Rex Metal Buildings supplies hoop barn kits for you to install and erect. Possibly, they’re one of the most straightforward metal buildings available and consist of a UV-resistant fabric stretched tightly over a heavy-duty hooped metal frame.
The cost of hooped barns fluctuates but depends mainly on the barn’s size and the strength of the hoops. So, expect to pay around $3.50/sq.ft. for a single truss kit. In comparison, a double truss costs about $4.80/sq.ft. We provide standard widths of 20ft-140ft but can customize a design to suit other widths, if necessary. And, of course, the structures can be as long as required. Therefore, expect a 24×40 hoop shelter to cost around $3,350-$4,600.
Many of our customers incorporate a metal shipping container into the overall design as part of the foundation to provide additional height, which will cost extra.
What Are Hoop Barns?
A hoop barn is a cheap, easily-built structure consisting of posts, tubular steel arches, and a UV-resistant polyvinyl canvas covering. Some incorporate concrete or steel shipping containers as stem foundation walls for more durable structures. The latter has the advantage of providing storage for feed, hay, small agricultural equipment, separate livestock accommodation, etc.
Generally, hoop barns are one of the most versatile metal buildings, and you can put them to many uses, from agricultural barns and equipment storage to all kinds of industrial use.
Of the many possible agricultural uses, our customers often consider using them as livestock shelters. To maintain their health, cattle, sheep, and swine need adequately ventilated accommodations. Generally, livestock like these can cope with many weather types as long as they have good airflow without unnecessary drafts. The metal hoop design with open or closed ends promotes better ventilation and prevents the animals from becoming too hot and suffering from increased humidity.
When used on their own, hoop barns start their arch at ground level. However, if customers use steel containers down each side of the barn, the hoop can be fitted to the containers’ tops, effectively acting as a roof structure.
Other uses for hoop barns include:
- Sand, salt, and coal sheds
- Other commodity sheds
- Farm machine garages
- Riding arenas
- Hay and straw storages
- Construction shelters
There are more uses for this type of shelter, perhaps many that we haven’t encountered yet. If in doubt, contact our team, and we’ll discuss what you need.
Estimated Hoop Barn Prices*
Hoop barns are becoming increasingly popular because of the simplicity of design and construction, versatility in use, and range of sizes available.
As with all purchases, the prices can change depending on market forces. However, typically, expect to pay:
- $3.50/sq.ft. for a single truss hoop barn.
- $4.80/sq.ft. for a double truss hoop barn. A double truss consists of two hoops welded together to provide more support.
Remember that these prices are for the kit alone. In addition, you must pay extra for foundations, steel shipping containers, concrete walls, etc. The following table shows typical prices for various-sized hoop barns. As many profiles are available, we’ve used selected widths from the Standard Hoop range as our example.
| Truss Type | Dimensions (Length x Width) | Area | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single Truss | 20x32 | 640 sq.ft. | $2,240 |
| 20x36 | 720 sq.ft. | $2,520 | |
| 24x40 | 960 sq.ft. | $3,360 | |
| 25x45 | 1,125 sq.ft. | $3,940 | |
| 40x50 | 2,000 sq.ft. | $7,000 | |
| 50x72 | 3,600 sq.ft. | $12,600 | |
| 75x100 | 7,500 sq.ft. | $26,250 | |
| 100x132 | 13,200 sq.ft. | $46,200 | |
| Double Truss | 20x32 | 640 sq.ft. | $3,070 |
| 20x36 | 720 sq.ft. | $3,460 | |
| 24x40 | 960 sq.ft. | $4,610 | |
| 25x45 | 1,125 sq.ft. | $5,400 | |
| 40x50 | 2,000 sq.ft. | $9,600 | |
| 50x72 | 3,600 sq.ft. | $17,280 | |
| 75x100 | 7,500 sq.ft. | $36,000 | |
| 100x132 | 13,200 sq.ft. | $63,360 |
*Note: The cost per square foot and other figures mentioned in this guide are approximate, based on ideal conditions, and vary depending on several factors. Therefore, the prices are subject to change and availability. Contact our team at Rex Metal Buildings for an accurate quote based on your requirements.
6 Hoop Barn Cost Factors
The cost of a hoop building kit purchased from Rex Metal Buildings and installed by you or a specialist contractor varies with several factors.
Land Clearance
Generally, the overall cost varies with how much preparation you must do to get the ground suitable for installation. Typically, you should consider the following:
- Removing shrubs and trees
- Grading the land
- Excavation and backfill
The tradesperson rates for doing this work depend on the contractor, where you live, and the extent of the work. Therefore, the contractor can only give a full quote, depending on your circumstances, and after a thorough site inspection. So, consider this fully and don’t forget to include it in the budget.
Foundations
Foundations may not be necessary; it all depends on the size and design of your hoop building. Speak to our sales team when ordering, and we’ll advise you on the size and type of necessary foundation. However, if you do need a foundation, many designs exist, depending on the ground conditions:
- I-Beams
- I-Panels
- T-Panels
- Precast concrete
- Cast in-situ concrete
Size
The size of your new hoop building significantly affects the overall cost. When considering the size, decide on how much room you have available on your property and what you need the structure for. This, in turn, will dictate the space you need.
If you can answer these before you speak to our sales team, they will guide your choice of hoop building to select the right one for you.
