We Built a Metal Building

In 2025, we built a metal building with a concrete slab for our workshop. Or rather we had a metal building constructed on site by a contractor. We live about 100 miles from the Gulf Coast in southwest Louisiana. We can get some strong winds from tropical storms and hurricanes. Hurricane Laura came 6 years ago and really destroyed buildings in our local area, despite the distance from the ocean. The area also is at the bottom of the southern tornado alley. We get occasional tornados.

When it came to deciding on a building type, we knew that we wanted to have a shop building or barn. We had specific requirements for a building that was going to be a workshop and tractor storage. This building should be wind resistant in case of future storms. We checked out several types of buildings and decided on a sturdy metal building 40’x30′ with a large overhang area. The building will also have a concrete slab foundation.

We decided that a metal building was right for this project. Metal buildings are usually cheaper than other types of buildings which is why a lot of farms and businesses use them. You can save up to thirty percent in building costs when choosing a metal building. Some of these savings come into play since metal buildings can be put up quickly in a matter of weeks instead of months.

Additionally, living in a hurricane and tornado prone area makes it important to have a more storm-resistant building. We also wanted a clear-span building, and metal was the way to go. And additionally, metal buildings are termite and fire restiant. We searched for local metal building fabricators and installers and chose a company to do the job.

Clearing the Land

We hired someone to clear out a small amount of the land to place the metal building on. Previously, we had cleared land for a driveway and mobile home. Now, we needed to clear out a little more land for the metal shop building and barn. The person hired used a bulldozer to take down some of the trees and overgrown undergrowth. We didn’t use a mulcher as we wanted less undergrowth to grow back in this area. It was a wise choice as we are keeping it mowed so grass is now growing there. Read our article here for our strategy in clearing out some land to promote wildlife diversity.

Building the Foundation

Once the land was cleared, the builder we chose set up a pad for the metal building. We had to remove a couple of feet of sand and replace it with clay to make a stable building pad. There was a cost to the additional clay needed to fill out the building pad. The building pad elevated the land for the slab about one foot above the surrounding ground. Then it was time for the slab to be poured. The cement truck had no trouble navigating the dirt driveway we had created a couple of years ago.

Putting Up the Building

Once the slab was poured and cured, it was time to put up the metal building. The metal building installer had the building delivered to the property and waiting for the install. Once the install crew arrived, the project could take shape quickly. The building went up in about a week. We have a door and large garage door on the front and the back of the building.

Insulating the Building

The next step, once the building was completed, was to have spray foam insulation added to it. The following Youtube video shows how the spray foam is installed. Our building was insulated in the same way.

The Completed Metal Building

The completed metal building is now ready to hold equipment and some storage. It is insulated and will keep its contents dry and somewhat temperature regulated in the Louisiana heat. We have already started using it.