Guides
Real takeoffs for common building sizes
Each guide below is a real material list or cost breakdown generated by Gable Takeoff — not a rounded estimate. Change any dimension yourself in the app to get your own.
30x40 metal building material list
Full framing, sheeting, and trim takeoff — every I-beam, purlin, girt, and panel, sized and quantified.
30x40 metal building cost: kit and turnkey
The building package and the turnkey price for a 30x40 shop, and why it costs more per square foot than a 40x60.
40x60 metal building cost, broken down
What actually makes up the cost of a 40x60 — steel, sheet & trim and doors & windows, not just a price per square foot.
How many purlins for a 40x60 metal building?
24 roof purlins, 10-inch, 30-foot sticks — and the exact math behind that number.
30x50 metal building material list
Every I-beam, purlin, girt, panel, and trim piece for a 30x50, and what changes from a 30x40.
40x80 metal building cost and material list
Full cost breakdown and material list, and why a 40x80 costs less per square foot than a 40x60.
50x80 metal shop cost and material list
A 50x80 shop with a 14' eave and two 12x12 roll-ups, priced, plus the turnkey number on a slab.
50x100 metal building material list and cost
W16x26 frames, four 25' bays, and the full takeoff for a 50x100.
60x100 metal building cost and material list
12,500 lb of W18x35 frame steel and everything else a 60x100 needs, priced.
40x60 barndominium shell cost and material list
The steel shell of a 40x60 barndo: 14' eave, 12' porch, windows and doors, priced.
Turnkey 40x60 steel building price: slab and erection included
The turnkey number: building, doors, erection labor and the slab, and what share each one is.
How much does a slab for a metal building cost?
Slab cost for 30x40 through 60x100, and why bigger slabs cost less per square foot.
Do I need a permit for a metal building in Texas?
City, county or coast: what each usually asks for, and what to check before you order steel.
The span charts behind every guide
Every frame, purlin, and girt size in these guides comes from the app's default span charts: "up to this span, use this member." Each guide highlights the rows that size its building.
Main frame · gable
| Clear span up to | Beam |
|---|---|
| 30' | W12x14 |
| 40' | W12x19 |
| 50' | W16x26 |
| 60' | W18x35 |
Main frame · single slope
| Clear span up to | Beam |
|---|---|
| 20' | W8x10 |
| 30' | W12x16 |
| 40' | W14x22 |
| 50' | W18x35 |
Purlins & wall girts
| Bay span up to | C-section |
|---|---|
| 20' | 6" |
| 25' | 8" |
| 30' | 10" (roof only) |
Adjust them for your climate. Snow and wind loads vary by region, so every row is editable on the app's Settings tab. Change a size or a span break to match what your engineer or local code requires, and every new estimate uses your charts. More about span charts