |
| across the internet offering various types and styles | | | | there will probably be more requirements needed |
| of garage kits. You can find steel building kits, carport | | | | from you than there would be if the project is |
| kits, garage kits, and even home kits. But with the | | | | classified as residential. |
| ease and availability of these buildings, there are | | | | In summary, before you purchase a steel building kit |
| some important facts that you should understand | | | | I recommend you take the following steps: |
| before making your purchase. One such item is what | | | | |
| you will need in regard to required plans for | | | | 1. Before making your purchase, speak with your local |
| permitting. | | | | permitting agency to find out what types of plans |
| As with traditional wood structures, you will need to | | | | you will need. |
| get building permits from your local permitting agency | | | | 2. As you shop building kits vendors, you will find |
| (most likely - depending upon the size and type of | | | | some reputable companies that will include the |
| your structure). Here is where you need to have | | | | concrete / foundation plan with the building kit price. |
| done your homework. Before ordering your building | | | | Make sure to specifically ask them about this! |
| kit, speak with your local permitting agency to find | | | | 3. When you find a supplier that will supply both the |
| out what types of plans you will need. Typically, you | | | | engineered building plans AND the concrete / |
| will need three sets of plans. You will need | | | | foundation plans, be prepared to supply some basic |
| engineered building plans (with structural calculations), | | | | information (gathered from your permitting agency). |
| concrete / foundation plans and a site plan. | | | | This information will be items like required footer |
| When making a building kit purchase, companies often | | | | depth, depth of frost line, etc. |
| require you to put down a deposit (but you shouldn't, | | | | 4. Some permitting agencies will allow hand-drawn site |
| and I'll touch on that later in this article). Your deposit | | | | plans. Find out the specific local requirements. Site |
| will typically include engineered plans for your building | | | | plans will have to be obtained locally. |
| (If obtaining a permit, engineered plans with all | | | | 5. Some building kit suppliers will ask you to make a |
| structural calculations are usually required for | | | | deposit on your building so that they can supply your |
| permitting purposes). Buyers are often surprised to | | | | plans and you get a permit. DON'T do this, unless you |
| find that the included engineered building plans do not | | | | are very comfortable with whomever you're dealing |
| include concrete / foundation plan or the site plan. Of | | | | with. A reputable supplier will not ask for a deposit, |
| course, this means the included structural calculations | | | | but will only ask you to buy the plans first (about |
| are pretty much irrelevant and unusable since the | | | | $500 to $700). The problem with putting a deposit |
| concrete / foundation plan is required in order to | | | | down is that there are too many variables that can |
| properly compute the structural calculations! | | | | happen that can make the building project fall |
| This also means a building kit buyer will have to find a | | | | through. If this happens, then you can be out a |
| local engineer to prepare the concrete / foundation | | | | sizable amount of money. |