What to look at before you buy a metal workshop: roof styles, sizing, framing gauge, certification, colors and site prep. Written by the Carport Central building specialists who quote these buildings every day.
A workshop is sized by the work, not just the equipment. Measure anything that has to come through the opening, then think about the space you need to stand beside it, swing material around and keep a bench clear.
Add three to five feet of clearance to whatever you measure. For a dedicated workshop rather than storage, 26′ to 30′ wide is the usual starting point.
This is the question that delays the most installations, and it matters more for a workshop than almost anything else, because you will be working on that floor. Your site has to be level across the entire footprint, within about three inches front to back and side to side.
Plan on at least three feet of clear, level space around the whole perimeter, and remember the crew arrives with a dually pickup and trailer that runs fifty five to seventy feet long, so there has to be a path in.
Most buildings require a permit, and the only way to know what yours needs is to check with your city or county before you order. Some areas require every structure to be certified, some only certify buildings people will work inside, and some do not require it at all.
A workshop is usually treated as an occupied building, which makes certification more likely rather than less. Send us your zip code on a quote and we will tell you what your county asks for.
Weather should drive the roof style, the framing gauge and how enclosed the workshop is. Heavy snowfall or wind driven rain is a reason to choose a vertical roof and step up to 12 gauge framing rather than discovering the limits later.
Buildings up to 24′ wide have a bow and anything wider has a truss. In areas with heavy snow, extra bows or trusses are worth adding.
Insulation, windows and door placement are what separate a workshop you use from a shed you avoid in January. Bubble insulation with an R-value of 4.3 cuts condensation and keeps most of the heat in.
Think about power too. If you will run equipment, plan the electrical before the building goes up rather than after.
Not sure which of these apply to the building you have in mind?
Get My Free QuoteThe roof is what stands between your workshop’s contents and the weather, so it is worth matching to your climate rather than your budget. All three roof styles can be certified for structural integrity, and all three are structurally sound. What separates them is how they shed snow and rain, and how they handle length.
As a rule, the more severe your weather and the longer the building, the more the vertical roof earns its extra cost. We recommend a vertical roof on any building longer than 36′.
If you live in a climate with heavy snowfall or heavy rain, Carport Central recommends the vertical roof style. The vertical roof panels allow snow and rainwater to exit off the sides. This is an A-frame designed roof with panels installed vertically, with the corrugated ridges running from the highest point on the roof down the side of the building. We also recommend that all buildings longer than 36’ use a vertical style roof.
Want a straight answer on which roof style is worth it for your area?
Get My Free QuoteWidth is the measurement people most often get wrong in a workshop, because it is sized for the equipment and not for working around it. Measure anything that has to get through the opening and anything you need to stand beside while you use it, then allow three to five feet of clearance.
As a rough guide for vehicles and equipment:
For a dedicated workshop rather than storage, 26′ to 30′ wide is the usual starting point, and clear span buildings run from 40′ to 70′ wide when you need the floor completely open.
Length is set by your bench space, your equipment and how much room you need to move a project around. Metal workshops start at 21′ and run 26′, 31′ and up in 5′ increments, and can be customised to the length you need.
Be honest about the bench, the storage and the half-finished project that lives in the corner. Workshops fill up faster than garages, and length is the cheapest thing to add at order time.
One detail worth knowing when you are planning clearances: the roof of every structure is longer than the base, because there is a 6″ overhang at each end.
Workshop height starts at 6′ and goes up from there. Height is measured at the side, meaning the height of the legs where the wall meets the roof, not the peak. That is what determines whether equipment clears the opening.
Measure your tallest vehicle or piece of equipment and add three to five feet of clearance. As a general guide, cars and SUVs need 7′ to 9′, RVs and boats need 12′ to 14′, and larger equipment needs 16′ or more.
Workshops wider than 30′ start at an 8′ side height as standard. If you plan to install a garage door for easy access, order the height for it now rather than trying to raise the building later.
Tell us what you are parking or storing and we will size it for you.
Get My Free QuoteThe framing is the skeleton of the building, and it comes in two gauges. The lower the gauge number, the thicker and stronger the steel.
14 gauge is the economical option and the industry standard, measuring 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″. It is the most nationally accepted gauge for metal structures and it is structurally sound for the majority of installations.
