30×40 Metal Building
1,200 sq ft 12 to 16 ft eave
A 30×40 metal building gives you 1,200 square feet of clear-span, column-free space, enough room for a three to four vehicle garage, a working shop, equipment storage, or a small commercial unit. Universal Steel of America is a US manufacturer of pre-engineered steel buildings, and we engineer, fabricate and ship every 30×40 to meet the snow, wind and seismic codes at your exact site.
This is a true red-iron steel frame, not a light-gauge carport and not a lumber pole barn. We have plants in every region of the United States and ship from the closest plant to your site, serving the US and internationally across the Caribbean, Puerto Rico, South America and Africa. Erection is available as an optional professional service, or your own contractor can bolt up the kit from our engineered structural stamped drawings.
- Dimensions
- 30 ft wide x 40 ft long
- Floor area
- 1200 sq ft
- Clear span
- 30 ft column-free
- Typical eave height
- 12 to 16 ft (custom heights available)
- Frame
- red-iron pre-engineered steel (PEMB), bolt-up
- Panels
- 26-gauge steel roof and wall panels
- Loads
- engineered to local snow, wind and seismic code
- Finish warranty
- 25 to 40 year paint and coating warranty
- Delivery
- shipped from the closest plant to your site
- Erection
- optional professional service, or build from engineered structural stamped drawings
Popular uses for a 30×40 Metal Building
Three to four car garage
With 1,200 square feet of column-free floor, a 30x40 parks three to four vehicles comfortably and still leaves room to walk around them. A 30-foot endwall holds one or two roll-up doors plus a walk door, and a 12-foot eave clears most trucks and SUVs. It is a natural step up for households that have outgrown a two-car garage.
Metal garagesWorkshop or trade shop
The open span makes a 30x40 an ideal workshop for woodworking, welding, fabrication or a contractor base. You can run a vehicle bay up front and keep a bench, tools and shelving along the 40-foot sidewall. Wider doors and a taller eave give clearance for a lift or larger equipment.
Shop buildingsRV and boat storage
Specified with a 14-foot or taller eave and a 12-foot or 14-foot roll-up door, a 30x40 stores an RV, a boat or a combination of vehicles under one roof. The 40-foot length suits most travel trailers and pull-behind boats with room to spare. Pair it with a walk door for easy access without opening the main bay.
RV and boat storage buildingsFarm and equipment storage
On a farm or acreage, a 30x40 shelters tractors, implements, hay or a mix of equipment in one clear-span building. The column-free interior lets you drive in and maneuver large machinery without working around posts. Higher eave options stack hay or accommodate taller equipment.
Agricultural steel buildingsSmall commercial or retail unit
At 1,200 square feet, a 30x40 works as a compact storefront, service bay, office or light commercial space. The clear span gives you a flexible, open floor plate to fit out as your business needs, and the steel frame is engineered to local commercial building codes. It is a cost-effective footprint for a single-tenant unit.
Commercial steel buildingsWhat 1,200 square feet gives you at 30×40
The 30-foot clear span runs column-free from sidewall to sidewall, so the full 1,200 square feet stays open for parking, work bays or storage racks. At a 12-foot eave you get a comfortable three to four car garage or a trade shop; step up to a 14-foot eave for RV and boat clearance or a vehicle lift; and a 16-foot eave opens the door to a loft or mezzanine. Eave height is the decision that shapes how this size works for you, so plan it around your tallest door and tallest piece of equipment.
Garage, shop and storage in one footprint
Because the interior is uninterrupted, a 30×40 easily splits into a vehicle bay up front and a workshop or storage area at the rear. The 30-foot wide endwall takes one or two roll-up doors plus a walk door, and the 40-foot sidewall length leaves space for a bench, shelving or a side-entry door. It is a popular size for contractors, hobbyists, farms and small businesses that have outgrown a single or double garage.
Adding living quarters or a barndominium
At a taller eave a 30×40 can carry a partial loft or a framed living area, which is why some owners use this size as a starter shop house or barndominium shell. Living quarters are a secondary use for this footprint rather than the main event. If a home with a workshop is your goal, see our dedicated barndominiums page for layouts, insulation and finish guidance built around occupied space.
30×40 Metal Building questions
How much does a 30x40 steel building cost?
A 30x40 steel building kit typically runs about $18,000 to $30,000 for the shell, or roughly $15 to $25 per square foot. A finished, turnkey 30x40 with foundation, doors, insulation and professional erection more often lands between $40,000 and $60,000 or more. These are industry-typical ranges, not a Universal Steel quote; your price depends on eave height, loads, finish and site.
How much does a 30x40 concrete slab cost?
A 4 to 6 inch concrete slab for a 30x40 building typically costs about $7,200 to $14,400 installed, before any site grading or fill. The exact figure depends on slab thickness, reinforcement, concrete prices in your region and how much the ground needs leveling. The foundation is poured by a local contractor and is separate from the steel building itself.
Is it cheaper to build a metal building or a pole barn?
A light-gauge pole barn can be cheaper up front, but a red-iron steel building usually wins on lifespan, lower maintenance, clear-span width and resistance to fire, rot and pests. A 30x40 steel frame is engineered to your local snow and wind loads and holds its value better over time. For a true garage, shop or commercial use, the engineered steel building is the stronger long-term investment.
How many cars fit in a 30x40 metal building?
A 30x40 metal building holds three to four vehicles parked side by side, with space left over for movement or storage. With a deeper layout you can stack vehicles two-deep in tandem bays. The exact count depends on vehicle size and how many roll-up doors and walk doors you add to the 30-foot endwall.
What eave height should I choose for a 30x40 building?
For a standard car garage or shop, a 12-foot eave is comfortable. Choose 14 feet if you need RV, boat or lift clearance, and 16 feet if you want a loft, mezzanine or living area above. As a rule, keep at least two feet between your tallest door and the eave, so a 12-foot door needs roughly a 14-foot eave.
Get your 30x40 estimate
We engineer and ship from the closest plant, across the US and internationally. Tell us your site and use.