Why Metal Garage Prices Can Vary By Location

Metal Garages Are a Fantastic Building Solution

Some folks may opt to settle for a wood-framed garage by default, because that’s because they simply don’t know any better. These folks may assume that wood studs are the industry standard for any type of building framing – but they’d be wrong. Thanks to modern engineering advances with some superior materials, steel has been proven to be the construction material of choice over wood for practically every application, including carports, garages, commercial buildings, farm buildings, and even residential home construction.

So, What Makes Metal Better for Garage Construction?

In a word: everything. Let’s begin with how metal building components are manufactured. Sheets of galvanized steel are cold-formed into a wide assortment of strong, yet relatively lightweight building components like steel tubing frames, headers, trusses, roof paneling, side wall paneling, trim, and more.

These building components are strong and dimensionally stable, while also being more flexible under stress impacts. Steel buildings need fewer framing materials than their wood building counterparts, and can also be assembled and installed much faster than a conventional stick build. With a steel building, all components are premeasured and prefabricated ahead of time, so they arrive at the building site ready to install. The result is essentially no construction site waste, and the installation process is simple enough that you can even put up your own metal garage kit as a DIY project, if you like.

But Why Does Metal Garage Pricing Vary By Location?

All that being said – why can metal garage price vary by location? Great question! The fact of the matter is that every major metal building provider in the U.S. has to develop price guidelines by region. A building provided for a Northern state location like Vermont will generally be more expensive than a comparable building provided in a Southern state location like Virginia. There are several reasons for this. The cost of living is higher in the Northeast than in the Southeast, so this also affects pricing for all commodities across the board. Another issue that affects cost is that most major metal building manufacturers are headquartered in the Southern and Western states. Because this is the case, material transportation and installation costs tend to be higher for a building delivered and installed in New England. There are also seasonal considerations to take into account, too. Winter tends to be much harder in the North, which means it takes more time and effort to get installation crews into areas which are prone to have more significant snow accumulation and which sustain more persistent below-freezing temperatures.

Florida Metal Garage Prices: A Case Study

Of course, it’s not just the Northern states which have their own specific pricing issues. Florida is typically designated as its own pricing category for metal buildings as well. But why? Isn’t Florida considered a Southeastern state? Yes it is, but Florida also presents its own unique set of challenges and considerations. Building codes in Florida are some of the most stringent in the entire nation. It actually makes sense when you stop to think about it. Florida gets more hurricanes and receives more lightning strikes than any other state, and Florida ranks #4 in the nation for tornado frequency, too. In addition, Florida’s topography is mostly flat, and its soil is mostly sandy. All of this adds up to the fact that buildings in Florida are extremely vulnerable to extreme weather threats, and as such, all construction – including metal buildings – simply need to be built to a higher standard. This means that local building codes require metal buildings in FL to be certified to meet some higher minimum wind load requirements, with additional anchoring requirements. As a result, this also serves to drive up cost in terms of FL metal garage prices.

Other Metal Building Pricing Considerations

At Carport Central, we understand that cost to build is a primary concern for any property owner. But the cost isn’t just determined by your specific location. Material availability and pricing is also a factor for construction materials all across America, and all across the world, in fact. Thanks to COVID and lingering supply chain snafus, construction material costs have risen across the board in all categories over the past couple of years, including wood, metal, and everything else. But even in this modern economic reality we all must face and deal with, the truth of the matter is that it’s still less expensive to build with steel. Plus, the larger the building you’re planning, the more cost-effective a steel building becomes.

What Are Some Advantages to Choosing a Steel Garage?

Honestly, there’s a lot to like about steel:

• Cost-Effectiveness

Steel tube-framed structures like garages are some of the most cost-effective buildings to construct, and it’s still significantly cheaper per square foot to build with steel, as opposed to building with wood or other materials. Metal buildings also do a good job of holding their value over time.

• Less Needed Labor for a Quicker Install

We’ve already mentioned that metal building components arrive to your site ready to be installed. And since any on-site measuring or cutting of materials isn’t usually required, construction of a metal garage can be completed in much less time, with much less labor required.

• The Unmatchable Strength of Steel

Wood is susceptible to moisture rot, termites, pests, and a host of other issues. Steel isn’t. Steel isn’t naturally combustible either, so it offers better fire resistance than wood. Because of this, you also get the added benefit of having lower property insurance premiums with a steel building. And on top of this, steel structures are better engineered for enduring high winds, heavy snows, lightning strikes, and even earthquakes.

• Completely Customizable Construction

Don’t assume that a steel garage has to look like some plain old metal box! You can actually customize the exterior in a number of ways. And the interior floor space is pretty much wide open to divide and use any way you like, without any need for interior columns or supports that can get in the way.

• Easy to Maintain

Wood is naturally soft and porous, meaning it’s also susceptible to moisture damage, mold & mildew growth, and pest infiltration. A wooden garage will require regular staining or painting treatments, along with other general maintenance. But a steel building doesn’t need any of that, and it’s easier to clean, too. A steel garage is really one of the lowest-maintenance buildings you can get!

• Measurable Energy Efficiency Potential

Thinking about finishing out your garage to create a climate-controlled environment? Then you’ll also be pleased to learn that a well-insulated metal building can actually be 40% more energy-efficient than a similar wood-framed building. How is that possible? Thanks to the density of steel, a steel-framed structure requires less framing material. This means there’s more available cavity space for filling with insulation. And more insulation means greater energy efficiency, lower heating & air costs, and improved external noise buffering, too.

• Recyclable, Earth-Friendly Materials

If reducing your ecological footprint matters to you, choosing steel can help to conserve Earth’s resources. American metal building components are produced with at least 25% recycled content, and each steel building is essentially 100% recyclable. If you’re looking for an eco-friendly building, steel is pretty hard to beat!

Choose Carport Central in Florida, and in 45 Other States, Too!

At Carport Central, we understand that you need an affordable building, but we also know that you really don’t want to settle for a cheap building produced with inferior materials. Whether you need a garage, barn, storage shed, RV cover, workshop, warehouse, commercial building, office space, barndominium, metal building home, or just a simple carport design, we deliver the best-quality structures with the best customer service and shorter lead times!

Here are a few things that separate us from the rest:

• We serve practically all of the entire continental United States.
• Our easy-to-use 3D Building Estimator tool allows you to create your OWN ideal metal garage or other metal building, right from the comfort of your couch
• Delivery & installation of your building is INCLUDED with purchase, at no additional cost!
• Interested in picking up your building materials and installing yourself at a discount? Each custom metal garage kit we provide comes with all necessary building materials for installation.
• We offer THE BEST financing and rent-to-own options you’ll find anywhere!

Carport Central is about much more than simply selling you a metal garage or building; we’re about Providing Shelter for Your Way of Life. Reach out to us online, or just give us a call at (980) 321-9898, and let one of our friendly building specialists show you the Carport Central difference!