Shop Kit Buildings

Although hiring a contractor to build a shop isn’t within everyone’s budget, that doesn’t mean your dream is out of reach. Our high-quality prefab shop kits offer fast & simple assembly for do-it-yourselfers of any skill level, affording you savings of up to 50% on construction costs.

Metal kit packages offer you a quality structure at a reduced cost whilst also affording you the satisfaction of erecting your own dream workspace.

Our kits offer you the chance to perform and practice many skills, from laying a concrete foundation to sheeting, erecting walls & insulating. With a steel building kit, you can take your metalworking skills to a whole new level before your workshop is even operational.

Quonset Buildings

Quonsets are a great option for a new shop due to their simple and fast construction. They are available in widths from 16’ (using 2’ arch panels) and can be built to any length, and come in three styles (see below) offering varying roof and side-wall profiles. The most common for shops being the S-Model with its straight sides & the P-Model offering a peaked roof.

Other Advantages:

• All models are designed to meet or exceed your local wind, snow and seismic conditions
• Numbered parts, full instructions, and all hardware and fasteners included
• End-walls and be finished in any material. Alternatively, save even more by constructing your own end-walls and add your own windows and doors
• Virtually zero maintenance
• No lifting equipment required for raising the arches
• Warranties of up to 35 years

Foundation:

With a small Quonset workshop, you have a couple of foundation options. You could opt for a simple curb foundation if you don’t require a concrete floor. Alternatively, if you require a level floor for machinery or vehicles then you will need to lay a 4” floating foundation. Either way, the building once erected is secured to the foundation with the provided anchor bolts. Estimate on spending between $2-$4 per square foot for the foundation. The price difference will depend on whether you opt to lay the foundation yourself or hire a contractor. More on foundations >

Construction:

Of the two building types, Quonsets are by far the fastest and easiest to assemble. The arched panels are simply hoisted into place (see below) and then bolted together one-by-one until you reach the last panel. Once all panels are in place you then fasten the end-walls to each end of the building.

After the building is in place it is then just a matter of adding the doors and windows and your new shop is ready for use.

Rigid Frame Buildings

Rigid frame kits are the most popular design when it comes to workshops due to the fact that they can easily be finished to blend in seamlessly with existing structures, by using everything from hardy board to brick. Buildings are available in widths from 30’, with popular sizes being 30×40, 30×50 & 40×60. It is worth noting that it is normally cheaper to choose standard sizes such as these rather than say 28×33, 32×48 etc.

Advantages:

• Numbered parts, full instructions and all hardware and fasteners included
• Infinite finishing options including metal siding, hardy board, stucco, brick
• Minimal lifting equipment required, in most cases a scissor lift or backhoe will suffice
• Choose your desired roof pitch (1:12 – 4:12)
• Virtually zero maintenance
• Warranties of up to 35 years

Foundation:

All rigid frame buildings require a minimum 4” floating foundation and up to a 6’ slab if you plan on housing vehicles and heavy machinery.

Construction:

Similar to the Quonset building packages, these come with a complete set of instructions, plans, nd all the necessary hardware/fasteners. Some lifting equipment will be required to lift the main framing members into position. This should factored this into your overall cost if you have to rent this for 3-4 days during the construction phase.

Prices for Shop Kits

You will also need to factor in $4-8/sq ft for foundation cost and $4-8/sq ft for the erection of the building.

DIY Savings:

If you opt to go the DIY route then you can cut the foundation cost down to approx. $2-4/sq ft and save anything from $5,000 to $15,000 on construction labor costs.

Custom Kit Advantages Compared to Tubular Kits

• Kits are custom made so you can decide on where (and what type of accessories) you want to place windows, doors etc. Tube kits are a standard ‘off the shelf’ product
• Custom sizes are readily available – delivery times can be longer though depending on the manufacturer
• Buildings can be easily expanded at a later stage by simply removing an end/sidewall and bolting on additional space. Another distinct advantage of these buildings compared to tubular kits (as they are only sold as a complete package)
• Select the desired roof pitch (rigid frame)
• Designed & engineered to your state/county codes
• Customize your exterior finish
• Warrantied for a minimum of 35 years

Planning Considerations

Most, permanent, structures over 100 sq ft in size will require a permit and a final inspection by a planning official. For more details on codes, permits & zoning see our main kit page HERE

Planning & Construction Timeline

As you can see, time frames can vary widely depending on size, location, weather, and other factors. And whereas a small building (30×30, 30×40) can be constructed in a matter of weeks, it is prudent to plan on at least 4-6 months for a typical project.

The projections in the table above were based on liberal estimates for an average-sized building without any extensive or unusual obstacles to deal with.

Other Considerations

Insulation

You will want to consider adding insulation to your workshop to help cut down on HVAC costs. For more see our insulation page

Power & Water

Plan well ahead and have your lines in place before the building package arrives

Ventilation

If you are going to be using machine tools, you may want to consider an air extraction system

Heating & Cooling

Simple heaters or a more sophisticated HVAC system?

For more considerations, both in the planning and building stages of your shop kit, please see our main building kit page.