metal buildings/garages

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I am thinking of putting up a garage in the spring and was wondering if anybody has had any experence with the quonset type buildings like that from US Buildings or Steelmaster? Does anyone have one? How do you like it? Emory

-- Emory (NE PA) (et@hazleton.net), January 01, 2002

Answers

I set my father in law on one that a coworker had. We disassembled it and re assembled on site. A impact wrench is essential as there are many bolts and nuts.

The whole thing is like a childs erector set - it is fairly flimsy until is is all together then it is rigid. Overall I would classify it as overpriced and not the sort of strucrure that will appreciate in value. It I had to go with a new sructure I would go with stick built wood.

-- Mark (toymeister@hotmail.com), January 01, 2002.


I have just ordered a US Buildings 20 x 30 unit to make a woodworking shop. Be advised the unit is delivered on ONE pallet, 10 x 4 x 3 and weighs 2500 lbs.

The truck it comes on is a semi with a 45 foot float. It has to have room to get close to your offloading site.

You either have to have a LARGE piece of machinery available to unload it or lots of friends around, as the truck driver will hand down the pieces (40 lbs each) to you one at a time. Since my building has 15 arches, and there are seven pieces to each arch, that is 105 pieces. Gets kind of mind boggling, doesn't it?

They called me on CHRISTMAS EVE with all this shipping information. I was one distressed little Texas lady, I can tell you. Luckily, there is a road crew with LARGE machinery working on the Farm Road in front of our house, and one of the mechanics for that company is going to lease my cattle pasture. He has arranged for them to help me unload the pallet when it gets here.

The other thing is the slab you have to build for it. It has to have a channel in the concrete for the bases of the arches to sit in, then you 'grout' them in place. OR, you can pay extra bucks to buy a bolt down metal channel.

The price I paid was $2500. Do NOT pay their first or second quote on prices. They came WAY down when I balked. I am getting it without the end units, as I am going to custom build the ends the way I want. Since it is a woodworking shop, I didn't want the ends to be metal sliding doors.

Would I buy this one again? hmmmmm maybe not. But, I think it's going to be quite an adventure, and I'm looking forward to putting it together.

-- Rose (open_rose@hotmail.com), January 01, 2002.


Rose, please keep us informed on how well this thing goes together, I would really like to get some kind of structure up this summer. Emory

-- Emory (NE PA) (et@hazleton.net), January 01, 2002.

Our neighbors put one of those up and had a ton of trouble getting it up and then last year with the snow it collapsed. Took out a car and a boat that were stored in it.

-- Mary R. (cntryfolk@ime.net), January 01, 2002.

They stress in the imformation that proper assembly is VERY important. They are hurricane rated if assembled correctly. Also, they have several designs. The one I am getting has the slightly peaked roof. We don't have snow here anyway. Hurricanes are more of an issue. :-)

The truck bringing it is supposed to leave the factory on January 10. I have been told that I will have the truck driver's cell phone number so I can get a handle on when he will be in the area. Also, he is supposed to call me the night before delivery, and I have specified that if it is during the week it has to be after 3:00 PM. (I am a teacher.)

Tomorrow, I am going to be trying to get the slab construction set up. If I don't get the slab done before delivery, that is fine, too. The pallet can sit in the driveway and wait.

I have offers of help with the construction from the ag department at school. I think we will just have a real barn raisin' with food, etc., when I get everything arranged.

I will keep you all informed of the step-by-step.

Happy New Year! HUGGS

-- Rose (open_rose@hotmail.com), January 01, 2002.



I've purchased a 30'X 50'metal building from National Barn and they built it on site for about $6000. I was very happy with the result.

-- Ronald Rosati (ronald.rosati@tamuk.edu), January 01, 2002.

My youngest son puts up metal buildings in his line of work and says in most instances, the exceptions being really large machine sheds or airplane hangars, that stick-built buildings are cheaper.

-- Barbara Fischer (bfischer42@hotmail.com), January 01, 2002.

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