Prefab Steel Buildings in Idaho
Idaho asks more of a building than almost any state its size, because the design loads change faster than the scenery does. Boise’s published design criteria set a ground snow load of 20 psf; two hours north, the City of McCall publishes 150 psf, and the City of Idaho Falls publishes 47.1 psf. Eastern and central counties add seismic demand from the Intermountain Seismic Belt, the fault system behind the 1983 Borah Peak and 2020 Stanley earthquakes, while the Snake River Plain and the Palouse are governed by snow and frost instead. A design that suits one Idaho valley can be badly wrong fifty miles away.
Pre-engineered steel absorbs that spread well. Clear-span rigid frames carry heavy roof snow without interior columns, so a potato storage building near Burley, a Magic Valley dairy shop or a Treasure Valley warehouse keeps its full floor area, and the frame is sized to the values mapped at your address rather than to a regional average. Universal Steel of America has manufactured pre-engineered metal buildings since 1995 and supplies customers from Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls to Meridian, Twin Falls, Pocatello and Idaho Falls. Every building is engineered and stamped to the code your city or county enforces, and shipped from the closest plant to your site.
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Idaho codes & weather
Idaho runs a single statewide code under the Idaho Building Code Act, currently the 2018 International Building Code and the 2018 International Residential Code with state amendments, but the numbers that matter are set locally: each city and county fills in its own snow, frost and seismic values, and they swing enormously with elevation. The values below are published code references, not ratings of what we supply, and the values that govern are always the ones mapped at your address.
- Snow (dominant)
- published ground snow loads run about 20 psf in Boise and 15 psf in Twin Falls, 47.1 psf in Idaho Falls and 150 psf at McCall, with a 120 psf minimum roof load there (city design criteria, 2018 IBC/IRC; Univ. of Idaho 2015 study)
- Seismic
- eastern and central Idaho sit on the Intermountain Seismic Belt, source of the 1983 M6.9 Borah Peak and 2020 M6.5 Stanley quakes; Idaho Falls and McCall publish Seismic Design Category D against Boise C and Twin Falls B (city criteria, ASCE 7-16, USGS)
- Wind
- Twin Falls, Idaho Falls and McCall each publish a 115 mph ultimate design wind speed for Risk Category II, which Boise lists as 90 mph nominal; exposure runs B to C, and ASCE 7-16 flags mountainous terrain for unusual wind conditions (2018 IBC, ASCE 7-16 26.5.2)
- Foundation
- frost depths are set locally under IRC Table R301.2(1), and run 24 inches in Boise, Twin Falls and McCall against 30 inches in Idaho Falls, with weathering rated severe where published; we supply frame reactions for the engineered foundation (2018 IRC)
- Code edition
- Idaho enforces the 2018 IBC with state amendments and the 2018 IRC Parts I, II, III and IX, effective January 1, 2021 and referencing ASCE 7-16; local amendments may not fall below the state minimum (IDAPA 24.39.30, Idaho Building Code Act)
Serving Idaho statewide
- Boise
- Meridian
- Nampa
- Caldwell
- Idaho Falls
- Pocatello
- Coeur d'Alene
- Twin Falls
We deliver to communities across Idaho and ship from the closest plant to your site.
Building types across Idaho
Potato and crop storage buildings
Idaho grows more potatoes than any other state, and the buildings that hold the crop stay insulated, ventilated and temperature controlled from harvest through spring. Clear-span steel gives an uninterrupted floor for pilers, conveyors and bulk piles.
Cold storage buildingsAgricultural and equipment buildings
Dairy in the Magic Valley, grain and hay on the Camas Prairie, orchards and seed crops in the Treasure Valley: Idaho farms need machine sheds, hay barns and loafing barns engineered for the local snow figure. Wide clear spans suit modern self-propelled equipment.
Agricultural steel buildingsShops, garages and barndominiums
The detached shop is close to standard issue on Idaho acreage, and demand is strongest around Meridian, Kuna, Caldwell and Post Falls. Steel frames carry high roof snow and give the clear height for a vehicle lift or a full size RV door.
Metal garages and workshopsRV and boat storage
Payette Lake, Lake Pend Oreille and Lake Coeur d'Alene keep Idaho driveways full of boats and travel trailers, and covered storage keeps snow load and summer UV off them. Tall sidewalls and long clear spans suit fifth wheels, wake boats and side by sides.
RV and boat storage buildingsPlanning a build in Idaho?
Pricing depends on size, specification and site, so start with our sizes and request a quote.
Idaho questions
Do I need a permit to build a metal building in Idaho?
In most places, yes. Idaho enforces a statewide code under the Idaho Building Code Act, currently the 2018 IBC and the 2018 IRC with state amendments, but permits and inspections are handled locally by your city or county. Idaho Code 39-4116 leaves it to each local government whether to run a building code enforcement program, so a handful of rural areas have none. We supply engineer stamped drawings for permit submittal.
What does a 40x60 steel building cost?
We do not publish prices, because a 40x60 in Boise and the same footprint at McCall are not the same structure once snow and seismic loads are applied. Openings, sidewall height, insulation, foundation and site access all move the figure as well. Our cost guide explains what drives the number, and a quote request returns a firm price for your exact site.
What snow load does a metal building in Idaho need?
It depends entirely on where the building sits. City design criteria published under the 2018 IBC and IRC range from about 15 psf at Twin Falls and 20 psf in Boise to 47.1 psf at Idaho Falls and 150 psf at McCall, where the city also sets a 120 psf minimum roof load. Your building department confirms the governing figure for your parcel, and the frame is engineered to it.
Do I have to design for earthquakes in Idaho?
Across much of eastern and central Idaho, yes. Idaho Falls and McCall both publish Seismic Design Category D, while Boise sits at C and Twin Falls at B for IRC structures. The Intermountain Seismic Belt produced the 1983 magnitude 6.9 Borah Peak earthquake and the 2020 magnitude 6.5 Stanley earthquake, so seismic detailing is a real design input rather than a formality.
Can I build a barndominium or shop house in Idaho?
Yes. Steel shells are widely used for shop houses and barndominiums across the Treasure Valley and north Idaho, with the living portion finished out to the residential code. Check zoning and any subdivision covenants first, because some Idaho jurisdictions restrict living quarters inside an accessory shop building. Tell us the layout you want when you request a quote.
What are some metal building companies in Idaho?
Search results mix three different things: carport and shed dealers, kit resellers, and pre-engineered metal building manufacturers who engineer every frame from scratch. For anything carrying real snow load, spanning much beyond 30 feet, or needing a commercial permit, you want the third group. Universal Steel of America has manufactured pre-engineered buildings since 1995 and ships to Idaho from the closest plant to your site.
Universal Steel has manufacturing plants in every region of the United States and ships directly to your site from the closest plant, serving projects throughout the US and internationally across the Caribbean, Puerto Rico, South America and Africa.
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Engineered to your site's codes and shipped from the closest plant. Tell us your project.