“What’s your turnaround time?”
It’s one of the first questions we get asked all the time and for good reason. Of course, when you’re planning a new garage, workshop, storage building, or man cave, you want to know when your space will actually be ready to use.
You may have seen ads saying metal buildings installed in just two to three weeks. But before you use that timeline to plan your project, there’s an important question to ask:
Two to three weeks from when?
Does that timeline start when you place your order? When your site is ready? After permits are approved? Does it include concrete, site preparation, spray foam, electrical work, or other finishing work?
The truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all timeline for a metal building project. The timeline depends on what’s included in your project.
So, how long does it take to build a metal building in Texas?
Generally speaking, a full metal building project can take anywhere from about seven weeks to six months, depending on what’s being built, where it’s being built, and what work is included.
That may seem like a wide range, but a complete metal building project involves much more than simply putting up the steel.
In today’s blog, we’ll walk you through the major steps involved in a metal building project from start to finish, so you’ll know what to expect and can better plan for your project.
Keep in mind that every metal building company has its own process and timeline. The information we’re sharing here is based on our years of experience and, most importantly, what we’ve learned from working with our clients and hearing about their experiences throughout the building process.
Why Metal Building Timelines Can Vary?
Before comparing turnaround times between metal building companies, it’s important to understand what their advertised timeline actually covers.
For example, if you’re shopping for a tubular metal building, you may see ads saying, “Get your building in 1–2 weeks!” or “Installed in 3–4 weeks!” Some companies may advertise even longer or shorter timeframes.
What does that timeframe actually mean?
In many cases, it refers to the time from when you place your order or your project is ready for installation to when the installation crew can arrive on site and begin work. Depending on the size and complexity of your building, the actual installation may take anywhere from two to four days or up to a week.
BUT, everything is ready to go with your project.
This means your permits have been approved, your property has been prepared, leveled, and the site is ready to receive concrete. Once the concrete is poured, it also needs time to cure before the building can be installed.
All of these steps are part of your overall project timeline.
So when you see an advertised installation timeframe, look at the fine print. If it says “provided your site is ready” or something similar, understand that the installation window may not include the time needed for permitting, site preparation, concrete, and curing.
Those steps still take time and they’re an important part of getting your building from order to completed project.
A. Permitting and Engineering
First thing first, if your project requires permits, you have to work through those requirements.
On average, the permitting and engineering stage can take approximately 3 to 8 weeks, although it can be shorter or considerably longer depending on the city, project requirements, engineering needs, and current workload of the permitting department.
Different cities have different requirements.
One location may require a site plan showing exactly where the building will be placed. Another may require structural engineering documents before construction can begin. You may also need to account for HOA approval, which can introduce another variable if the HOA only meets at certain times of the month which can put a wrinkle on your timeline.
“Why Is It Taking So Long to Get Started?”
This is a common question when a project seems to be moving slower than expected. One reason may be the time it takes to obtain the necessary permits and approvals.
Based on our experience, this can be one of the most frustrating parts of the process for clients. From your perspective, it may feel like nothing is happening. You don’t see crews on your property yet, and there may not be much visible progress at the job site.
At the same time, you may already be spending money on permits, site preparation, and other project requirements before you see the first piece of steel go up. That can make the waiting period even more frustrating, you’re investing in the project, but you don’t necessarily see the physical progress yet.
The important thing to remember is that this work is still part of building your project. These steps help make sure your site and paperwork are ready before construction can officially begin.
How to Prepare for the Permit Process?
1. Check your requirements ahead of time.
Many cities and counties are now requiring permits before you can begin construction.
Before ordering your metal building, it’s better to contact your city or county permitting office and ask what permits, documents, site plans, and inspections your project will require.
2. Prepare a checklist.
Permit requirements are determined by your local jurisdiction and may vary depending on the type of building you’re planning to construct.
Creating a checklist of the documents, plans, approvals, and inspections required for your project can help you see what you already have, what still needs to be prepared, and which items may take longer to obtain.
Share the checklist with your builder so both sides can prepare ahead and help avoid unnecessary delays.
3. Don’t forget to ask your HOA/POA.
If your property is governed by an HOA or POA, check their requirements before moving forward. HOA or POA approval can sometimes become a bottleneck, especially if there are restrictions on metal buildings.
Ask whether metal buildings are allowed and if there are specific requirements for building materials, colors, design, size, or appearance. Some associations may have strict guidelines, while others may not allow metal buildings at all.
