Service area · Michigan

Metal buildings in Michigan.

We supply pole barns, shops, garages, ag buildings, commercial buildings and more across Michigan. Our work reaches from Metro Detroit to West Michigan and up to Traverse City, and anywhere else you’re building.

Residential code

2015 Michigan Residential Code

Farm buildings

Outside the state code

Residential builders

Licensed from $600

Owner-builders

Allowed for own use

From the Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act, the Michigan Occupational Code and LARA’s Bureau of Construction Codes. Townships, cities and counties enforce the code and write their own zoning, and we confirm yours before drawings are produced.

Call 417-218-8348

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What matters when building in Michigan?

Two buildings with identical dimensions can need different engineering depending on where they sit and how they’re used.

Snow

Snow load is set by location. Garfield Township’s pole building tables, for example, are built around ground snow loads of 60 and 70 psf.

Footings

Several townships call for 42-inch footings on larger buildings, including Oxford, Macomb and Garfield.

Size limits

Most townships cap accessory space by lot size or by the size of the house. Comstock’s table runs from 1,440 to 5,600 sq ft.

Township rules

In Michigan, the township usually sets the size, height and placement rules, and they change at the township line.

Where you build changes the rules

Michigan has one statewide construction code but leaves enforcement and zoning to local government. Here’s how it breaks down.

Building codes

Michigan uses a single state construction code. LARA’s Bureau of Construction Codes lists the 2015 Michigan Residential Code as current for homes and residential buildings, and the 2021 Michigan Building Code, in effect since April 9, 2025, for commercial work.
The code is enforced by the county, city, village or township that has taken on enforcement. Zoning isn’t part of the construction code, so local zoning applies on top of it.

Contractors

Building or altering residential structures takes a residential builder license from LARA when the job is $600 or more.
Licensed electrical, plumbing and mechanical contractors can do their own trade work without a residential builder license.

Owners & farms

Owners can build on their own property, for their own use and occupancy, without a residential builder license.
Under the state construction code act, a building or structure incidental to agricultural use of the land isn’t a “building” for code purposes, as long as it isn’t used for retail trade.

In Michigan, the township decides how big your building can be. Waterford caps every accessory building on a lot at 2,000 sq ft combined, Grand Blanc Township ties size to the house, and Lenox allows 10,000 sq ft on 5 acres or more. We check the rules at your address before we recommend a building.

What usually fits which project

We start with what you’re building and work back to the structural system. Here’s where that usually lands.

Barns & storage

Tubular steel fits up to sixty feet wide. Past eighty, or with big doors and heavy loads, red iron takes over.

Insulated shop

It’s still tubular under sixty feet. Insulation costs the same per square foot whatever the frame is.

Drywalled shop or barndominium

Steel truss is the fit here. Drywall screws straight to the frame, so there’s no wood wall to build inside the steel.

Commercial & wide spans

Cold-formed suits permitted commercial work with a finished eave. Red iron takes over past eighty feet, including equipment and packing sheds.

In heavy snow areas, higher snow loads can shift the math. See what a steel building costs for real per-square-foot ranges.

Local guides for Michigan

We deliver and install anywhere in Michigan. These guides cover the permit rules in individual townships and cities, and we check the rules for every other address the same way.

Building somewhere that isn’t listed? Tell us the address and we’ll confirm who permits it and what applies. See our whole service area.

Common questions about building in Michigan

Do I need a permit for a metal building in Michigan?

Usually, unless it’s a farm building. The state construction code is enforced locally, and each township sets its own threshold. Waterford and Thomas Township require a building permit over 200 sq ft, and Grand Blanc Township uses a site permit up to 200 sq ft. Give us the address and we’ll tell you what applies.

Can I build it myself?

Yes, on your own property for your own use and occupancy, without a residential builder license. Anyone you hire for residential work of $600 or more needs a residential builder license from LARA.

Do farm buildings need a building permit?

Not under the state code. A building incidental to agricultural use of the land isn’t treated as a building under the construction code act, unless it’s used for retail trade. Local zoning can still apply, though some townships loosen it. Lenox Township puts no size or height limit on buildings used only for farming.

How big can an accessory building be?

It depends on the township. Waterford allows 1,444 sq ft or 3% of the lot, up to 2,000 sq ft, for everything combined. Oshtemo’s table runs from 840 sq ft up to 7,000 sq ft over 11 acres. Ann Arbor Township allows 10% of the lot up to 10,000 sq ft over 3 acres.

How tall can it be?

Again, it varies. Grand Blanc Township allows 14 feet measured at mid-roof, Oxford Township 15 feet on residential lots, Comstock 25 feet, and Oshtemo 30 feet on unplatted parcels. Lenox allows 35 feet on 5 acres or more.

What sizes are most common in Michigan?

Sizes of 30×40 and 30×50 cover most residential and small farm projects. Larger farm and commercial operations run 40×60 through 60×80 and wider. See what a steel building costs, or call 417-218-8348 for an actual number.

Start with a conversation

Let’s talk about your Michigan project.

Tell us what you’re planning and where you’re building. We’ll help you work out the next steps.

Tell us what and whereSend us the size, how you’ll use the building and the address.
We check the siteWe confirm who permits the address and which code and loads apply.
You get a clear recommendationWe recommend the frame that fits and price it against the alternatives.