What to consider When Buying a Metal Garage
Weather Conditions
If the area where you live gets intense rain, hail, snow, wind, or similar rough weather conditions, then this is a factor that deserves high priority at the time of purchase, focusing on the right metal garage construction that can keep your vehicles as well as other items or possessions safe and sound.
Dedicated Space
You need to have a level space that can be dedicated for the garage installation. Check to make sure you have enough space available for the structure and room around the area for the installation crew.
Installation Permission
You may be required to have a building permit for a garage installation on your property. Get in touch with your local municipality to find out if a building permit exists for you. You don’t want to be in violation of any building code!
Windows and Doors
Would you like your garage completely closed or have a couple of windows, walk-in and or garage doors to keep the space airy, accessible and well-lit?
Customization
You have the freedom to customize your metal garage in a variety of ways to make it fit seamlessly with your property, home or business. What you want from your garage in terms of look and feel and functionality? Millennium Buildings offers you high degree of customization in building your metal garage, to realize your vision as closely as possible, if not exactly.
Design Your
Dream Building
We know how important it is to consider needs, space, utility and design when creating your perfect building. Each of our custom-built metal buildings is modular, and our design consultants and sales specialists work with you to ensure that you get the best building for your needs at your budget.
Roof Style Garage Style
The roof is just as important as the walls of your metal garage, if not more. You need this component of the garage to be highly robust in structure for whatever natural and climatic conditions that your garage is most likely to be susceptible to. Here are the main roof styles that are available with metal garages:
Regular Roof
The regular roof style unit is affordable, durable, and economical. These unit styles have rounded corners and horizontal sheet metal. They are available from 12' to 30' wide, up to 36' long and up to 20' tall.
Units that are more than 36' long can be constructed as connected units, but these long units may develop leaks at the seams.
Boxed-Eave Roof
This type of roof style unit has an A-frame roofline and a horizontal sheet metal. A Boxed Eave upgrade is a stylish and affordable option to fit landscapes. These units are available from 12’ — 60’ wide, up to 20' tall, and as long as necessary.
Units that are more than 36' long can be constructed as connected units, but these long units may develop leaks at the seams.
Vertical Roof
Vertical roof style units are the highest quality metal garages available and provide maximum protection. They have an A-frame roofline and vertical sheet metal. These units are readily available from 12' wide to 60' wide, up to 20' tall, and as long as necessary. Lean-tos can be added to create wider units.
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Choosing the Right Size for your needs
Steel Gauge Framing
Choosing the right steel gauge framing for your metal garage is important determinant in the garage’s overall strength. So it’s worthwhile understanding the concept of steel gauge framing more closely. What does gauge mean here anyway? It is a measurement of metal thickness, and as a result metal strength for your metal garage. According to this measurement system, the higher the gauge number the thinner the steel will be, and the lower is the gauge the thicker and stronger the steel will be. The ideal steel thickness for your metal garage structure would depend on many factors, like climatic conditions of the area, the worst possible weather circumstances that the garage could be exposed to, the vehicles/items housed in the garage, etc.
Let’s look at the two common steel gauge framing options that you are likely to find, 12-gauge steel framing and 14-gauge steel framing. As we discussed earlier, 12-gauge steel framing is going to be stronger than the 14-gauge framing. The 12-gauge framing has a diameter measurement of 2 ¼” x 2 ¼”. Its greater tensile strength facilitates greater wind load and snow load ratings. This type of framing is recommended for building structures with a height of 10’ or more, as well as for areas that receive strong winds and heavy snow. In some cases certain state or local municipalities may also require the use of a 12-gauge framing.
On the other hand, there is the 14-gauge framing with a diameter measurement of 2 ½” x 2 ½”. It is the most widely accepted gauge for metal structures and carports, and is also the industry standard when it comes to frame thickness. 12-gauge framing is better suited and capable of offering more value if the weather conditions in your area can get considerably extreme. If that’s not the case for you, then going with 14-gauge framing could be a better and more economical decision.
Both options, 12-gauge steel framing and 14-gauge steel framing, by Millennium Buildings can be certified. You will get extended warranty on 12-gauge steel framing option.
Ultimately, the selection of your metal garage framing should be done on the basis of your specific requirements and building instructions issued by your local municipalities. For any help in the matter, you can always contact our customer services team.
Certification Considerations
What does certified mean for a building? A building that is certified indicates that a professional engineer has designed the building, and has also certified the building to adhere to local building requirements. It means that the building has been constructed as per applicable building code specifications and that it has ratings for snow and wind load. In some areas certifications for buildings may be an important requirement, while in some it may not be so.
The reason why certifications matter for certain areas could be because of the adverse weather conditions that are prevalent there. In such case, a certification would ensure that the building has the right structural integrity to safely withstand those conditions. Before beginning the installation of your metal garage, it’s important that you confirm with your local building department whether the garage would need a particular certification or not. In case certification is needed, you’ll have to show a copy of the building blueprints to the engineer for review and approval purpose. To learn more about this, please contact our customer services team.
Millennium Buildings can provide construction and installation of metal garages and metal buildings as per the certification criteria that you need to satisfy.
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Try Our Color System to Customize
Your Workshop
Call our customer service representatives to see what colors are available in your area. You can customize the color of the roof, sides, and trim of your structure. Click on the colors for a closer look!
Installation and Site Prep for Workshops
Leveling the Installation Site
The area where the garage has to be installed must be level. For the installation of a structure, this leveling must be done to within 3” front to back and side to side. The leveling of the site is something that must be completed before the installation crew arrives on site. The crew arriving for garage installation will not be able to do their work if the area is not leveled out for them.
Delivery and Installation Process
We can work together to fix a suitable date and time for metal garage installation at your site. Before our crew arrives, you will need to ensure a few things such as clearing out any debris as well as leveling the site. The leveled area is crucial to enable our installation crew to begin the work. On the scheduled date and time, our crew will reach your installation site ready with all the required equipment for the construction job. If you have to get your garage building certified, then kindly inform us beforehand so that we can provide you with the building blueprints before the installation work begins.
Concrete Pads
Except in the state of Florida, for all other states the dimensions of the concrete pad and the building frame should be exactly the same. In Florida, the width of the concrete pad should be 3/4″ more than that of the building frame, but its length should be exactly same as the length of the building frame. A building that measures as 50’Wx61’L and has a base frame measuring 50’Wx60’L, the concrete pad for this building should measure as 50′-3/4″Wx60’L. Additionally, the concrete pad should be square, where dimensions from one corner to another, across the diagonals is the same. The building and zoning departments of different cities and counties outline different requirements for their structure’s footer. You should consult with the relevant departments for your area to learn about the requirements necessary for you.
Site Prep Checklist
The three most important things that should be on your checklist for site preparation:
- Installation site is free of debris
- Leveling the installation site. As mentioned earlier, if the building is to be certified leveling must be done to within 3” front to back and side to side. If you don’t level the area in advance, the installation crew may offer to do so for an additional charge or structure will be returned at a later date with a restocking fee
- Keeping the installation site easily accessible for the crew, meaning the distance between the the team’s truck and the site shouldn’t be too big
Garage FAQ’s
