Polk County · Des Moines metro
Metal buildings in Ankeny.
Garages, workshops, contractor shops, hangars and farm buildings on the north side of the Des Moines metro.
Building code
2024 IBC & IRC
Inside city limits
City of Ankeny
Outside city limits
Polk County
Near the airport
Height limits
What people build in Ankeny
Ankeny has grown into one of the largest cities in Iowa, and acreage and farm ground still start just past its north and east edges.
Acreage shops & garages
North and east of town toward Alleman, Elkhart and Bondurant.
Contractor & commercial
Shops and storage in the city’s business and industrial areas.
Hangars
Near Ankeny Regional Airport, where wide doors and clear span drive the design.
Farm buildings
Equipment and hay storage on the farms ringing the city.
Use, width, door openings and finish decide which system makes sense. We offer tubular steel, cold-formed steel, steel truss and red iron. See what a steel building costs.
Permitting and engineering in Ankeny
Ankeny and the county ground around it are separate permitting environments. Which one you’re in shapes the engineering.
Inside Ankeny
- 2024 IBC and IRC, newer than Des Moines and West Des Moines
- The newer edition can mean a different snow number than a few miles south
- Plan on a city permit for any garage or shop
- Airport zoning limits height near Ankeny Regional. Check before settling on eave height.
Outside city limits
- Unincorporated Polk County, permitted through the county’s Building Services office
- Residential shops and garages need a county permit
- Floodplain sites need a separate floodplain permit
Farm buildings
- Exempt from county codes when used for agriculture
- No application or fee required
- Doesn’t cover a personal shop on an acreage, or anything inside the city
Occupied buildings are Risk Category II and need engineering to that standard wherever they sit. More on the metro’s authorities on the Des Moines page.
Talk to us about your Ankeny project
Start with your building address and what you’re planning to build. We’ll work out the next steps and what’s needed for an accurate quote.
Vantage Buildings
417-218-8348
We also serve Alleman, Elkhart, Bondurant, Polk City, Sheldahl and Huxley. See the Des Moines metro or all Iowa locations.
Tell us what you’re building.
Dimensions, use, and the address are enough to start.