If your business requires more equipment than you have garage space, setting up a metal garage is a tidy, practical way to hold tools and vehicles for any kind of work. And for hobbies, a metal garage can be can be configured as a pool house or a pottery workshop, for example. Freestanding metal garages can be as small as a shed for a lawnmower or big enough to serve as a fire station.

Selecting Your Building

Depending on your needs, there are many kinds of metal garage to choose from.

In a mild climate, for example, a freestanding carport might be the best place to store your vehicles. Carports can be made tall enough to accommodate motor homes and boats. On a tight lot, a custom-sized carport is ideal because it takes up no more room than is necessary. And the supports of a carport are anchored into the ground, so there is no need to pour a concrete foundation; a nice gravel pad is all you need.

For people who need to store tools and movable equipment, or live in places with a harsh climate, a closed metal garage is a better idea. It comes with the security of locked doors and protection from all the elements. Steel garages can be configured with any number and size of doors and windows. Generally closed metal garages must be set up on a concrete pad.

Aesthetic Considerations

For an absolutely utilitarian building, any color, any finish, any roof style will do. However, metal garage kits and builders offer a range of styles and colors that do not necessarily cost extra, and will look more pleasing in your landscape.

Metal garages can be made in the shape of a barn, complete with red sides and white trim. People who use a steel building as a pool house, for example, generally pick a flatter roof with a large, shady overhang. If the lot is small and looks are a big consideration, some people even put tiles or shingles on the roof of a metal garage to make it look more domestic.

Steel buildings also come in a range of colors, more pleasing than plain off-white with off-white trim. Builders can select materials that match your house or other outbuildings. Some homeowners even put up facing of wood to make sure the garage blends in with the house and the rest of the landscape. So, even for people who enjoy a manicured landscape, a metal garage can fit in.