Metal Building Kits: 2026 Prices & Top 7 Best Suppliers
A metal building kit is a pre engineered steel building delivered to your site in pieces, ready to bolt together. The frames, purlins, girts, panels, trim and fasteners are designed and cut for your exact building, so there's no welding on site and very little cutting. You pour the foundation, then you or a hired crew put it up.
Kits are the cheapest way to get a steel building, because you only pay the manufacturer for the materials and engineering. This guide covers what's in a kit, what kits cost in 2026, seven well known suppliers, and whether to build it yourself or hire an erector.
What's In A Metal Building Kit?
Most kits include:
- Primary framing: red iron columns and rafters, usually tapered I beams
- Secondary framing: galvanized or painted purlins (roof) and girts (walls)
- Bracing: cables, rods or portal frames to resist wind
- Roof and wall panels: usually 26 gauge PBR panels with a painted or Galvalume finish
- Trim and flashing: corners, eaves, rakes, base trim and door trim
- Fasteners, closures and sealant
- Engineered drawings: stamped for your state, plus an anchor bolt plan and erection drawings
Common extras that may or may not be included: roll up doors, walk doors, windows, insulation, gutters, skylights and ridge vents. Anchor bolts and the foundation are usually not included.
Metal Building Kit Prices
Kits are priced by the square foot, and the rate drops as buildings get bigger. Based on our earlier size guide prices scaled by the roughly 19% rise in the BLS steel mill products index from November 2022 to September 2026 (checked October 2026), a basic kit with a 12 to 14 foot eave runs:
| Building width | Typical kit price per sq ft |
|---|---|
| Under 40 ft | $17 to $21 |
| 40 to 79 ft | $14 to $17 |
| 80 ft and wider | $13 to $16 |
| Kit size | Sq ft | Estimated kit price |
|---|---|---|
| 30x40 | 1,200 | $20,400 to $25,200 |
| 40x60 | 2,400 | $33,600 to $40,800 |
| 50x100 | 5,000 | $70,000 to $85,000 |
| 80x100 | 8,000 | $104,000 to $128,000 |
| 100x150 | 15,000 | $195,000 to $240,000 |
Taller eaves, heavy snow or wind loads, many doors and premium panels raise the price. For your exact spec, use our metal building cost calculator. For full project costs including erection and foundation, see our metal building prices guide.
Top 7 Metal Building Kit Suppliers
These seven companies sell steel building kits across the U.S. The order isn't a ranking, and we don't take payment for placement. Facts were checked against each company's own published information in October 2026.
| Supplier | Base | Since | Headline structural warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Steel | Littleton, CO | 1995 | 50 years |
| Worldwide Steel Buildings | Peculiar, MO | 1983 | 50 years |
| Olympia Steel Buildings | McKees Rocks, PA | Not stated | 60 years |
| Armstrong Steel Buildings | Colorado | 2005 | 50 years |
| Rhino Steel Building Systems | Denton, TX | 1998 | Lifetime |
| Mueller | Locations across the South and Southwest | 1930 | Varies by product |
| HCI Steel Buildings | Arlington, WA | 2012 | Panel warranties 20 to 25 years |
1. General Steel
General Steel, founded in 1995 in Littleton, Colorado, sells kits for garages, shops, barns and commercial buildings. It publishes a 50 year structural warranty, 40 years on paint, 25 years on Galvalume panels and 20 years on standing seam roofs.
2. Worldwide Steel Buildings
Worldwide Steel Buildings has sold kits since 1983 from Peculiar, Missouri, and is now owned by Fall River Holdings. It offers a 50 year structural warranty and sells direct nationwide.
3. Olympia Steel Buildings
Olympia Steel Buildings, based near Pittsburgh in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, publishes a 60 year structural warranty, 40 years on rust through and 40 years on paint, among the longest in the industry.
4. Armstrong Steel Buildings
Armstrong Steel was founded in 2005 and is based in Colorado. It lists a 50 year structural warranty, a 40 year paint warranty and a 35 year rust through warranty on Galvalume roofs.
5. Rhino Steel Building Systems
Rhino has been selling kits since 1998 from Denton, Texas. It advertises a lifetime structural warranty on its red iron framing and a 30 year warranty on SMP paint. Rhino says its kits ship from AISC certified plants. Like most kit sellers, it doesn't supply anchor bolts.
6. Mueller
Mueller has been in business since 1930 and is part of Cornerstone Building Brands. It sells steel buildings, panels and components through its own locations, mostly in the South and Southwest, which helps if you want to pick up materials or talk to someone in person.
7. HCI Steel Buildings
HCI Steel Buildings in Arlington, Washington, makes steel buildings, components and roofing, and is a regional option for the Pacific Northwest. It was established in 2012 and sells individual components as well as full kits.
For more on how to compare suppliers, read our best metal building companies guide and our steel building companies overview.
