Using Rex Metal Buildings for your next turnkey steel construction project is a great way to save you money. Compared to conventional construction methods, where each specialist contractor worries about their own profit margin, turnkey construction builds are streamlined and efficient and can save up to 33% on the total cost of the build. Just contact our specialist turnkey steel building construction team to discuss your project. You won’t be disappointed.
What Is a Turnkey Build?
A turnkey build is a structure sold to the customer as complete without them having to do anything else. Basically, the main contractor does everything, even providing the furnishings if necessary, without the customer lifting a finger. In effect, the customer “turns the key” of the front door and is ready to move in without additional effort.
Typical Turnkey Metal Building Prices*
A basic Rex Metal Building kit sells for between $15 and $25/sq.ft. However, the average price of a turnkey steel structure is from $25 to $45/sq.ft. The turnkey installation typically includes the prefab kit, concrete foundation, floor, construction, and delivery. Also, there will be additional payments depending on whether you want extra features, furnishings, and internal walls to suit the structure’s purpose. But, overall, a streamlined turnkey installation is cheaper than having the additional work done as extras. Please discuss your requirements with our turnkey sales team, who will happily accommodate your wishes and prepare a turnkey quotation.
Let’s look at a few popular-sized metal buildings to indicate the price for an average prefabricated kit.
Common Metal Building Kit Prices
The table below doesn’t include additional costs for customized features, as there are too many permutations and combinations to consider. Instead, we’ll look at a typical small, medium, and large turnkey building kit in the next section.
| Building Size | Price/Sq.Ft. | Average Kit Price |
| 30ft x 30ft | $20 | $18,000 |
| 40ft x 40ft | $20 | $32,000 |
| 40ft x 60ft | $18 | $43,200 |
| 60ft x 80ft | $19 | $91,200 |
| 100ft x 100ft | $16 | $160,000 |
Turnkey Build Prices
The table in this section shows the minimum price of a standard small, medium, and large steel kit, plus some typical additional customized features.
| Size | Kit Dimensions | Typical Turnkey Customizations & Features | Minimum Price |
| Small | 40ft x 30ft x 14ft | Two 10ft x 12ft overhead doors & frames. | $28,000 |
| One 3ft x 7ft personnel door. | |||
| One 12ft x 40ft x 7ft lean-to porch. | |||
| Six 3ft x 7ft double-glazed windows. | |||
| 2:12 Roof pitch. | |||
| One 3ft x 3ft ventilation cupola. | |||
| Medium | 60ft x 40ft x 16ft | Two 12ft x 14ft overhead doors & frames. | $50,000 |
| Two 3ft x 7ft personnel doors. | |||
| One 12ft x 40ft x 14ft lean-to porch. | |||
| Sixteen skylights. | |||
| 3:12 Roof pitch. | |||
| Large | 100ft x 50ft x 18ft | Two 10ft x 16ft roll-up doors & frames. | $90,000 |
| Six 3ft x 7ft personnel doors. | |||
| Thirtytwo skylights. | |||
| Seven 3ft x 4ft windows. | |||
| Two door canopies. | |||
| 1:12 Roof pitch. |
For a full list of our turnkey metal build products, complete the contact form on this page, or call (855) 202-1242.
Remember, these are only ballpark figures that don’t factor in the build location, roof style, type of foundation, design complexity, and other custom features. Instead, use the figures as a starting point for your research.
Turnkey Steel Building Cost Factors
Before you decide which turnkey kit you prefer, you must understand that many factors influence the prefab’s price. No prefabricated metal building supplier can give you an accurate price without a complete understanding of your project and its requirements, and Rex Metal Buildings is no exception. After discussing the project, its requirements, and its location with our sales team, they can compile a list of potential features and customizations, along with fixed prices for you to consider.
Let’s look at some of the main cost factors.
International Steel Prices
Most prefabricated metal building suppliers can negotiate the prices of several turnkey features. However, the cost of steel is not one of them.
Our designers specify a certain thickness and grade of steel to ensure reliability, a long lifespan, and the safety of the people or livestock living or working inside the structure. In fact, we are legally responsible for providing you with a structure made from steel strong enough to withstand its weight and the stresses from extreme weather without collapsing. We never negotiate on safety or quality and buy the best steel we need to complete your project. Therefore, we are at the mercy of the steel commodity price, which can change daily. Also, we are limited (as are all pre-engineered metal building manufacturers) by our purchasing power.
