New: see your building full size in your own yard, right from your phone.see it full size in your yard.

Try the designer
Design in 3D Get a quote

Buying guide

How buying a steel building works. Who does what, and when.

Six steps from first idea to finished building. You'll know what you do, what we do and what the manufacturer's crew does, what's on your quote, and how to get your site ready so install day goes smoothly.

Get my free quote Site checklist

The six steps

Each step says who handles it. Worken is your dealer and stays your contact the whole way; the manufacturer builds, delivers and installs your building.

  1. You

    Pick a design and ask for a price

    Start from a design in the shop, or let the 3D designer size a building for what you'll keep in it. Then send the quote form. It takes about a minute, and there's no deposit to get a price.

  2. Worken

    Get your quote and drawing

    We check your size, location and wind or snow needs, then send an itemized quote and a drawing, usually the same business day. We'll call or email to go over any questions.

  3. YouWorken helps

    Check permits and HOA rules

    Many counties need a permit, and some neighborhoods need HOA approval. We help you look up your county's rules before you order. The property owner applies for the permit, and engineer-certified drawings are available for many locations. The free Site & permit packet has the drawings and a worksheet to bring along.

  4. YouWorken

    Sign your order and pay the deposit

    You sign the order and pay a deposit, usually 10% to 15% of the building price depending on the price. The amount and refund terms are written on your order before you sign. Your order is final once the manufacturer approves it.

  5. YouManufacturer

    Get your site ready while your building is scheduled

    The manufacturer confirms your order, usually with an automated call within about two business days, and builds it at the plant nearest you. Many buildings are installed about 8 to 10 weeks after you order, weather permitting; remote areas can take longer, and your quote gives an estimate. Their scheduling team calls you to confirm your install date. Use the wait to get the site ready: level, clear and with any permit in hand.

  6. ManufacturerYou

    Install day

    The manufacturer's crew arrives with a truck and a 30' to 36' trailer, checks the site with you and builds your building. Depending on the size, that takes from about an hour to two days. Walk around it with the crew before they leave. The balance is paid to the manufacturer when installation is complete, by major credit card, cashier's check or money order (not a personal or company check). Report any installation concern within 30 days, and contact us with any questions.

Your quote and deposit, in writing

Surprise fees are the most common complaint in this business. Here's what you'll see before you pay anything, and what can add cost later.

Your quote lists every charge

  • The building as designed: size, roof, walls, doors, windows and colors
  • Delivery and installation, including any labor or equipment charges
  • Anchors for what it sits on: concrete, asphalt, gravel or ground
  • Engineer-certified drawings, if your county needs them
  • Sales tax, your deposit, and who the balance is paid to and when
  • Refund terms and an estimated install window

Nothing is ordered until you approve it in writing. Getting a quote is free.

Your deposit

  • Usually 10% to 15% of the building price, paid to Worken when you order
  • The balance is paid to the manufacturer when installation is complete, by card, cashier's check or money order. No personal or company checks.
  • Paying in full up front? You pay the manufacturer directly.
  • The amount and refund terms are on your order before you sign
  • You pay through a secure payment link. We never ask for card numbers by phone, text or email.

What can add cost later

  • A site that isn't ready. If the ground isn't level, the way is blocked or a required permit isn't in hand, the crew may not be able to build. A return trip costs $150 or 5% of the building price, whichever is more.
  • Cancelling at the last minute. Cancelling within 72 hours of your install date carries the same fee.
  • Extra labor on the day. Cutting legs to fit uneven ground, building over something that wasn't moved, or carrying materials a long way to the spot can be charged as extra labor.
  • Big or tall buildings. Some need a lift or other equipment. When we know it's needed, it's on your quote.
  • Changes after you order. Moving a door or changing the size can change the price. Get any change in writing before install day.

Exact charges are set by the manufacturer and written in your quote and sales agreement.

Get your site ready

Most delays and extra charges come from a site that isn't ready. Work through this list before your install date.

Print this list for my building Concrete pad calculator
  1. Pick the spot. Mark the footprint with stakes and string. Leave room around it for the crew to work.
  2. Check setbacks. Confirm the distance from property lines, your house, septic system and well with your county.
  3. Call 811 before you dig. It's free. They mark underground utility lines. Mark private lines (septic, irrigation, private power) yourself.
  4. Get approvals. A building permit if your county requires one, and HOA or covenant approval if you have one. Have them in hand before install day.
  5. Level the site. Within 3" across the whole footprint. More than that can mean legs cut to fit (an extra charge) or no install that day.
  6. Prepare the base. A concrete pad, compacted gravel, sound asphalt or firm, level ground. Enclosed buildings do best on concrete. Your build sheet lists the pad size and anchors.
  7. Clear the way. A clear route for the delivery truck pulling a 30' to 36' trailer: watch for low branches, overhead power lines, narrow gates, soft ground and steep slopes. Tell us about anything tricky before install day.
  8. Clear the footprint. Move vehicles, equipment and debris out of the footprint, and leave at least 3' clear all the way around it for the crew.
  9. Have the balance ready. Card, cashier's check or money order, before the crew arrives. No personal or company checks.
  10. Be reachable on install day. Plan to be there when the crew arrives, or be reachable by phone.