What does WolfSteel think?
Permitting and engineering is the least exciting and the most tedious part of your building construction, but also the most critical step.
This process can be overwhelming, especially for first-time building owners, thus, here at WolfSteel part of our standard process is to do a preliminary check of your requirements and this is at no cost.
Keep in mind that this is only to help you review the initial zoning, setback, and other known local requirements to identify potential considerations before you move forward. This gives you a clearer picture of what your project may require from the start.
WolfSteel offers permit assistance for a minimal fee and this will start once you decide to move forward with the official permitting process. This is now where our team will begin preparing and coordinating the necessary permit documents and work with the appropriate local authorities on your behalf.
Please note that preliminary requirements are based on the information available during the planning stage. Final permit requirements may change or additional conditions such as additional fees may arise once your local building department officially reviews your permit application.
Read our full blog about permits & metal building here: Do Metal Buildings Need a Building Permit?
Once all the required documents have been submitted, the next step is waiting for approval. Permit processing times vary by jurisdiction and are largely outside of your or our control. Some permits may be approved quickly, while others can take several weeks or even months, especially if the jurisdiction requests revisions or additional information.
While we are here to help you with your permits, we still recommend that you handle it because nobody knows your property better than you do.
B. Planning Your Metal Building
For projects handled through WolfSteel, this is a specific step to our building construction where the details of the building are reviewed and confirmed.
This stage typically takes around 2 to 3 weeks, although some of this work can overlap with other parts of the project.
During the planning stage, our dedicated team review the important details with you such as:
- Building dimensions
- Door locations
- Window locations
- Colors
- Building configuration
- Other project-specific details
You’ll also receive architectural renderings so you can see how the building is expected to look before construction begins.
This is an important opportunity to make sure the plans match your vision and that the details on paper reflect what will actually be constructed.
What does WolfSteel think?
Here at WolfSteel our mantra is measure twice, cut once.
At WolfSteel, we don’t mass-produce. Our buildings are planned and ordered according to the individual project. That makes this planning stage especially important. It gives our team an opportunity to confirm the details before fabrication and construction move forward.
During this stage, 811 is also contacted to have public underground utility lines marked before site work begins.
One important note: 811 generally identifies public utility lines, not private lines located on your property.
Private utilities such as certain pool lines, septic lines, or propane lines may need to be identified and marked by the property owner.
Taking care of this before site work begins helps prevent delays and potential damage once crews are working on the property.
C. Site Preparation and Concrete
Once your permits and other pre-construction requirements are in place, the next major step is getting your site ready for the building.
Site preparation and concrete work can take around two to four weeks but weather and depending on your site condition can change that. If we get several days of rain, we may not be able to work the ground or pour when we originally planned. Also, after the concrete is poured, we typically allow 7-14 days of cure time before we start erecting the building. So that’s another two weeks or so where you might not see much movement on-site.
If you are doing this step yourself there are a few things to keep in mind.
- Site preparation is more than just leveling the ground.
Your property may look level, but even small changes in elevation can affect drainage, the foundation, and how the building sits on the site. Depending on your property, you may need to consider how far the site is off level, what type of fill is needed, surrounding elevations, drainage, and whether the building needs to be raised above grade.
2. Water management matters.
Making sure water is properly directed away from your building is an important part of site preparation. Poor drainage or an improperly prepared site can create problems later, including water seepage.
3. The strength of your building starts with the concrete.
Concrete may look like a simple part of the project, but it plays a critical role in supporting your metal building. Make sure your concrete contractor understands the requirements of the building being installed and follows the appropriate foundation specifications.
What does WolfSteel think?
Some fine print states “on your level ground” and this is important. If your site isn’t properly prepared and level, additional work or costs may be required before a building can be installed. In some cases, improper site preparation can also contribute to problems with the finished building or worse, the builder might not continue with the project.
Learn more about what you should take note of when you are bringing your concrete builder or doing your own concrete.
Every property is unique, thus, we conduct site visits before moving forward with the concrete and site work. This allows us to evaluate the property and identify considerations such as elevation, drainage, access, and site conditions before construction begins.
Check out also this video on how we do our site visit.
D. Metal Building Installation
Now we’re getting to the part everyone’s been waiting for and that is seeing your building take shape.
This is usually the part of the process that gets advertised when you see phrases like “installed in three weeks” or “building up in a month.” But as we mentioned earlier, the timeline can vary significantly depending on the company you work with, the type of building, and how it’s manufactured.
