Frequently Asked Questions

Check out some of our Top Frequently Asked Questions and Answers.

Cold Formed Buildings are constructed with roll formed components that are almost 100% weld-free, resulting in fewer manufacturing defects. In addition, job site fabrication is minimal resulting in a fresh, clean visual appearance. It is the most modern building system available in this day and age. Our cold formed buildings are made from a galvanized Cee & Zee purlin construction. These galvanized members protect against rust and have self healing properties.

The most common three are cold formed buildings, red-iron buildings and tube frame buildings. Each has their particular benefits though cold formed buildings far outweigh the other two systems for structures between 750 square feet and 20,000 square feet.

It’s critical to understand what you’re getting. For example, if you received a quote from us for $45,000 but got another quote for $39,000 from a different company, you might come to certain conclusions without knowing the real reason for the difference.

If that $39,000 quote came from a tube-frame company, it would be understandable. Tube-frame is warrantied up to a maximum of 20-years. Compare that to the cold-formed buildings’ 50-year warranty. Almost anyone would tell you that just $6,000 for another 30 years of guaranteed life from your building is worth it.

Our steel buildings are much more than just a space for storage, work or play. Our buildings on most properties, if permitted, raise the property value quite substantially. For example, if the total building project (concrete, installation, amenities, permitting and building cost) added up to $100,000, you can usually add ~2.5 times that value to the properties value. In the example above, you end up adding to the properties value by $250,000 at a cost of $100,000.

That’s a great question. Technically speaking, red iron buildings are old designs made from low-tech, outdated processes. Cold formed buildings are the most modern approach to a building system and provide the most value possible from every foot of steel used. As a side note, The name “red iron” started because manufacturers would apply a light, red, oxide coating to the members of the building to protect it from rusting during shipping. That coating is only for shipping the building and red iron is guaranteed to rust, hence the name.

Tube frame buildings are a low cost, short life span alternative to getting a building. Tube frame buildings usually only carry a 20-year warranty, if any at all. Cold formed buildings have a 50-year warranty. That’s pretty easy math.

In most cases you will need to pull a building permit to build a steel building, but not always. For example, some locations do not require a permit to build agricultural buildings. It’s always good to check with your local permitting office!

Most buildings use a 26 ga sheet metal panel that has a 25 year warranty on it. We offer a 26 ga sheet metal panel that has a 40 year warranty.

Everything we ship is 100% steel, some companies try to use a composite made building mixed between wood supports and steel framing to reduce cost, but that also reduces the life of the building.

Viking Manufacturing’s buildings are all produced domestically with USA made mill-certified traceable steel, never outsourcing overseas material just to save a few dollars.

Many companies advertise steel and metal homes packages, when in fact they are offering wood framed buildings with steel sheet metal siding. Not all steel buildings will give you the cost savings or advantages when used as a home. Viking offers a high-quality cold formed building specifically designed for homes, barndominiums, warehouses and much more.

Our metal building kits can serve as the foundation for a massive variety of steel buildings. Our customers have designed and built residential homes, metal garages, carports, aircraft hangars, storage buildings, office buildings, barndominiums and more.

Barndominiums are affordable, energy-efficient, low maintenance metal buildings with residential living quarters inside. They can also be called “barndos” for short.

Viking Manufacturing is basically a client facing division of a larger parent manufacturing company which has over 75 years of steel building experience, over the last few years alone we have completed more than 1000 projects.

Prefab steel buildings are actually one of the most economical options for building a new building. They are designed and engineered for each specific project with very little wasted materials, which drastically cuts down on unnecessary building cost. They also go up fast, which saves money on labor. Using the standard designs you will also enjoy long time savings from the lack of maintenance.

To protect the confidentiality of our customers, we do not publish a list of customers or locations. However, you may call and speak to one of our consultants to see if there’s a building in your area. If so, we can contact that owner on your behalf to see if they are willing to show their building.

Because of the ease of erecting a steel building, there are many contractors across the country that can build your building. Depending on the size of your building project and location of your job site, Viking can help put you in contact with contractors.

Depending on the complexity of your building, the delivery timeline is relatively fast compared to the old style red iron buildings.

You should check the load at time of delivery and mark any damages you see on the BOL, and then notify us. If anything is wrong with your materials on delivery, we will make it right at no cost to you.

We offer rolled batt insulation with a stronger tear-resistant backing for your insulation needs. You can even do the insulation yourself if you’d like!

There actually aren’t any exterior bolts required for our buildings. All exterior screws that are required are manufactured to the highest quality and meant to last the life of the building. Any exterior screws are color matched and include a seal washer for long-lasting protection against the elements.

All of the metal buildings sold by Viking come with an easy to follow assembly guide. Not only this, but all materials are clearly labeled for an easy to follow process. Many people who purchase our building kits are able to assemble the building without the help of a contractor.

We always include state-certified, stamped, structural and foundation engineering documents with our buildings for an easy permitting process.

Yes! Most customers use our Installation Partner Team. We provide a separate quote for the building and a contractor installation estimate. If you choose our installation service, you only need to pay the deposit listed under the Contractor Installation Estimate to secure your spot. Viking handles engineering, manufacturing, components, delivery, and installation.

Yes, we offer insulation for both the roof and walls. We can include it in your quote, or add it as a line item for review. Many clients prefer to source insulation directly from a manufacturer for better pricing. If you need a referral, we recommend Service Partners at 559-264-2618.

