How Much Does It Cost to Build a 5,000 Square-Foot Steel Building?

Steel construction has a lot to offer in terms of affordability and customizability, and metal buildings also offer lower costs of erection and maintenance than other building types. Unlike wood construction, steel buildings aren’t susceptible to warping, cracking or rotting over time. You can also order yours with the specific wind, snow or seismic loads your local building codes require, making your building especially well-suited for your area.

So, how much of an investment is a metal building?

Estimating Costs for 5,000 Square Feet 

Many factors help determine the final costs of your steel building, including:

  • The complexity of your design
  • The market price of steel
  • Whether you must meet strict wind or snow loads
  • The customizations you want
  • The size of the building itself
50x100 Metal Building

A 5,000 square-foot steel building is a popular size for many industrial, athletic, commercial, storage, small warehouse and other steel buildings. To give you a sense of perspective, a 5,000 square-foot space gives you about 300 more square feet than a professional basketball court provides. 

Breaking Down Material & Construction Expenses

If you are building a relatively simple 5,000 square-foot steel building and don’t have to meet stringent wind or snow load code requirements, plan to pay between about $11.46 and $12.40 a square foot to cover the cost of your materials.

Then, you need to consider the costs of hiring a contractor to erect your building. While rates vary from one contractor to another, plan to budget somewhere between about $6 and $10 per square foot for raising the building.

Approximating Final Expenses

So, to purchase and erect a 5,000 square-foot base building, plan to pay somewhere between roughly $97,300 and $142,000. If you have a particularly tight budget, you may be able to help keep expenses manageable by lowering your building’s eave height or roof pitch, among other methods. Limiting customizations should also help keep costs low.  

(*Due to unforeseen economic changes beyond our control; prices and availability are subject to change.)