Selecting the right building size ranks among the most important decisions you’ll make for your construction project. Build too small and you’ll quickly outgrow the space, requiring expensive expansion. Build unnecessarily large and you’ll pay for unused square footage you don’t need. Getting the size right from the start saves money and ensures your building serves its purpose effectively.
At DGS Concrete, we work with steel building contractors in North Carolina and help property owners throughout High Point, Greensboro, and surrounding areas determine appropriate building sizes for their needs. With over 25 years of combined experience, we’ve learned what questions to ask and what factors to consider when planning steel building projects. This guide walks you through the size selection process.
Assessing Your Current Needs
Start by honestly evaluating what you need to store or what activities will happen in your building. This assessment forms the foundation for determining appropriate size.
Making a Complete Inventory
List everything that will go in your building. Include vehicles, equipment, tools, materials, and any other items. Don’t forget to account for items currently stored elsewhere that you plan to consolidate. This complete inventory prevents surprises after construction when you realize something doesn’t fit.
Measure larger items carefully. Vehicle dimensions matter more than you might think. A truck with an extended cab needs more length than a standard vehicle. RVs and boats require both length and height considerations. Write down actual measurements rather than guessing.
Considering Access and Movement
Items need space not just for storage but also for access. You need room to walk around stored items, open vehicle doors, and maneuver equipment. A building that technically fits everything but leaves no working space becomes frustrating to use.
Think about how you’ll move items in and out. Will you need to back a trailer inside? Do you need space to work on vehicles or equipment? These practical considerations affect how much floor space you actually need beyond just storage dimensions.
Defining Primary Purpose
Buildings serve different purposes, and purpose affects size requirements. Simple storage needs less space per item than workshop activities. Retail or office space requires different layout considerations than warehouse storage.
Be specific about your building’s primary function. “Storage” is too general. Storage for what, exactly? How will you access stored items? Will you need workbench space? These details help determine whether a basic storage building suffices or whether you need a larger, more versatile structure.
Planning for Future Growth
Today’s needs rarely stay constant. Most people accumulate more belongings over time. Businesses grow and acquire more equipment. Planning for reasonable growth prevents the need for premature expansion or construction of additional buildings.
The Five-Year Outlook
Consider where you’ll be in five years. Will your family grow? Are you planning to buy another vehicle? Does your business expect to expand operations? These anticipated changes should influence your size selection now.
However, avoid overbuilding based on uncertain future needs. Building 50% larger than you need today “just in case” means paying for unused space that might never get filled. Find balance between current requirements and reasonable anticipated growth.
Accounting for the Unexpected
Life brings unexpected changes. Job changes, hobbies, inherited items, or business opportunities arise unpredictably. Building with 10-20% extra capacity beyond your calculated needs provides buffer space for these surprises without excessive overbuilding.
This buffer space also makes the building more comfortable to use. Buildings filled to capacity feel cramped and become difficult to organize. A bit of extra room improves functionality and makes daily use more pleasant.
Common Size Options and Their Uses
Steel buildings come in standard sizes, though custom dimensions are also available. Understanding what different sizes typically accommodate helps narrow your options.
Smaller Buildings (20×20 to 24×30)
These compact sizes work well for single-vehicle garages, small workshops, or equipment storage. A 20×20 building provides 400 square feet, enough for one car plus some storage. A 24×30 offers 720 square feet, accommodating a vehicle and substantial additional storage or workspace.
Homeowners often choose these sizes for residential garages or storage sheds. Small businesses use them for equipment storage or modest workshop spaces. They’re affordable, quick to construct, and fit well on typical residential lots without overwhelming the property.
Medium Buildings (30×40 to 40×60)
Medium-sized buildings serve diverse purposes. A 30×40 (1,200 square feet) comfortably houses multiple vehicles or creates a generous workshop. A 40×60 provides 2,400 square feet, suitable for RV storage, light commercial operations, or substantial equipment storage.
These sizes represent the sweet spot for many property owners. They’re large enough for serious use but not so massive that they overwhelm residential properties or strain budgets. Contractors, hobbyists, and small businesses frequently choose these dimensions.
Larger Buildings (50×80 and Beyond)
Buildings exceeding 50 feet in width typically serve commercial purposes. A 50×80 building offers 4,000 square feet, suitable for warehousing, manufacturing, or substantial commercial operations. Even larger buildings accommodate extensive business needs.
These commercial sizes require careful planning around zoning regulations, utility requirements, and site preparation. They represent significant investments but provide extensive space for business operations that smaller buildings can’t support.
Property Considerations and Restrictions
Your property itself imposes limitations on building size. Physical constraints, legal restrictions, and practical considerations all affect what sizes work for your location.
Setback Requirements
North Carolina counties require buildings to sit at specific distances from property lines. These setbacks vary by location and building type. A county might require 10 feet from side property lines and 20 feet from rear lines, for example.
Measure your available building area after accounting for setbacks. You might think you have room for a 40×60 building, but setbacks reduce usable space. We help determine maximum building dimensions that comply with local setback requirements during initial planning.
Access and Site Layout
Buildings need clear access for construction equipment and future use. Delivery trucks carrying steel components require adequate space to maneuver. Your own vehicles need to reach the building after construction completes.