Steel commodity prices fluctuate continually and reached an all-time high in 2021. However, forecasts predict that the prices for 2022 to 2024 should fall. But as with all things, unforeseen circumstances such as the Covid-19 pandemic, geopolitical problems, and their associated supply chain issues can throw forecasts out the window and highlight the unpredictability of global steel trading. You can find out more information about this here.
The Building’s Location
Several factors based on the location of the building affect the overall price, and you should be aware of them.
Fuel Prices
Fuel prices affect transportation costs which in turn affect shipping and delivery rates. We can supply anywhere in the country, but as you probably appreciate, you might be situated further from our shipping locations than other customers. Therefore, always verify delivery charges when you place your order. Generally, shipping fees cost 4% to 7% of the total turnkey price.
Building Codes
Where you intend to build your structure (its geographic location) often dictates the steel gauge used to manufacture your building. Local building codes consider extreme natural conditions like wind, snow, and seismic activity. For example, building on coastal construction sites, areas with high snowfall, hurricane-prone areas, or near earthquake zones suffer increased loads and need more structural steel. Talk to our specialist team, who can ensure your structure meets or exceeds your local building code requirements.
Building Permit Fees
Construction permits vary in price depending on the size and complexity of your project and its whereabouts in the country, as regions charge different fees. For example, a project’s building permit might cost $150 in a small town. But, the same project might cost up to $8,000 in a large city. Typically, you’ll find that most building permits cost between $500 and $2,000.
Labor Rates
Rates for hiring specialist contractors for foundation work, structure erection, and finishing will vary depending on where you live. Sometimes, the rates can vary by as much as 60%. So, be prepared for additional spending if you don’t use our turnkey solution.
Local Materials
Our sales team will fix the cost of your prefabricated kit. But, if you don’t use our turnkey build, you must buy other materials, such as the price of concrete, base stone, and finishing materials, which will vary depending on your area and the supplier.
Site Preparation
Preparing and clearing the site is an expense that often gets forgotten when amateurs budget their projects. The costs will vary depending on the lot you intend to build on, its condition, and how much work is needed to prepare the area for pouring foundations. Typically, the estimates you receive from contractors will vary depending on your location, local weather patterns, and the area’s geology. Using our turnkey solution, you won’t have to worry about this.
Unless you’re using our turnkey build, use the following rough estimates as a helpful guide when you prepare your budget. But check with a professional for an actual price. The rates are based on the area of the building.
| Site Preparation Tasks | Labor Rate |
| Land Surveying | $1,500/sq.ft. to $2,000/sq.ft. |
| Design Site & Draw Plans | $800/sq.ft. to $2,500/sq.ft. |
| Soil Testing | $750/sq.ft. to $1,800/sq.ft. |
| Clearing Site | $1/sq.ft. to $5/sq.ft. |
| Grading Site | $0.50/sq.ft. to $3/sq.ft. |
Structure Erection
The cost to erect the building will vary with the location and the local labor rates. Try to budget from $5/sq.ft. to $10/sq.ft. as a rough guide. But, as explained previously, ask local professionals for accurate estimates based on the project’s complexity.
Pouring Concrete Foundations
You’ve probably already guessed that the cost of foundations depends on several factors:
- Soil conditions.
- Local geology.
- The building’s location.
- Type of foundation.
- Thickness and depth of foundation.
- Local labor rates.
- The price of concrete in the area.
- Cost of excavator hire.
For a simple foundation design, expect to pay $5/sq.ft. to $10/sq.ft. for a concrete slab foundation. However, you need an accurate quotation before starting the project, so contact a foundation specialist who can calculate a price based on the building’s weight, size, and design complexity. Once again, if you choose our turnkey build, we’ll do this for you.
Design Costs
Usually, we include the design of a basic structure in our fixed price. However, if you want an elaborate and complex design, you can use your own architect, who will charge approximately 7% to 10% of the total project cost. Furthermore, if you want professionally designed floor, plumbing, and electrical plans, expect to pay $300 to $3,000.
Insulation
The type and amount of insulation required depends on the structure’s purpose, your climate zone, and the R-value of the insulation. The following list provides estimates for three types of insulation.
- Spray foam insulation – $1.50/sq.ft. to $2.50/sq.ft.