How Long Does it Take to Get a Metal Building Installed?
The building portion of a project can range from about 3 to 8 weeks, depending on the building type, design, fabrication process, and delivery requirements.
Keep in mind, this timeline includes the time leading up to installation, such as fabrication and waiting for the building or kit to arrive. It does not mean the crew will spend three to eight weeks physically erecting the building.
The actual installation may take considerably less time once everything is ready.
Tubular Buildings
A tubular metal building is often one of the quicker options because fabrication can happen while site work is being completed.
At WolfSteel, we fabricate our tubular buildings in Weatherford, Texas, which means your building can be going through the fabrication process while your foundation is curing. Instead of waiting for the foundation to be finished before fabrication even begins, some of these steps can happen at the same time.
Red Iron Weld-Up Buildings
A red iron weld-up building involves more fabrication and assembly at the property. Because much of the work is completed on-site, the installation process can take longer depending on the building’s size, design, and complexity.
Red Iron Bolt-Up Buildings
With a red iron bolt-up building, the structure is fabricated before it arrives at your property. That means we also have to account for the time it takes the fabrication shop to manufacture and deliver the kit.
Depending on the manufacturer and project, this portion of the timeline can be closer to 8 weeks or more.
Engineering Can Affect the Timeline, Too
The building type isn’t the only factor that affects your timeline. If your project requires engineering, the schedule can also depend on the engineer’s review, design requirements, and any revisions or additional information requested during the process.
What does WolfSteel think?
Your building isn’t a cookie-cutter project, so your timeline shouldn’t be either.
The building type, size, design, engineering requirements, fabrication process, and site conditions can all affect how long your project takes. Some steps can happen at the same time, while others need to happen in a specific order.
E. Accessories and Finishing Work
Getting the steel structure erected doesn’t necessarily mean the entire project is finished.
Depending on what you’ve included in your project, there may still be additional work to complete.
For example, a finished steel building project may include:
- Spray foam insulation
- Gutters and downspouts
- Overhead doors
- Walk-in doors
- Masonry
- Electrical work
- Other finishing work
For WolfSteel projects, these additional services can take approximately 2 to 6 weeks, depending on what is included.
The more components your project includes, the more scheduling is involved.
And if you’re hiring separate contractors to complete work outside of your metal building company, the timeline can vary even more.
At that point, the schedule depends on each contractor’s availability, communication, workmanship, and ability to coordinate with the rest of the project.
What does WolfSteel think?
When Is a Building Actually “Finished”?
This is another important question to ask when comparing timelines.
If you’re building a workshop and you added spray foam and electrical, for example, you may not consider the project complete when the steel is standing. You may need the spray foam and electrical completed so you can start using the building as intended
So when a company says a building is “installed,” that doesn’t necessarily mean your entire project is complete or ready for you.
So, how long does it take to build a metal building in Texas?
The truth is…it depends.
A full metal building project can take approximately seven weeks to six months, depending on the scope of the project and the factors involved.
Here’s a simplified look at the major stages:
Project Stage |
|---|
Permitting & Engineering |
Planning Your Metal Building |
Site Preparation & Concrete |
Concrete Cure Time |
Metal Building Installation |
Accessories & Finishing Work |
Average Timeline |
|---|
3 to 8 weeks |
2 to 3 weeks |
2 to 4 weeks |
7 to 14 days |
3 to 8 weeks |
2 to 6 weeks |
These stages aren’t always completely sequential. Some work can happen at the same time, which is why you shouldn’t simply add every number together to determine the final project duration.
At the same time, delays in one stage can affect everything that follows.
Weather, permitting, engineering, site conditions, material availability, contractor schedules, and project changes can all influence the final timeline.
When you’re comparing metal building companies, don’t just ask: how fast can you build it?
Ask questions that help you understand what that timeline actually means. When will it start and what’s included?
The best way to get a realistic expectation is to look at the entire project from start to finish, not just the day the steel goes up.
If you’re planning a metal building with WolfSteel, we’ll walk you through the different stages of your project and provide a timeline based on what’s actually included. Our goal is to make sure you understand what we’re handling, what happens next, and what to expect along the way.
Because when you’re investing in a metal building, knowing how long it will take is just as important as knowing what you’re getting.
Ready to build your Texas metal building? Reach out to us so we can help plan your project.
Call us 844-941-0999
Or email us anytime at quotes@wolfsteelbuildings.com