Completed Projects
Happy Customers
Projects in Progress
New Orders This Week
Why Steel Works in Idaho
Steel buildings work in Idaho because each frame is engineered for its own county, and Idaho counties differ most in snow, from the Snake River Plain to the mountain counties. We are a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, dealer of pre-engineered steel building kits made from American steel since 2005, not an Idaho manufacturer. Our metal buildings in Idaho ship with PE-stamped drawings for the parcel.
Snow comes first. The national load standard leaves most of the West to local knowledge, so your county sets the ground snow load. Boise designs for 20 psf on the ground; Teton County requires at least 85 psf on the roof. Record snow in the winter of 2016–17 collapsed roofs on commercial buildings and homes in the Treasure Valley.
Idaho is earthquake country: the magnitude 6.9 Borah Peak earthquake of 1983 is the largest recorded in the state, and a 6.5 struck near Stanley in 2020. The seismic design category goes on the drawings, next to the design wind speed and exposure category under ASCE 7. Winters are cold and summers warm and dry; see our guide to insulating a metal building.
Footings go below the county frost line, 24 inches in Boise and 32 in Teton County, poured by a local contractor to our anchor bolt layout. One statewide code applies, but enforcement is local; see the codes and permits section below.
Idaho at a Glance
What We Engineer for:
Ground snow load set by your county from the University of Idaho study; ask for the figure before you order
Earthquake country, from Borah Peak in 1983 to Stanley in 2020; your parcel’s seismic design category is on every drawing set
Design wind speed and exposure category set per county under ASCE 7; Idaho Falls designs for open, exposure C ground
Footings below the county frost line, from 24 inches in Boise to 32 in Teton County
One statewide code edition; whether it is enforced, and by whom, depends on your city or county
Building Codes and Permits in Idaho
Idaho adopts one set of codes statewide, the 2018 International Building Code and the 2018 International Residential Code (as the Idaho Residential Code), through the Idaho Building Code Board at the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL). Our drawings are prepared to the edition in force; your building department is the authoritative source.
Inside city limits the city issues it; on unincorporated land the county does, if it runs a building code enforcement program. Not every county does: outside city limits in Idaho County the only building requirements are the state’s, and electrical and plumbing permits come from DOPL. We don’t pull the permit; we supply PE-stamped drawings, load calculations and specifications.
Every drawing set lists the site’s snow, seismic and wind figures, and the frame, purlins, bracing and anchor bolts are sized to them. In Idaho the snow figure rests on the University of Idaho snow load map, which Idaho Falls cites alongside ASCE 7. Snow retention is specified with the roof; see wind load vs snow load.
Under Idaho Code §39-4116(5), cities and counties must exempt agricultural buildings from the building code: barns, stables, hay and grain storage, and equipment sheds used only in farming. Living quarters and buildings open to the public are not exempt, and a county may still issue a permit to check road setbacks or ask for an exemption affidavit, as Kootenai County does. Zoning, septic and floodplain rules apply either way.
Idaho adopts one set of codes statewide, the 2018 International Building Code and the 2018 International Residential Code (as the Idaho Residential Code), through the Idaho Building Code Board at the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL). Our drawings are prepared to the edition in force; your building department is the authoritative source.
Inside city limits the city issues it; on unincorporated land the county does, if it runs a building code enforcement program. Not every county does: outside city limits in Idaho County the only building requirements are the state’s, and electrical and plumbing permits come from DOPL. We don’t pull the permit; we supply PE-stamped drawings, load calculations and specifications.
Every drawing set lists the site’s snow, seismic and wind figures, and the frame, purlins, bracing and anchor bolts are sized to them. In Idaho the snow figure rests on the University of Idaho snow load map, which Idaho Falls cites alongside ASCE 7. Snow retention is specified with the roof; see wind load vs snow load.
Under Idaho Code §39-4116(5), cities and counties must exempt agricultural buildings from the building code: barns, stables, hay and grain storage, and equipment sheds used only in farming. Living quarters and buildings open to the public are not exempt, and a county may still issue a permit to check road setbacks or ask for an exemption affidavit, as Kootenai County does. Zoning, septic and floodplain rules apply either way.
