Within 10 miles of your home, there’s probably a range of steel buildings — from tool sheds in back yards to personal metal storage building structures to hangars at the airport.

Even a local stable, if you live in a suburban or rural area, has elaborate stalls with insulation and full utilities.

The most common are prefabricated metal building structures. These are manufactured by many companies, and typically a franchised dealer will subcontract the foundation, floor, interior finishes and the utilities.

Dealers erect these metal buildings in four basic types:

• Rigid frames
• Truss type
• Post and beam
• Sloped beam

If you're thinking of erecting a metal building, you must first select the type, design and size to fit your needs and the local environment.

The roof load and the wind load enter into the design of girders, girts, purlins and columns. A major factor in determining the roof load is the projected snowfall, if you live up north. Wind load can be determined by wind speed and building height.

Metal Building Prices: The Factors

The bay size is the largest cost determinant. The installed cost per square foot for joists and decking for a 20' span can run about $3. Up this to a 125' span, and we’re talking about $15 per square foot.

Another factor affecting the overall cost of a metal building project is - obviously - the size. The larger the building is, the lower the steel building price will be per foot because the cost of walls is less.

The next step is choosing the panels of the metal building. Panels come in all shapes and sizes — both the roof and walls. You have the choice of corrugated aluminum mill finish or painted, as well as fiberglass, or galvanized or colored steel.

Depending on the projected use, most steel buildings require roof coverings over the metal panels. Once the structural members and the panels are erected, you have the choice of several roof coverings.

The simplest are:

• PIB (polyisobutylene) adhered, stone ballast or hot asphalt
• Reinforced PVC adhered or with stone ballast
• CSPE (chlorosulfonated polyethylene) adhered or with stone ballast
• EPDM (ethelene propylene diene monomer) adhered, stone ballast or fastened with batten strips
• Flood coat with asphalt or coal tar pitch

Once the walls and roof are up, you have more options for your steel building's personal use. You must consider heating and air conditioning, acoustics, lighting, and any other systems specific to its use.