Consider sight lines and how the building fits with existing structures. A massive building placed awkwardly can dominate a property in unappealing ways. Size should complement the property rather than overwhelming it.
Zoning and Size Limitations
Some areas limit accessory building size relative to primary structures. Zoning might restrict residential outbuildings to no more than 50% of the main house’s square footage, for instance. Commercial zones often have different rules about building coverage relative to lot size.
Verify these restrictions before finalizing size decisions. Building larger than regulations allow creates permit problems and could require expensive modifications or removal. We help navigate local regulations to ensure your planned building complies with all restrictions.
Height Considerations
Building height matters as much as floor dimensions. Adequate ceiling height affects usability and storage capacity significantly.
Standard Height Options
Most residential steel buildings use 10-12 foot ceiling heights. This accommodates standard vehicles, provides comfortable workspace headroom, and allows some overhead storage. Commercial buildings often start at 12-14 feet and can go much higher depending on needs.
Taller buildings cost more but provide valuable vertical space. If you’re storing RVs, boats, or equipment on trailers, measure the actual height of these items fully loaded. Add several feet for clearance. Nothing’s more frustrating than a building that’s technically tall enough but leaves no room for maneuvering.
Storage Loft Possibilities
Taller buildings allow for storage lofts that dramatically increase usable space. A loft effectively doubles storage capacity in that section of the building. However, lofts require adequate height for both the loft area and the space below it.
Plan lofts during initial construction rather than trying to add them later. Structural requirements for supporting a loft need to be incorporated during building design. A 14-16 foot ceiling height typically works well for buildings with lofts.
Budget and Size Relationships
Building size directly affects project investment. Understanding these relationships helps balance desires against financial reality.
Size and Cost Scaling
Larger buildings cost more in absolute terms but often less per square foot. A 30×40 building costs more than a 20×30, but the cost per square foot typically decreases as building size increases. This economy of scale makes larger buildings relatively more affordable than you might expect.
However, don’t build larger just because the per-square-foot cost seems reasonable. Unused space still costs money to construct and maintain. Focus on what you actually need rather than maximizing square footage because the price looks attractive.
Foundation and Site Costs
Larger buildings require more foundation work and site preparation. These costs scale roughly proportionally with size. A building twice as large needs approximately twice as much concrete and site work, though some fixed costs like permits don’t increase proportionally.
Site conditions affect these costs significantly. Difficult sites with poor soil or slopes cost more per square foot for larger buildings. Easy sites with good conditions keep costs more predictable across different sizes.
Financing Considerations
DGS Concrete offers financing options including rent-to-own programs that make larger buildings more accessible. These programs let you get the size you need without requiring full upfront payment. Monthly payments spread the investment over time, making practical sizes more affordable than if you had to pay cash immediately.
Specialized Size Considerations
Different uses demand specific size considerations beyond basic square footage calculations.
Workshop Buildings
Workshops need space for both work activities and storage. Account for workbenches, tool storage, material racks, and floor space for projects. A serious woodworking shop needs room for large power tools with clearance all around them. Automotive workshops need space to move around vehicles plus room for equipment and parts storage.
Most dedicated workshops benefit from being larger than initial calculations suggest. Work activities spread out, and having elbow room makes projects more enjoyable. A cramped workshop quickly becomes frustrating to use.
Equipment Storage Buildings
Equipment storage requires careful measurement of your largest items. Measure with attachments installed – tractors with buckets, mowers with decks, trucks with toolboxes. Also consider how you’ll drive equipment in and out. Tight clearances create stress every time you use the building.
Leave room for equipment maintenance inside the building. Being able to work on equipment under cover during bad weather adds significant value to the building’s usefulness.
Multi-Purpose Buildings
Many property owners want buildings that serve multiple purposes – vehicle storage plus workshop space, for example. These combination uses typically require larger buildings than single-purpose structures. Plan space for each function separately, then add them together rather than hoping activities will somehow share the same square footage.
Working With Professionals
Experienced steel building contractors in North Carolina help navigate size decisions based on years of practical experience. We’ve seen what works and what doesn’t across hundreds of projects.
Free Consultation Value
At DGS Concrete, we offer free consultations to discuss your project. During these consultations, we ask detailed questions about your needs, visit your property if needed, and help you think through size requirements you might not have considered. This input helps avoid expensive mistakes.
We’ve helped property owners realize they need more space than initially planned. We’ve also helped others recognize they were overbuilding and could meet their needs with smaller, more affordable structures. This professional perspective provides value beyond just construction services.
Making Your Final Decision
Choosing the right size for your steel building project requires balancing current needs, anticipated growth, budget realities, and property constraints. Take time to thoroughly assess your requirements. Measure items carefully. Consider how you’ll use the space daily. Think about future changes.
DGS Concrete brings over 25 years of combined experience to steel building projects throughout High Point, Greensboro, and surrounding North Carolina communities. Our detail-oriented approach ensures your building size matches your needs while complying with all local regulations. We maintain clean, safe job sites and operate equipment with professional expertise.
Ready to discuss sizing for your steel building project? Contact DGS Concrete today for a free consultation and estimate. Call (336) 807-0458 to speak with our experienced team. We’ll help you determine the right size to meet your needs without unnecessary expense.