Kit Options Worth Considering
Eave height. Going from 12 to 16 feet adds steel to the columns and wall panels but gives room for tall doors, lifts and mezzanines. It's much cheaper to add height now than to change it later.
Roof pitch. A 1:12 pitch is standard and cheapest. 3:12 or 4:12 looks more like a house and sheds snow faster.
Insulation. A roof and wall blanket with a vapor retarder stops condensation and makes a shop usable year round. Our insulation calculator estimates the area and cost.
Standing seam roof. Hidden fasteners and floating clips mean fewer leak points and a longer roof life, at a higher price.
Wainscot and trim colors. A contrasting lower panel and trim cost little and make a big difference to how the building looks.
Framed openings. Order framed openings for every door and window you might want, even if you add the door later. Cutting in an opening after erection needs engineering.
Common Kit Buying Mistakes
- Comparing quotes with different loads. A cheaper kit designed for lower snow or wind won't pass plan review.
- Forgetting freight. Some quotes exclude delivery, which can add thousands on a large kit.
- Ignoring the anchor bolt plan. Anchor bolts in the wrong spots are the most common cause of erection delays.
- Skipping insulation to save money. Adding it after the panels are on costs far more.
- Paying a big deposit without drawings. Ask for preliminary drawings before committing large sums.
DIY Or Hire An Erector?
Building it yourself
Small kits, up to about 30x40 with a 12 foot eave, are a realistic DIY job for a handy owner with two or three helpers, a rented lift and a few weekends. The pieces are numbered and the erection drawings show where each one goes.
What you'll need:
- A level, cured foundation with anchor bolts in exactly the right places
- A boom lift, scissor lift or telehandler
- Impact drivers, wrenches, ladders, safety harnesses and a come along
- Patience and an eye for detail, especially when squaring the frames
DIY can save several thousand dollars on a small building. On larger buildings, the frames are heavy enough to need a crane, and mistakes become expensive and dangerous.
Hiring an erector
An erector crew can put up most kits in days to a few weeks. Erection typically costs about $4 to $12 per square foot, depending on size, height and location. Our steel building erection costs guide covers what's included.
| DIY | Hired erector | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Tools and lift rental | About $4 to $12 per sq ft |
| Time | Weekends over weeks | Days to a few weeks |
| Risk | Falls, frame damage, errors | Crew insured and experienced |
| Best for | Small garages and sheds | Most buildings over about 1,200 sq ft |
If you'd rather not manage the project at all, a turnkey builder handles the foundation, kit and erection under one contract.
Kit vs Stick Built
A steel kit and a wood framed building of the same size can look similar once finished, but they're built very differently. A kit arrives engineered for your loads, with every piece cut and punched. A stick built shop is framed piece by piece on site. Kits usually go up faster, have clear spans without interior posts, and don't rot or attract termites. Wood framing is easier to modify later. For a closer comparison with post frame, see our metal building vs pole barn guide.
How To Buy A Metal Building Kit
- Get your loads from the county. Ask for the ground snow load, wind speed and exposure category.
- Decide on the size and use. Width, length, eave height, roof pitch, doors and windows.
- Get three quotes on the same spec. Make sure each includes the same loads, panels and accessories.
- Check what's excluded. Freight, anchor bolts, insulation, doors and sealed drawings are common add ons.
- Ask about lead time. Kits are fabricated to order; delivery can take several weeks or more after drawings are approved.
- Plan unloading. You'll need a forklift or telehandler when the truck arrives.
- Pour the foundation to the anchor bolt plan. It's the most important step for an easy erection. See our concrete slab calculator.
Get Quotes
Want to compare kit prices for your building? Get free quotes from steel building suppliers near you.
FAQ
How much does a metal building kit cost?
Around $14 to $17 per square foot for a typical 40 to 79 foot wide kit in 2026, so a 40x60 kit runs about $33,600 to $40,800. Smaller buildings cost more per square foot.
What is included in a metal building kit?
Red iron frames, purlins, girts, bracing, roof and wall panels, trim, fasteners and engineered drawings. Doors, windows, insulation and anchor bolts may cost extra.
Can I put up a metal building kit myself?
Small kits, up to about 30x40, are a realistic DIY project with helpers and a rented lift. Larger buildings usually need a professional erector.
Which metal building kit has the best warranty?
Of the suppliers we compared, Rhino advertises a lifetime structural warranty and Olympia a 60 year structural warranty. Read the full terms before you buy.
How long does it take to get a metal building kit delivered?
Kits are made to order, so delivery usually takes several weeks after drawings are approved, and longer in busy seasons. Ask each supplier for a current lead time.
Sources
- Company websites and warranty pages for the suppliers listed, checked October 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, PPI series WPU1017, checked October 2026.
- Rex Metal Buildings size and erection guides.
Ready to price your building? Get free metal building quotes from suppliers who serve your area, or use the form on this page and our team will be in touch.