Morton Buildings, Inc. was founded in 1903 under the name Interlocking Fence Company. From a small hardware store in Morton, Illinois, the company expanded through the decades to a mail order business and eventually to the provider of quality barn buildings they’re known as today.
Although they’re still headquartered in Morton, IL today, Morton Buildings has locations across 37 states. They offer a wide variety of storage buildings from farms to garages to stables. They even offer commercial buildings such as airplane hangars, as well as repairs and renovations to buildings already in existence.
Morton Buildings Services
Morton Buildings may have started with just fences and barns, but today they offer a much wider range of buildings, as well as repair and renovations services. In addition, their website provides detailed information about the types of floor plans they offer, and you can view photos and work details about real projects they’ve completed in the past.
Farm And Agricultural Buildings
When Morton first expanded from fencing to buildings, barns and other farming storage were one of their first focuses. Today they offer a wide range of floor plans, including:
- Machine Storage (up to 150’)
- Insulated Workshops
- Commercial Seed Dealerships
- Dairy Barns
- Livestock Barns (including monoslope roofs)
Residential Garage And Hobby Buildings
Morton Buildings doesn’t just provide for commercial farms; they also offer projects for smaller residential needs as well. These include:
- RV & Tall Vehicle Storage
- Boat & Small Vehicle Storage
- Hobby Shops
- Detached Garages
- Recreational Outbuildings
- Storage Sheds
- Detached Office Space
Residential Homes And Cabins
Not only can Morton Buildings provide storage space, but they can also build complete homes from the ground up.
Morton Buildings has floorplans for:
- Ranch Homes
- Cabins
- Shouse
A “shouse” is a large workshop with a living space included in the floorplan. In short, it’s an innovative combo of shop space and home that’s a specialty of Morton Buildings.
Equestrian Buildings
Whether you need a place to safely contain your horses or an area to ride them, Morton Buildings can provide it. Their floor plans include:
- Stables And Stall Barns
- Riding Arena
- Pasture Shelters
- Hay Storage
Commercial Buildings
If you need a better workspace for your business ventures, Morton Buildings can also build a variety of commercial spaces:
- Airplane Hangar
- Animal Service Buildings
- Wedding/Event Venues
- Offices
- Warehouses
- Mini storage
- Banks
- Automotive Service Buildings
- Child Care
- Large Commercial Storage
- Retail Buildings And Restaurants
- Winery/Brewery/Distillery Buildings
Repairs And Renovations
Morton Buildings doesn’t just build from scratch, they also can repair and renovate buildings already on your property. They offer steel renovation for roofs and walls as well as building extension, porch additions, and skylight services.
When it comes to repairs, Morton Buildings covers:
- Sliding Doors
- Interior Insulation
- Windows
- Posts
- Equestrian Stalls
- Gutter Services
- Trim
Pricing
As with any contractor project, the final cost can vary depending on the size of the building, the materials used, and even the location. It’s always good to call a company representative to get a quote before you begin, and many companies only offer quotes when it comes to pricing.
The Morton Builders website, however, provides more detail than most about what to expect for the cost of their services. While they still recommend contacting a sales consultant, they give a breakdown of what’s included in their costs, as well as a list of factors that will impact the price.
They also give a price range of between $50 to over $100 per square foot for add-ons such as concrete, HVAC, and plumbing.
As a starting reference, the Morton Buildings blog lists the minimum cost of an 1800 square-foot ranch-style insulated house shell as $70 per square foot. The final cost can be upwards of $300,000 with interior finishing.
Financing
There is no internal financing or lending with Morton Buildings, but they do work with outside lenders for their customers. This includes both national and local institutions, which vary by location and by the type of building you want to finance.
Their website allows you to look at some of the lenders they work with based on the type of project you need.
Morton Buildings Reviews & Rating
According to the Better Business Bureau, Morton Buildings, Inc. has been an accredited business since 2009 and has an A+ rating. Their rating is not based entirely on user reviews, however; it also includes factors such as the number of complaints filed and length of time in business.
The only two reviews available on the BBB website both gave Morton one star, citing issues with customer service being unresponsive and rude when they did respond.
However, outside of BBB, most reviews are local, and some locations have much more positive reviews. Positive reviews cite the long-lasting quality of Morton buildings as well as the in-depth consultation throughout the entire building process.
BBB – 1/5 (based on 2 reviews)
Houzz – 5/5 (based on 7 reviews)
Customer Testimonials
If you want to hear more about real customer experiences, read these testimonials that come straight from the source:
Chawna V., feedback survey from Mortonbuildings.com – “I was very happy and pleased with all the crew, they were very polite and kept job site clear and picked up. Everyone was so nice! I really appreciated all of Charlie Larsen’s help. He was so concerned where to put my building. I am handicapped so Charlie was so helpful to me. I really appreciated all his help! He’s a real nice guy!”
Rob Preston, Google reviews (Morton, IL location) – “[…]We would use Morton Buildings again in a heartbeat. Not the best price, but we factored that in when considering the quality of what we were attempting to build. Very, very satisfied with the results, and highly recommend this completely professional company.” (5/5 rating)
Candace Benyei, Google review (Morton, IL location) – “Before you contract to build a Morton building, be aware that in the fine print they only warranty their roofs for 5 short years! I had them put up a very small, but very expensive hay shed for $30,000 in 2007, and the roof has already failed (I have put up similar sheds and the roofs have been good for 25 years plus.) The most Morton will do is for $900 come and put some caulking on it. The shed has a significant leak on both the East and West exposures. It sits in the wide open and has never been touched by a tree branch or other foreign body. I will never build another Morton building again.” (1/5 rating).
Pros
The quality of Morton Buildings services may vary from location to location, but in general, the company holds to a few core values that make contracting them worthwhile:
- Vertical integration of manufacturing and building: Morton Buildings, Inc. has six facilities for manufacturing across the U.S. This gives them better control over their material quality, timelines, and lowers their shipping costs.
- Quality materials: Because Morton sources and manufactures their own building materials, they have much more control over their quality. They don’t have to rely on other suppliers who might have lower standards than Morton themselves.
- Wide-ranging warranties: Morton Buildings guarantees the quality of their work, in many cases for up to 50 years. Their 50-year snow warranty has no weight limit, they handle warranty repairs in house instead of going through other manufacturers, they’re not prorated and include both labor and materials.
- Years of experience: Morton Buildings has been in business for 119 years and has become a nationwide chain. The business was kept in-family for over 113 years, staying consistent to their original brand rather than having an ever-changing management. According to their website, their foremen have an average of 16 years of experience in the field, showing a true dedication to their craft.
Cons
- Customer service varies in quality: Many of the lower-rated reviews of Morton Buildings, Inc. cite poor customer service as their main complaint. Depending on the location of your nearest Morton office, you may find it difficult to get a hold of a representative when you need one.
- Repair and renovation information is limited online: The Morton Buildings website offers in-depth looks at the types of buildings and additions they can create for their customers. When it comes to repairs and renovations, however, the information is more limited. They provide a general list of jobs they cover, but it lacks the detail they provide for their main building services.
- No internal financing: If you need assistance with affording your new building or repairs, you may have to seek financing assistance. Unfortunately, Morton Buildings does not provide internal loans or financing. This means you will have to involve a third party who may not be as familiar with your needs or have the same quality of service. If you prefer to keep as much of your business interactions in-house as possible, Morton Buildings may not be able to provide what you need.
Website: https://mortonbuildings.com/