Steel Buildings We Deliver Across Idaho
What a Steel Building Costs in Idaho
The price of a steel building in Idaho depends on its size, its finish level and the engineering the site calls for. In Idaho that engineering follows snow: a mountain county adds frame weight, a valley parcel less. Steel building kits for sale in Idaho are quoted site by site, so send your county with the request.
From 20×20 to 30×40: garages, RV garages and equipment shelters.
From 30×50 to 40×80: workshops, hay and equipment barns, and shop-and-office buildings.
From 60×80 up: warehouses, commercial and industrial buildings, and covered storage for farm machinery.
The same 40×60 takes more steel in Teton County, with at least 85 psf of roof snow, than in Boise at 25 psf, and a wide span adds steel faster under snow than under wind.
A bare kit of frame, roof and wall panels sits at $. Insulation, doors and liner panels move it to $$, and a finished office inside to $$$. Dollar ranges by size are in our metal building cost guide.
From 20×20 to 30×40: garages, RV garages and equipment shelters.
From 30×50 to 40×80: workshops, hay and equipment barns, and shop-and-office buildings.
From 60×80 up: warehouses, commercial and industrial buildings, and covered storage for farm machinery.
The same 40×60 takes more steel in Teton County, with at least 85 psf of roof snow, than in Boise at 25 psf, and a wide span adds steel faster under snow than under wind.
A bare kit of frame, roof and wall panels sits at $. Insulation, doors and liner panels move it to $$, and a finished office inside to $$$. Dollar ranges by size are in our metal building cost guide.
How Idaho Owners Use Steel Buildings by Region
Treasure Valley (Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell; Ada and Canyon counties)
The Treasure Valley builds for business. Idaho was the second fastest-growing state from 2024 to 2025 and has led the nation in housing growth every year since 2020, by Census count, and Micron is building two memory fabs in Boise. Contractors and equipment dealers here order shop buildings with offices and service bays; for stock and wide clear-span floors, see our metal warehouses.
See also: Metal storage unit kits · Metal auto dealerships
Magic Valley (Twin Falls, Jerome, Burley; Twin Falls, Jerome, Cassia counties)
The Magic Valley runs on dairy. Idaho ranked third among states for milk and first for alfalfa hay in 2023 (USDA), and dairies and food processors need dry storage and equipment bays. Owners often weigh a steel barn against a pole barn; ours arrives engineered to the county’s snow load. Start with our metal hay barns.
See also: Livestock barns · Tractor barns
Eastern Idaho (Idaho Falls, Pocatello, Rexburg; Bonneville, Bannock, Madison counties)
Potatoes come first in Eastern Idaho: Idaho grew about a third of the nation’s potatoes in 2023, first among states. Farms here need crop storage and tall equipment bays; Idaho National Laboratory, the nation’s leading center for nuclear energy research, has more than 6,400 staff. Seismic design categories run higher here than in the western valleys, and families keep campers under a roof; see our RV garages.
See also: Steel church buildings · Recreational steel buildings
North Idaho (Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, Sandpoint, Lewiston; Kootenai, Bonner, Nez Perce counties)
North Idaho is lake and forest country. Lewiston, 465 miles from the Pacific, is the most inland port on the West Coast. Owners keep boats and snowmobiles out of the snow, and some build barndominiums near the lakes. For open-sided cover, see our metal carports.
See also: Residential metal buildings · Horse barns and stables
What can we design for you today?
Talk to a building specialist to learn more!
Design Your Building NowFrequently Asked Questions
It needs the ground snow load your county sets, and we engineer the frame to that figure. Idaho has no single number: the national standard leaves most of the West to local case studies, so counties use the University of Idaho’s snow load study. Our guide to metal building roof styles shows which ones shed snow best.
Yes. Idaho Code §39-4116(5) requires cities and counties to exempt agricultural buildings from the building code, and a county may not narrow the exemption with size limits. Living quarters and buildings open to the public are not covered, and zoning and septic rules still apply, so ask your county whether it wants an affidavit or a siting permit.
