If you already have a metal building installed on your residential, commercial, or agricultural property in Florida, you made a good decision. A steel structure is really one of the best building solutions you can choose in Florida, for lots of reasons. Steel building components are more resilient than other construction materials, and a Florida metal building is more flexible in terms of design possibilities, too. A modern FL steel building can pretty much be customized any way you want, especially if you choose to partner with Metal Barn Central.
Can You Renovate or Expand an Existing Metal Building?
One question we get fairly often is this: Can a metal building be renovated, expanded, or added onto later? The answer is yes – with one caveat. As long as your building was originally purchased and installed through Metal Barn Central, we’re happy to partner with you to perform a metal building expansion or addition down the road. A steel tubing structure is actually easier to modify or adapt than a comparable stick build, which is just one of many attractions to choosing a metal building solution, to begin with. But different metal building manufacturers and dealers can follow different engineering and design standards, so the only way we can commit to partner with you on your metal building renovation project in Florida is if your original building came from us.
Planning Tips for Your FL Metal Building Project
If your current metal building has already seen several years of service, your best solution could simply be to plan for a new metal building installation, versus undergoing a potentially expensive renovation of your existing building. Here are some good tips for mapping out your metal building project in The Sunshine State:
1. Decide Exactly What You Need in a Florida Metal Building
Knowing what you want (or need) in a metal building ahead of time will help make the rest of the process go more smoothly. What vehicles, items, or people do you need to protect? Do you need an open-air cover, fully-enclosed space, or both? Think about your projected install site, too. Has your site been leveled? If not, you’ll need to take care of that before an installation can be scheduled.
2. Go Bigger
How much building space will you require in order to meet your minimum needs? Whatever amount of square footage you come up with, it’s a good idea to still plan a little bigger. One of the most common mistakes metal building buyers make is not ordering a big enough building to begin with. It’s actually easier (and more cost-effective) to plan for a larger building now, rather than having to come back and facilitate a second expansion down the road.
3. Factor Available Lot Space into Your Building Planning
If you’re somewhat confined in terms of available lot space, that still doesn’t mean you necessarily have to settle for less of a building than you really need. If you can’t go any wider or longer, you may be able to go taller! Most any vertical-roof steel structure from Metal Barn Central can be designed 14’ tall, and some can even be built as tall as 20’!
4. General Width Guidelines for Vehicle Shelter
If vehicle shelter is a primary intended application for your metal structure, it’s helpful to have a general understanding of how much space you’ll need per vehicle. Here are some good rules of thumb for planning vehicle shelter space requirements:
- A 12’W building will house a single passenger vehicle, as well as many RVs
- 18’W will fit two compact cars
- 20’W will accommodate two mid-sized vehicles
- 22’W can fit two full-sized vehicles
- 24’W will allow for two over-sized vehicles
- 26’W can typically accommodate three mid-sized vehicles
But like we said before, it’s always a good idea to go a little bigger, too. Adding a few extra feet of building width allows for easier opening of vehicle doors, with less worry about banging into anything by accident.
5. What’s Your Weather Like?
If you’re located in an area that tends to have a higher chance of experiencing severe weather (true for most of Florida), then you should plan accordingly in choosing a metal building solution. For example, you might want to go with a heavier gauge of steel for the framing, as well as for the roof and side paneling. You’ll also want to make sure your building is secured properly with the right number and type of building anchors for your specific foundation.
6. Consider FL Building Codes & Certification Requirements, Too
Thanks in large part to its climate and geography particulars, Florida has some of the most stringent building certification requirements in the nation. What does metal building certification mean, exactly? It essentially means your building is professionally engineered to meet or exceed minimum wind load and snow load ratings – with the emphasis being on wind loads in FL. Owning a certified building also means you’ll have greater peace of mind whenever the next storm decides to blow through The Sunshine State.
7. Partner with Metal Barn Central to Provide for Your Metal Building Needs in Florida
Once you know what you’re looking for in a metal building, one of the most important decisions you can make is choosing the right metal buildings provider. When it comes to providing quality metal structures and metal building kits for Floridians, nobody takes better care of you than Metal Barn Central! We serve all of FL, and we’re proud to serve 45 other states, too. We can get you exactly what you need, and we even give you the ability to design your own custom metal building, from carports, to garages, to RV covers, to workshops, to warehouses, to barndominiums & metal building homes. We’re happy to provide metal building installation all across Florida at no extra charge, too!
Let’s Get Started!
Ready to get your perfect steel structure started? You can connect with us through this simple online form, or for a faster response, just call to speak with one of our friendly building experts at (980) 365-8481. Come experience the Metal Barn Central difference for yourself!
