Reskin old barn or replace with new building?

[warhammer]

The metal barn on my property was put up in 1950 and is looking pretty rough. I have posted a pic.

I am trying to figure out if it is worth trying to reskin it or whether I should bite the bullet and replace it. It seems to still be sturdy and relatively weather tight and has stood unused for many years.

It will be used for a shop and machinery storage. Dimensions are 32'x49' and it is on a concrete slab.

I have spoken with two contractors at this point . One said he did not know where to buy the curved tin panels for the roof and sides. The second wanted $15k to reskin and $38K to put a current style 32Wx49Lx14H metal building with 2:12 roof, 1 walk door and 1 10x10 rollup door on the existing slab.

I am in the Austin area.

All thoughts are appreciated.

Jeff

[rambler]

My sis had one that looked just like it, the southern fellas that come around painted it for $700 with the aluma/ oil paint. Looks pretty good 3 years later, should have another 5-10 until it needs more paint.

Can't imagine spending the money to rebuild it if you don't want it any bigger, & it isn't rusted through.

--->Paul

[gordon21]

Are the panels still solid? If so, you may consider sandblasting them and then hitting it with some type of paint. It seems as though you could get all that done for well under $4000.

Hydraulic manlifts rent for under $200 per day if you want to do the project yourself. Use it to do all the portions not easily reached from the ground. Return the lift after a one day rental and then do the rest from the ground at your convienance. Assuming you bought a new paint sprayer, rented a manlift and rented a sandblaster, bought paint and blast media, you could do this for well under $2000

[Egon]

If the panels are solid I'd go with the others and repaint.

[davitk]

Put up an new one, you'll get more usable space and if you wanted to insulate and drywall a portion the walls will be a whole lot easier to work with. Painting steel around here lasts a few years before the rust repears, and sealing the leaks on an old metal shed is near impossible. If you can manage the cost, go new.

[wroughtn_harv]

If it's not leaking I'd paint. I have a friend with a quonset hut like that and it works fine. It also was built in the early fifties and it's obviously been painted at least once.

There are some good paints out there that will give you another ten plus years of great service.

[weldingisfun]

Again, if the metal is solid and it doesn't leak paint it.
Get someone you trust, who know about buildings and won't be trying to sell you a new one to check it out. Hey, if you have to pay him $50 or $100 to do it, you will still come out ahead. At least you will know where you stand and you can make your decision to replace or paint based upon solid information.

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

give it a coat of rust converter to prime -- then paint with elastomeric or wire brush and coat with galvanizing paint like they sell at Graingers.

[doxford jim]

Originally Posted by Erik_in_Hoyt

give it a coat of rust converter to prime -- then paint with elastomeric or wire brush and coat with galvanizing paint like they sell at Graingers.

And, if all the panels are sturdy/strong and you feel flush, get the inside sprayed with foam - maybe $3,000 and you then have a nicely painted and warm shop/barn.

Jim

[wedge40]

I'm not a quonset hut guy, but for the prices you've been quoted to get new I'd clean and paint. If you need something more "shop" like then I'd have a smaller one built just for working on equipment. $38K sounds a bit high. At least for around here. Then again I haven't really priced pole barns in few years. I guess I'll know for sure in a month or two when I start getting quotes for a 32x40 I'm wanting built.


Wedge