12 gauge measures 2 1/4″ x 2 1/4″ and carries a higher tensile strength, which translates into higher snow load and wind load ratings. We recommend 12 gauge for areas with heavy snow and high winds, and for any structure 10′ or taller.
Both gauges are structurally sound and both can be certified. All of our gauge options can be certified, but we can only offer our extended warranty when you select the 12-gauge steel option.
Not sure which one your build calls for? Send us your zip code and what you are storing, and we will put the right gauge on the quote.
Not sure which gauge your build calls for?
Get My Free QuoteA certified building has been designed by an engineer and carries ratings for wind and snow load. A non certified building is the same structure without that engineering package, and it costs less.
Which one you need is decided by your local building department, not by us. Some states do not require certification because heavy snowfall and high winds are not a concern. Others require every new structure to be certified. Some inspect all structures, while others only inspect buildings people will live or work inside. Most buildings will require a permit of some kind, so check with your county or city before you order.
Two things worth knowing. There is no additional warranty on a certified building: certification means the structure is built to specification and certified by a professional engineer to meet local requirements, nothing more. And if you do need certification, you will likely need a copy of the blueprints for your inspector, so tell us before installation day and we will get them to you ahead of the crew.
Site preparation matters here too. The ground must be level and any concrete or asphalt pad must be wide enough to support the building and its anchors.
Tell us where the workshop is going and we will check what your county requires before you order.
We can check what your county requires before you order.
Get My Free QuoteA steel workshop holds many advantages over traditional wooden workshops. Not only do you get the strength of steel, but you also get the speed of a steel build. Wood builds are at riskfor damage from rot and termites. You want to ensure your building will stand up to harsh weather and remain fire resistant. Carport Central has steel workshops for sale that will stand up to the elements and can be insulated to protect your equipment and projects. To learn more about the advantages of steel workshops over traditional wood workshops, read out blog post here.
Carport Central offers many steel workshops for sale that can be put together quickly by our installation teams. Send us the size and equipment you have in mind and we will put a steel workshop on a quote for you.
Want this laid out for your property?
Get My Free QuoteMost of what makes a workshop genuinely workable is decided at order time. These are the options worth thinking about before you buy, because several of them are far cheaper to include now than to retrofit later.
30″ x 30″ is the standard size and can go on any enclosed portion of the workshop. Natural light matters more in a workshop than in a storage building. Other sizes are available but vary by location, so ask us what is offered near you.
Most workshops end up with a walk-in door for daily access and a larger garage door for moving equipment and finished projects in and out. Walk-in doors come with or without a window, in a white finish. Tell us at order time if you do not want the window.
Three things decide the right garage door: whether you will have electricity, whether the structure is tall enough to take one, and whether you want it now or later. Doors can go on the front, the end, or the side of the workshop, and the side is often the better choice for moving long material in and out.
Buildings from 12′ to 30′ wide come with standard horizontal siding, with vertical siding available as an upgrade. Workshops wider than 30′ come with vertical sides and ends closed as standard, and start at an 8′ side height.
Open or enclosed lean-tos add covered space alongside the workshop for material storage or working outdoors under cover. They need additional bows so the frame spacing matches the centre building. As an example, a 26′ to 30′ wide centre building uses 12′ wide lean-to frame spacing.
These are the structural supports inside the roof and along the sides that add strength and stability. Buildings up to 24′ wide have a bow, and anything wider than 24′ has a truss. In areas with heavy snow or intense weather, extra bows or trusses are worth adding.
Anchors are what hold the building down in high wind, and the right type depends on what you are anchoring into. Concrete, asphalt and ground each take a different anchor, so this one is decided by your foundation.
Send us the options you are considering and we will price them into the quote so you can see what each one actually costs.
Send us the options you want and we will price them into the quote.
Get My Free QuoteRoof, sides and trim are specified separately, so you can match the workshop to the other buildings on your property instead of settling for one flat color. Click any swatch for a closer look.
Color is tied to the gauge of the panel steel, and the two gauges carry different warranties:
Standard and specialty colors are available in both 29 and 26 gauge, and cover the full range from whites, beiges, sandstone, clay and tan through the reds, grays, browns, blues, greens, black and galvalume.
Premium colors are available at extra cost. Royal Blue is a premium color and is not available in 26 gauge.
Availability varies by region, so send us the colors you are considering and we will confirm what is available near you and show you the combination on a real building.