Words you'll hear

The parts of a steel building, in plain words. The numbers on each drawing match the list that goes with it.

Front view of an enclosed steel garage with a lean-to, with numbered parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
The outside, from the front
  1. Gable end. The front and back walls, with the triangle under the roof. Doors here are "end entry"; doors on the long walls are "side entry".
  2. Peak. The highest point of the roof.
  3. Pitch. How steep the roof is, as rise per 12" across. A 3:12 roof rises 3" for every 12".
  4. Eave. The roof edge along the long sides. Roof styles differ mostly here.
  5. Leg height. From the ground to where the roof starts. It sets how tall a door can be. Also called eave or sidewall height.
  6. Width, length, height (W × L × H). Width is the gable end, length runs front to back, height is the leg height.
  7. Roll-up door. A steel door that rolls up into a coil above the opening.
  8. Headroom. The space the coil needs above a roll-up door: about 12", or 24" for doors 12' and larger.
  9. Walk-in door. A regular hinged door, usually 36" × 80".
  10. Wainscot. A band of a second color along the bottom of the walls.
  11. Trim. The edge pieces at corners, eaves and doors, often in an accent color.
  12. Lean-to. A lower roof added to a side, open or enclosed, for storage, equipment or animals.
Side view of the steel frame with the panels off, with numbered parts 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
The frame, from the side, with the panels off
  1. Legs. The upright steel posts along each side.
  2. Trusses. The roof frames that sit on the legs and hold up the roof. Also called bows.
  3. Hat channel. Steel strips running the length of the roof. On a vertical roof, the panels screw to them. Also called purlins.
  4. Braces. Short diagonal pieces where the legs meet the roof. They stiffen the frame against wind.
  5. Base rail. The steel tube along the ground that the legs sit on. It's what gets anchored down.
  6. Anchors. Hold the base rail down: wedge anchors in concrete, asphalt anchors, or long auger anchors in gravel or ground.
  7. Length. Front to back, along the sides.

Other words on your quote

Gauge
Steel thickness. A lower number is thicker: a 12-gauge frame is heavier than 14-gauge.
Certified building
Comes with engineer-certified drawings showing it's rated for set wind and snow loads. Many counties ask for them with a permit.
Wind and snow rating
How much wind (mph) and snow (pounds per square foot) the building is designed for. Your county sets what you need.
Frameout
Extra framing around a door or window opening. It can be its own line on a quote.
Setback
How far a building must be from property lines, roads or other buildings. Your county or HOA sets it.
Flush-mount kit
Lets the frame sit right at the edge of a slab poured to the exact building size.

Questions

Don't see yours? Email contact@workenstructures.com and ask.

Do you deliver to me?

We deliver and install in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Put your ZIP code on the quote form and we'll confirm your address is in the install area before you pay anything.

How long does it take?

Many buildings are installed about 8 to 10 weeks after you order, weather permitting. Remote areas and busy seasons can take longer. Your quote gives an estimate, and the manufacturer calls you to set the date.

What if my ground isn't level?

The site needs to be level within 3" across the footprint. If it isn't, have it graded, or pour a concrete pad, before install day. Tell us about any slope when you ask for a price.

Do I have to be home on install day?

It's best to be there when the crew arrives, so you can confirm where the building goes. If you can't, be reachable by phone.

Can I change my building after I order?

Often, yes, but a change can affect the price and the schedule. Ask as early as you can and get the change in writing before install day.

Who handles the warranty?

Your building comes with the manufacturer's written warranty: 90 days on workmanship from the day it's installed, and 20 years on the painted panels against peeling, cracking and similar defects. Conditions apply (for example, regular and boxed eave roofs 31' and longer get shorter coverage, so we recommend a vertical roof there). We send the full warranty with your quote, before you pay anything, and we'll help you reach the manufacturer if you ever need to use it.

Get your price

Send us the basics and a building specialist will call you with a price, usually the same business day.

  1. We review your size, location and wind or snow needs.
  2. We call to confirm details and answer questions.
  3. You get an itemized quote and drawing to review.

Or email contact@workenstructures.com

See our text message terms and privacy policy. Without this box checked, we'll reply by email or a personal call.

We use your information to prepare your quote and share it only with the manufacturer and partners needed to price and build it. We never sell it. Privacy policy

Shop Design Get a quote