Usually yes, inside city limits and in counties that run a building program. Some rural counties have none: outside city limits in Idaho County only state requirements apply, with electrical and plumbing permits from DOPL. Call your county before you order: setbacks and septic rules still apply.
Yes, we supply pre-engineered kits for commercial and industrial buildings and warehouses across Idaho. Clear-span frames keep the floor open for racking, and the design can include an office section and dock-high doors. The frame is engineered to your county’s snow and seismic figures.
Yes, we deliver across Idaho, from Boise and Coeur d’Alene to Idaho Falls and the mountain counties. On a remote parcel, make sure a truck can reach the pad, especially in winter. We confirm your production schedule and delivery window when your order is finalized. DIY crews and local erectors work from the same drawings; if you want installation arranged, ask when you request your quote.
Loafing Shed vs Run-In Shed: Sizes, Layouts, Steel Option
Quick Answer What is a Loafing Shed, and How is it Different From a Run-In Shed? A loafing shed is a roofed shelter, usually closed on three sides and open on the fourth, where livestock rest out of the weather and leave whenever they like. In a barn with stalls each horse is led in […]
Read Article
How to Build a Barndominium: Steps From Land to Move-In
Quick Answer Building a barndominium runs in a set order: check the land and local rules, choose the size and plan, get engineered drawings and a permit, order the steel kit, prepare the site and pour the slab, erect the shell, then finish rough-ins, insulation and the interior before the final inspection. A barndominium is […]
Read Article
Barndominium Interior Ideas for a Steel-Frame Home
Quick Answer Barndominium interior ideas that hold up start with what the steel frame allows: an open floor with no load-bearing interior walls, and enough height for a loft or a vaulted great room. Behind the finishes, insulation and moisture control keep the rooms dry, and a separation wall divides living space from any shop. […]
Read Article
Standard Garage Sizes: 1-, 2- and 3-Car Garage Dimensions
Quick Answer Standard Garage Sizes at a Glance When people say “standard garage size,” they usually mean a two-car garage, and that is what most new houses get. In 2025, 64% of newly completed single-family homes had a two-car garage, according to the Census Bureau’s Characteristics of New Housing data. Garages for three or more […]
Read Article
What is a PEMB (Pre-Engineered Metal Building)?
Quick Answer What PEMB Stands for, and What the Industry Actually Calls it PEMB stands for pre-engineered metal building. Contractors and building officials use the acronym for a low-rise steel building that one manufacturer designs and supplies as a complete structural package. The same product appears in quotes under other names too: pre-engineered steel building, […]
Read Article
Red Iron Steel Buildings Explained
Quick Answer What Red Iron is and Where the Name Comes From Dealers and classified ads use “red iron” as if it were a material you could order by name. It isn’t. It’s trade shorthand for the heavy structural steel in the primary frame of a metal building, and the phrase stuck because the parts […]
Read Article
How Much Does it Cost to Build a Barndominium in 2026?
How much does it cost to build a barndominium? Nationally in 2026, a fully turnkey build with standard finishes runs $65 to $160 per square foot, and the steel or post-frame shell alone, the kit plus on-site assembly, runs $30 to $50 per square foot before any interior work starts (Source: HomeGuide, 2026). For a […]
Read Article
How Long Do Metal Roofs Last?
Quick Answer Types of Metal Roofing Panels and Why the Fastening System Matters Panel profile decides how a roof looks. Fastening system decides how long it holds up, and that second factor does more to separate the low end of the 30-to-50-plus-year range from the high end than the choice of steel itself. Three fastening […]
Read Article
How to Convert a Garage into Living Space: A 2026 Cost and Code Guide
Converting a garage into living space is the process of insulating, sealing, finishing, and reclassifying a garage so it can be permitted and used as a bedroom, home office, family room, or accessory dwelling unit (ADU). The work costs $15,000 to $60,000 in most US regions in 2026, depending on scope, takes 3 to 10 […]
Read Article