Cover Material
Another critical factor is the material used as the covering stretched across the hoops. Rex Metal Buildings value your safety as well as providing you with value for money, so we stock covering materials with the following specifications:
- UV-resistance. The covering allows protection from the sun’s harmful rays. We can supply covers with variable resistance to accommodate the sun’s strength in your climate region. Also, our UV-resistant coverings guard against color fading and bleaching caused by ultraviolet., So, it doesn’t matter if you live in Arizona or Alaska; we’ll have the cover material for you.
- Fire-proof. Not all our coverings are fire-resistant. But if this is a concern, we have some that will protect against fire. Speak to our team for a complete list.
- High density. With stretched fabric, there’s always a chance of splits and tears appearing in the covering. And when one occurs, it won’t be long before it catches the wind, gets longer, and eventually has to be replaced or repaired. Our high-density coverings resist splits and tears, thus preventing this tiresome maintenance job.
- Wind and snow rated. A shelter wouldn’t be much use if it didn’t protect against storms. Our range of products includes wind and snow-rated covers explicitly designed for this purpose.
Our range of covering materials is fully functional yet continues to look good throughout its lifespan.
Color Choices
The color of your new hoop barn may not matter to you. If that’s the case, you can choose from one of our standard colors. However, if you want a specific shade to match your corporate colors. Or, if you’re constrained to a palette specified by zoning regulations, we can help you find the right color. Reach out to our team, who will help in any way they can.
Roof and Leg Design
Rex Metal Buildings supplies hoop buildings with various roof and leg designs for you to choose from. Typical roof profiles include:
- Gable roof.
- Low slope.
- Standard profile.
The profile you choose will depend mainly on the shelter’s purpose. For example, a low-slope building probably won’t be suitable for livestock or large machinery unless you also choose a tall foundation. Usually, we recommend using high foundations or stacked shipping containers when choosing low-slope roofs. The containers have the added advantage of providing storage too. On the other hand, if you select a 10ft leg for your low slope roof, it will have enough clearance for storing road vehicles, farm machinery, and other equipment.
Contact our team, seven days a week, for advice. But, before you call, decide what you want the building for and how much money is in your budget.
How Long Do Hoop Barns Last?
Typically, the answer to this depends on what you use the building for and the environment where you’ll use it.
Rex Metal Buildings expect a typical hooped building to last from 15 to 25 years on average. However, the actual lifespan will depend on how well you keep up with the maintenance. The most important maintenance task is to keep the covering taut using the supplied ratchets. If you allow the fabric to slacken, the wind will move it and cause friction damage where it’s in contact with the supports. Therefore, if you keep the ratchets tight and maintain the entire structure properly, we expect your hoop building to last for at least 20 years.
Do Hoop Houses Stay Warm In Winter?
Firstly, you should decide whether you need the hoop building to stay warm in winter. If you intend to store equipment, it doesn’t matter what the temperature is as long as you’ve taken standard winter use precautions, such as adding anti-freeze additives to the vehicle’s coolant systems. Likewise, most livestock will be okay if you protect them from the damp and wind, and provide plenty of straw for bedding as they provide their internal warmth. However, if we’re talking about a hoop house for protecting plants, then they might need some help.
The whole purpose of using a hoop house for plants is to extend their growing season, which in turn, opens up new markets.
You have to ensure the ground doesn’t freeze and leaves don’t get frost burned. However, Heating the hoop house and allowing a more extended harvest period usually costs money by adding to your electricity bills. So if you can do things inside the shelter to heat the ground without commercial electricity, you will help solve the problem.
Believe it or not, it’s relatively simple to heat your hoop house without costing too much. The best way is to use passive solar heating.
Passive Solar Heating
Generally, on a sunny day in winter, your hoop house will stay warm enough for many food crops to grow. The sun’s energy enters the house through the fabric covering and then becomes trapped inside. Thus, increasing the inside air temperature to about 10 degrees warmer than outside. However, the temperatures can drop below freezing point on cloudy days or at night.
Heat Sinks
If you have consistently cold nights, you should try to store the sun’s heat at ground level using heat sinks. The simplest way to do this is to heat containers of water during the day, using the sun, allowing them to dissipate their heat during the night slowly. There are many online resources to help heat a hoop house cheaply so we won’t go into too much detail here. However, this link is a handy source.
Hoop Barn Sizes & Dimensions
Hoop barn dimensions vary depending on the roof profile and the shelter’s intended use. The following table shows the standard widths available for some of our roof profiles.
| Roof Profile | Standard Widths |
|---|---|
| Standard Hoop | 32ft, 36ft, 40ft, 45ft, 50ft, 60ft, 72ft, 80ft, 90ft, 100ft, 110ft, 120ft, 132ft |
| Standard Single Truss | 24ft, 30ft, 35ft |
| Single Truss Leg | 20ft, 25ft, 30ft |
| Low Slope | 38ft, 42ft, 50ft, 68ft, 78ft, 98ft |
| Gable | 52ft, 62ft, 72ft, 82ft, 92ft, 102ft, 112ft, 122ft, 132ft, 142ft, 152ft, 162ft |
If nothing here suits your preference, contact our Rex Metal Buildings team, who can talk you through our full range of profiles and widths and guide you when choosing the right hoop barn for your application. Don’t forget; there’s no practical limit on the hoop barn’s length, whatever the profile.
Next Steps
If this guide has helped you decide to use a Rex Metal Buildings hoop barn, contact our team between 9am and 6pm, 7 days a week. They will help you choose your application’s appropriate size and profile structure.