[landinista]

I wasn't as brave or skillfull as the rest of the folks in this post - I purchased a steel building and hired someone else to put it up because I knew it would be too much of a handful for me. We've got a 16'x32'long unit and built the front with traditional dimensional lumber and a 10' wide x 9' high steel sectional door to make tractor movements easier. A garage-door opener is next on the list.

While I don't mind the industrial look, be prepared for lots of condensation in winter and some summer days if you don't insulate (spray foam would probably be best). The inside surface will otherwise ice-up in winter. The building wasn't super cheap especially since I also had someone else put it up, and I needed foundations for it being in frost-country.

I sometimes wish that I had gone to traditional stick building with vinyl siding and asphalt shingles. I think it would look much better, no condensation, and easier to customize (mezzanines, shelves, etc.). Steel is probably safer for fires but more at risk for lightning strikes (if that scares anyone besides me).