What is the Cost of a 40×60 Metal Building?
Instant prices & quotes for metal garages, shops & barns
Quonset Buildings
- The most economical building option
- Superior wind & snow loading
- Fast DIY construction
- from $7/square foot
The Short Answer – Less Than Wood Construction!
For the base building package, you can expect to pay between $17,000 and $22,000 for a 40×60 metal building.
A building of this size (40′ x 60′ = 2,400 square feet) is a good choice for a large garage, storage building, shop or barn. How you use your building, as well as the location and any accessories necessary will have an effect on the overall cost. The basic style of your steel building will also determine the price.
Also, note that this standard size building can also easily be supplied as a 60’x40′ building for those requiring an extra wide building for say an aircraft hangar or multi-bay auto shop.
Please see pricing table below for a more in-depth cost breakdown for the two main building design options.
Sample 40‘x60’ Steel Buildings
Building Design Options
Straight Wall Buildings
- Attractive “traditional” building design
- Multiple exterior finishing options
- Maximum interior space availability
- From $9/square foot
| Construction Method | Material Cost * | Foundation Cost | Labor Cost | TOTAL | Cost per Square Foot | Cost Saving ** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood Frame | $48,800 | $10,800 | $45,200 | $104,800 | $43.66/SF | N/A |
| Steel Straight Wall | $21,600 | $10,800 | $19,200 | $51,600 | $21.50/SF | 51% |
| Steel Quonset Hut | $16,800 | $10,800 | $19,200 | $46,800 | $19.50/SF | 55% |
| Steel Straight Wall | $27,600 | $10,800 | Zero (self build) | $38,400 | $16.00/SF | 63% |
| Steel Quonset Hut | $23,000 | $10,800 | Zero (self build) | $33,800 | $14.08/SF | 68% |
* Excluding accessories & delivery charges
** Compared to traditional 2×4 wooden construction
Note: If a 40×60 building is out of your budget you may want to consider the 2nd most popular standard size building – a 30×40 metal building.
Alternatively, you can get estimates for other building sizes by using our Building Cost Estimate Calculator.
Detailed Cost Breakdown
For a ‘ballpark’ estimate, consider each of these factors separately. First, choose a style – ‘Straight Wall’ or ‘Quonset’ style. Both are pre-engineered metal buildings, strong and easy to assemble.
Materials for a 40×60 (2400 square foot) straight wall building cost from $9 per square foot or $21,600. Add in a charge for delivery of about 8% ($1,728). Consider the accessories (doors, windows etc.) necessary for your application and include 20% of the materials cost to your estimate ($21,600 x 20% = $4,320). These three factors together will cost approximately $27,648. Now you have the building at your site and you’re all set to erect your 40×60 metal building.
What’s left to consider? If you are not building on an existing foundation, you will need to pour or build that – increasing your overall cost between $4 and $6 more per square foot ($9,600 to $14,400). Plan your foundation with a flooring plan built in (a floating concrete foundation is a good example) for more on foundations see here and here. You will also need to account for labor costs to build the structure. Installing it using the manufacturer’s directions may be simple, but be sure to have plenty of help for a building of this size. Some form of lifting equipment will also be required to off-load the building and raise the members into place.
If you choose a Quonset hut style building, your materials, accessories and delivery cost will decrease. A 2,400 square foot Quonset hut will run you about $7.00 per square foot ($16,800) for materials, $1,440 for delivery and an additional 20% ($3,600) for accessories. The on-site, materials cost of a Quonset steel building is approximately $23,040 – a savings of over $4,600 over the straight wall system.
Please Remember:
- As both styles of metal building system are intended for ‘Self-Build Construction’, you can save up to 68% on this type of building compared to a ‘General Contractor’ erected wooden building
- You will also save on maintenance costs as you will not be replacing rotten wooden boards and roof tiles in 2-3 years
- Finally, you will save on paint and finishes as a metal building arrives on-site primed and painted, this also goes for the roof!
