Franklin County · St. Louis metro
Metal buildings in Washington, MO.
We supply shops, barns, machine sheds, barndominium shells and more across Franklin County. Our work reaches from the Missouri River towns south toward Union, and anywhere else you’re building.
Farm buildings
Exempt if 100% ag
Change the use later
Sealed as-built plan
Outside city limits
Franklin County
River bottoms
Check floodplain
These are Franklin County rules for unincorporated ground. The City of Washington permits inside its own limits.
What people build around Washington
Franklin County is a big county with a lot of working ground, and much of what goes up here is for farms.
Barns & machine sheds
Under sixty feet, tubular steel fits. Past eighty, red iron takes over.
Acreage shops
For an unfinished shop, tubular is usually the answer, insulated or not.
Barndominium shells
Steel truss is the fit here. Drywall attaches to the frame, so there’s no second wall to build.
Shop in the barn
Is it part farm, part something else? Read the exemption section below before you plan it.
We also work in cold-formed steel. See what a steel building costs.
Franklin County’s Agricultural Structure Exemption
Franklin County writes its farm building exemption into its building code, and it’s strict about what counts.
If it’s 100% agricultural
- An agricultural building meeting the exemption doesn’t need a building permit.
- The county can inspect to confirm farm use.
If it’s anything less
- A building not used 100% for agriculture needs a permit.
- A shop in the end of the barn counts as “less.”
If the use changes later
- The county requires a sealed “as built” plan from a registered design professional.
- It also charges a double permit fee.
If there’s any chance it becomes a shop, permit it now. Converting an exempt barn later costs a sealed plan and a double fee. We engineer every building to the loads at its address either way, so the drawings are ready if you need them.
Permitting in Washington and Franklin County
Inside Washington
The city permits inside its own limits. We confirm the code edition and setbacks before drawings are produced.
Unincorporated Franklin County
The Franklin County Building Department permits non-agricultural buildings under the county’s adopted code.
Missouri River bottoms
Floodplain rules apply whatever the use. Pad elevation matters as much as the frame.
We also serve Union, St. Clair, New Haven, Pacific and Gerald. See Warrenton or the St. Louis metro.
Start with a conversation
Let’s talk about your Washington 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.
Or call
314-536-8688