We recommend one of the following foundation options: full slab, pier footing, or perimeter footing, depending on your project’s needs and site conditions.

 

No, we use color-matched screws to blend seamlessly.

We use 10-16 gauge steel, depending on your zip code, engineering requirements, and local permitting regulations.

Yes! We handle engineering and provide the necessary plans for permitting. The process is straightforward.

In California, permits are typically required. You should contact your local county office for pre-approval. Some clients proceed without permits but still use our engineering to meet code requirements. Keep in mind, the city may still require compliance later.

Standard materials take about 2 weeks, depending on capacity and color availability. Doors may take 4-6 weeks.

Our software calculates rain, snow, and wind exposure based on your zip code to ensure compliance with local codes. You can also verify with your permitting office.

If you need specific ratings for snow, rain, or wind exposure, we recommend contacting your county permitting office for exact details.

Our warranty includes:

  • 50 years on structural framing
  • 40 years on sheeting, roof, and walls
  • 5 years on workmanship

We are a client-facing division of a manufacturing company. Our panels are made from U.S. steel mills.

Use the following formula:
Peak Height = (Slope Width × Pitch) ÷ 12 + Leg Height

Example:

  • 20 ft × 3.12 = 60
  • 60 ÷ 12 = 5
  • 5 + 15 ft (Leg Height) = Peak Height of 15 ft

Use the following formula:
Peak Height = (Slope Width × Pitch) ÷ 12 + Leg Height

Example:

  • 20 ft × 3.12 = 60
  • 60 ÷ 12 = 5
  • 5 + 15 ft (Leg Height) = Peak Height of 15 ft

We offer mezzanine strength options of 40, 80, 125, and 240 PSF depending on your needs.

SHEET METAL (SHEETING)

No, we only provide exposed fastener roofing.

We start at 26GA, with an option to upgrade to 24GA.

We offer a full color chart for roofs, walls, trim, and roll-up doors. Check sheeting color here

No, we use color-matched screws to blend seamlessly.

PBR panel (our only option).

FRAMING

Engineering determines the exact gauge, but it’s typically 12-14 gauge.

Cold-formed steel with a galvanized finish, using C-purlins (vertical) and Z-purlins (horizontal).

Yes, we can provide a red oxide finish instead of galvanized.

It is secured with baseplates and redhead anchors after the pad is complete.

WINDOWS, DOORS & TIME FRAME

  • Engineering: 1-2 weeks (includes stamped structural and foundation plans).
  • Fabrication: 2-3 months from the fabrication deposit.
  • Delivery: Typically 1-2 days.
  • Installation: Varies by size, usually a few days to 1.5 weeks.
  • Permitting: Timeframes depend on the local county. We recommend checking with the county for preliminary estimates.
  • Permitting Support: Our team assists with permitting updates and clarifications if required by the county.
  • Standard sizes: 3×3 or 4×4
  • Any other size requires a framed opening (client provides and installs).
  • Standard sizes: 3×7 or 4×7
  • Any other size requires a framed opening.
  • Available sizes: 8×8 to 14×14 (in increments of 2 feet, except for 12×14).
  • Some odd sizes, such as 8×9, may be available—check with the estimator.

We offer a variety of colors, including Dark Red, Bright Red, Green, Blue, Dark Brown, Brown, Dark Tan, Light Stone, and Light Gray.

ENGINEERING & DESIGN

No, the engineering documents include both the full building design and the foundation design.

We offer three foundation design options:

  • Full Slab
  • Concrete Piers
  • Foundation by Others (where you use a third-party engineer).
    If you choose “Foundation by Others,” we provide the straining actions on the slab for your engineer to use. Please note that sloped or modified foundations fall outside our scope and are considered “Foundation by Others.”

No, we specialize in structural engineering only. We calculate the forces applied to the building and design the main frame and foundation to sustain these loads. Any non-structural elements are outside our scope.

Our buildings are designed based on the 2022 CBC Building Code. However, some counties may have additional requirements specific to their location. If your county requests changes, we will only know once your permit application is submitted.

PRODUCTION & PERMITTING

Production begins as soon as you give us the green light. While permits are not required for us to start, we strongly recommend obtaining them for your project.

You will select colors toward the end of production. Our support team will contact you when it’s time to finalize color choices. Please note that color availability varies and may impact the final invoice.

PRICING & ENGINEERING

Yes! We offer the best possible pricing without sacrificing quality.

While you may find lower prices elsewhere, our buildings are designed to last a lifetime. We also offer one of the longest warranties in the industry. Prices are set to increase soon, so locking in your rate now is a smart choice.

Our prices are based on current steel market rates. If a customer delays fabrication, the price may adjust to reflect the market at that time.

We try to honor the agreed price even if the market fluctuates slightly. However, in extreme cases like 2021’s steel price surge, adjustments may be necessary.

If you’re close to making a decision, let us know ASAP. We’ll do our best to keep your price at the current rate before increases take effect.

We review each quote carefully. If there’s a difference, it’s likely due to engineering updates for load requirements. Check the first page under snow load details. If needed, we can adjust pricing to help accommodate the change.

Yes, the cost of engineering is subtracted from the deposit before transferring to the final order. Minor revisions do not require new engineering changes.

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Still have a question?

Viking Manufacturing Inc. is your trusted manufacturer of high-quality steel buildings for various purposes.