- Fiberglass batts or rolls – $0.50/sq/ft to $1.50/sq.ft.
- Structural Insulated Panels (SIP) – $5/sq.ft. to $10/sq.ft.
Door and Window Framed Openings
Wherever you have a door or window, you need an opening and frame added to the building. Furthermore, the opening also requires additional steel to carry the building’s load to the foundations. The following list shows the estimated additional cost per opening.
- Personnel door openings – $300 to $600.
- Overhead door openings – $400 to $850.
- Window openings – $200 to $450.
Personnel Doors
Personnel doors have a standard 3ft x 7ft size, and their estimated price varies from $450 to $900.
Overhead Doors
Overhead door sizes depend on their purpose. And their price will vary with size and amount of insulation. Typically, use the following rough estimates in your budget forecast.
- Roll-Up doors – $1,200 to $5,000.
- Sectional doors – $1,000 to $4,000.
Windows
The cost of windows varies significantly depending on their size and whether they are vinyl or architectural-grade materials. Typically, expect the price to be between $250 and $800.
Rainwater Management
All buildings require gutters and downspouts to divert the rainwater from the foundations. The type of rainwater gear can be vinyl, aluminum, or steel, and the size of the building determines how many linear feet of each you require. Typically, these cost from $4 to $15 per linear foot.
The following table shows how much rainwater management will cost for various-sized buildings.
| Dimensions | Area | Length of Rainwater Management | Estimated Price Range |
| 40ft x 30ft x 14ft | 1,200sq.ft. | 125ft. | $500 – $1,875 |
| 60ft x 40ft x 16ft | 2,400sq.ft. | 200ft. | $800 – $3,000 |
| 100ft x 50ft x 18ft | 5,000sq.ft. | 350ft. | $1,400 – $5,250 |
Benefits of Turnkey Metal Structures
You might have heard about the benefits of turnkey metal building from friends and colleagues or seen the overblown advertising on television or in the press. However, there’s nothing better than getting to the facts, which we will consider now.
Simple Contractor Communication
The best thing about having a turnkey installation is that you don’t have to deal with multiple contractor teams trying to get the best deal for themselves. Instead, you have one team working toward a unified plan. Furthermore, they will aim to meet your project goals, not try to undercut their competitors.
Everything Under One Roof
One project management team will organize every step of the project build. Typically, this can include buying the materials and managing the multiple contractor teams to handle everything from design, concrete work, and steel erection to finishing the interior build floorplan, drywall, and service installation.
Fit For Purpose
Explaining your project requirements to our specialist turnkey sales team ensures your turnkey building is designed and fitted out to suit its purpose. This could include agricultural, equine, commercial, personal, or community use.
Faster And More Affordable Build Than A Customized Metal Building
It’s a known fact that turnkey metal buildings provide a quicker and more affordable build than conventional buildings, or buying a steel shell and organizing the specialist contractors yourself. This is because the design can allow for the finished services and interior walls, so the shell is ready to accept these installations as soon as the structure is erected.
Streamlined Build
Rather than juggling multiple contractors’ requirements, a turnkey project uses one contractor team which handles every step of the build for you.
One Payment
With a conventional build using multiple contractors, you must check that each contractor has finished their work to the required standard before the following contractor starts. This results in many independent inspections and multiple invoices you have to pay, often before the job is complete. In contrast, a turnkey build uses one team of contractors, each working from the same page. And you only have one invoice to pay when we hand over the job to you.
Rex Metal Building’s Turnkey Offerings
Rex Metal Buildings has a dedicated turnkey construction team that handles your project from design to handover. They will liaise with you to ensure the build meets your every requirement. This includes organizing the multiple contractor disciplines to run smoothly and efficiently and providing inspections at every stage. Our turnkey team will manage:
- Building design and floor plan.
- Site clearing, preparation, organization, and development.
- Concrete foundations and floor slab.
- Metal building manufacture and delivery.
- Building assembly.
- Interior build including drywall, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, floor covering, and painting.
We Have You Covered!
Rex Metal Buildings’ turnkey construction team is skilled at project management and will manage multiple contractors, so you don’t have to. Contact them for a free estimate on your construction project. You will find that our turnkey estimates save you money compared to conventional building practices. Also, we cover the entire country and can accommodate the different building codes in your area.
Call us at (855) 202-1242 or complete the form on this page, and one of our sales agents will reach out to you.