A good friend of mine just put up a 1500 sq ft steel building with 12′ walls for about $13K, and for our new house we’re looking at one around 2000 sq ft with 14′ walls for about $30K. They can be extremely sturdy — the engineer who stamped my plans rated it in the 165+ MPH wind-loading category. Depending on code requirements in your area, you may be able to get one cheaper, Florida’s hurricane-related rules means they have to use some pretty hefty supports.
Those prices include an insulated roof (you don’t really need to insulate the walls, although it’s normally an option), three garage doors, lights, power, the slab, and construction.
About the only non-steel alternative which is comparable in price is cinder block, and after searching long and hard, the best I could do was still about 10% more expensive for exactly the same amount of space.
Cinder block may be A LOT cooler during the summer than a steel structure. Joker, you live in AZ right? During the summer its just gonna be an oven….the thought of it is even scary. I’d do the cinder block…looks better too. Slap some stucco on the side and a coat of paint and its not an eyesore either.
The cinder block was the plan because our hosue is block with stucco paste. However they have these huge fans that can blow the pubic hair off your b@lls from 100 feet that would do the trick regarding the heat. It will come down to cost and the block is first choice but we will see. I really don’t want to go wood frame route due to the maintenance factor and termite factor. Still, a concrete building is ALWAYS the coolest. Toss in a small AC unit, coat the garage floors, toss in a lift, an commercial air compressor, a whole lot of stainless steel countertops and nice cabinets, TV, couch, satellite TV, and youre gonna forget that you have that other place you currently call home. Its all about cinder block and high ceilings.