See These Colors on Real Buildings
Tell us the colors you are considering and we will show you the combination.
Get My Free QuoteUnlevel ground is the single most common reason installations get postponed. For a metal structure, level means level across the entire footprint of the building, within about three inches front to back and side to side, and square. Not “it looks flat”, not “it slopes just a little”, not “it is close enough”.
It matters because the consequences are permanent. An unlevel footprint causes doors and windows that will not operate properly, visible gaps in the panels, and water or pest intrusion. It can also void the manufacturer’s warranty. In a workshop, where you are working on a level floor with heavy equipment, it matters more than almost anywhere else.
The ground directly under the structure must be level. The ground surrounding the footprint should slope away from it, so water runs off instead of pooling at the base. Proper grading is what prevents standing water, soil erosion and foundation shifting over the life of the building.
Site preparation is the customer’s responsibility. Our crews assemble the building. They do not grade, level or excavate. Before installation day you need to have:
If a lift is needed for your build, that clearance goes up to ten feet clear of obstructions.
The installation crew arrives with a dually pickup and attached trailer that totals fifty five to seventy feet long. Remote sites, steep hills and locations far out into a field can be genuinely inaccessible. If there is more than a fifty foot gap between where the truck can park and where the building goes, there may be an additional service fee for the extra time.
If your site requires safety training, an orientation or a safety video before anyone can work on it, tell us when you purchase so it can be noted on the purchase order. Depending on the length of the requirement, a fee may apply.
The installation is postponed. Any grading or levelling then needed is done at your expense, crew availability shifts, and the project timeline extends. Getting the site right ahead of time is the cheapest part of the whole process.
A concrete slab is the strongest and most durable option. It prevents shifting, is easy to clean, and is the right choice for garages, workshops and anything you intend to certify. Gravel is affordable and drains well, which suits carports, RV covers and smaller storage, provided it is properly compacted and level. An asphalt pad is smooth, stable and cheaper than concrete, and works for carports and small garages, though it does not hold up as well under heavy use.
Not sure your site is ready? Send us photos and measurements on a quote and we will tell you what still needs doing.
Not sure your site is ready? Send us the details and we will tell you.
Get My Free QuoteYes, any structure can be added to later. Sending a team back out means a site visit fee on top of the price of the new item, so it is worth telling us your plans now even if the work happens later.
The one thing that cannot be fixed afterwards is height. If a garage door or a larger opening is a possibility, the building has to be tall enough for it from the start, so mention it on the quote.
Style, roof, size and colour are all made to order. You can add windows, walk-in doors, garage doors on the front, end or side, vertical siding, open or enclosed lean-tos, insulation, extra bows or trusses, and the anchors suited to your foundation.
Send us what you are considering and we will confirm what is available in your area and price it into the quote.
Yes, and in a workshop it is usually worth it. Insulation protects projects and equipment from the cold and stops condensation collecting inside the building, which is what causes sweating on the panels and rust on tools.
We install bubble insulation with an R-value of 4.3, the standard measure of thermal resistance, which prevents condensation and keeps most of the heat from escaping. Add it to your quote and we will price it with the build.
Roof, sides and trim are chosen separately, so the workshop can be matched to the other buildings on your property. Color is tied to the panel gauge: 29 gauge carries a warranty of up to 20 years against chipping and cracking, and 26 gauge up to 40 years against fading.
We work with several manufacturers and the specific colors stocked vary by region. Send us the colors you are considering and we will confirm what is available near you.
Many of our customers want to include running water or electricity in the metal buildings we install. We do not install the electric or plumbing when the installation team puts up the metal workshop. If you plan to pour a concrete or asphalt slab for your workshop, make sure that you plan ahead and get all pipes laid and accounted for. This includes any necessary plumbing to include a bathroom in your new metal building. Call your utility company to learn more while you are in the early stages of preparing for your new metal workshop. You should also consider the amount of light that is needed in the new metal workshop, and talk with an electrician if you plan to have interior or exterior lighting on your metal workshop.
Still have a question we have not answered here?
Get My Free QuoteSend us the size and options you have in mind and a building specialist will come back with a written quote. There is no cost and no obligation, and we will tell you plainly if a different size or roof style would serve you better.
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Send your size and location, and a specialist will turn these options into a real price with installation included.
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