Cost breakdown example

40x60 barndominium shell cost and material list

A full framing, sheeting, and trim takeoff for a 40' × 60' weld-up building: 14' eave, 4:12 pitch, two walk doors, six 3'×4' windows, one 12'×12' roll-up door, and a 12'-deep open porch along one sidewall. Generated by Gable Takeoff; every number below is a real output, not a rounded guess.

Width 40 ft
Depth 60 ft
Eave 14 ft
Pitch 4:12
Ridge 20' 8"
Bays 2 (30' 0" spacing)
$37,989
Estimated total (building + doors + trim)
$15.83
Per square foot of the 40x60 enclosed footprint
3,525 lb
Main frame steel weight

Prices as of September 2026.

Pricing a plain shop instead? See the 40x60 metal building cost, broken down, or the turnkey price erected on a slab.

Where the money goes

Each category includes 8.25% sales tax and a 15% markup, matching the app's defaults. Both are adjustable to your own numbers.

CategoryWhat's in itCost
Steel, sheet & trimI-beams, purlins, girts, eave struts, end wall columns, roof & wall sheets, porch lean-to, two walk doors, and all trim$31,446
Doors & WindowsSix 3'×4' windows, one 12'×12' roll-up door$6,543
Grand total$37,989

Main frame members

Columns and rafters are cut as separate pieces and nested onto stock lengths with the least waste; each row is the stock to buy and how it's cut. Weight is quantity × stock length × pounds per foot (the second number in the size: W12x19 is 19 lb/ft), which adds up to the 3,525 lb above.

Stock & cutsQtySizeLengthWeight
Cut into 1 × 21' 1" rafter, 2 × 14' 0" column · 0' 10 3/4" drop1W12x1950'950 lb
Cut into 1 × 21' 1" rafter · 3' 11" drop1W12x1925'475 lb
2 cut 2 × 21' 1" rafter, 1 × 14' 0" column · 3' 9 3/4" drop; 1 cut 1 × 30' 0" lean-to beam, 2 × 14' 0" column · 1' 11 3/4" drop3W8x1060'1,800 lb
Cut into 1 × 30' 0" lean-to beam1W8x1030'300 lb
Total frame steel3,525 lb

Span charts behind these sizes

The highlighted rows set this building's sizes: a 40' clear span calls for W12x19 frames, and 30' bays call for 10" roof purlins. These are the app's default charts.

Main frame · gable

Clear span up toBeam
30'W12x14
40'W12x19
50'W16x26
60'W18x35

Purlins & wall girts

Bay span up toC-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

Full material list

Wall, roof, and trim color: Charcoal Gray.

ItemQtySizeLengthNotes
1. I-Beams
I-beam stock1W12x1950'cut each 1 × 21' 1" rafter, 2 × 14' 0" column · 0' 10 3/4" drop
I-beam stock1W12x1925'cut each 1 × 21' 1" rafter · 3' 11" drop
I-beam stock3W8x1060'2 cut 2 × 21' 1" rafter, 1 × 14' 0" column · 3' 9 3/4" drop; 1 cut 1 × 30' 0" lean-to beam, 2 × 14' 0" column · 1' 11 3/4" drop
I-beam stock1W8x1030'cut each 1 × 30' 0" lean-to beam
Tube stock1TS4x4x.18840'cut each 3 × 10' 0" lean-to column · 9' 11 3/4" drop
Tube stock2TS4x4x.18824'cut each 1 × 20' 8" center column · 3' 4" drop
Weld plates56" × 6"—one per column · 2 end wall center columns (TS4x4x.188), 3 lean-to columns (TS4x4x.188)
Weld plates66" × 12"—one per column · 2 interior frame columns (W12x19), 4 end wall frame columns (W8x10)
2. Purlins, Girts & Eave Struts
Roof purlins2410"30'
Eave struts410"30'4:12 pitch
Sidewall girts128"30'
Gable end girts128"20'
Jamb purlins28"20'nested — 2 jambs cut from these
Header purlins18"20'nested — 1 header cut from these
3. Roof & Wall Sheets
Roof panels40—21' 1"
Sidewall panels40—14' 0"
Gable end panels28—14' 8" – 20' 8"4 @ 20' 8", 4 @ 19' 8", 4 @ 18' 8", 4 @ 17' 8", 4 @ 16' 8", 4 @ 15' 8", 4 @ 14' 8" (24" wide) · 36" wide
4. Trim
Ridge cap6—12'12" overlap · 4:12 pitch
Rake trim8—mixed4 @ 22' 0" full-length, 4 @ 1' 1" seam piece · roof length + 1', seamed w/ 12" overlap
Eave trim12—12'12" overlap · 4:12 pitch
Outside corners4—15' 0"sidewall height + 1', seamed w/ 12" overlap
Base angle9—25'full slab perimeter, 12" overlap
Rake angle4—25'end wall beams, full roof length, 12" overlap
Head trim (walk doors)2—3' 6"top
Head trim (windows)12—3' 6"top + bottom
Head trim (roll-up doors)1—13' 0"top
Jamb trim (walk doors)4—7' 6"both sides
Jamb trim (windows)12—4' 6"both sides
Jamb trim (roll-up doors)2—13' 0"both sides
Jamb wrap (roll-up doors)1—13' 0"top
Jamb wrap (roll-up doors)2—13' 0"both sides
5. Accessories
Peak boxes2——one per gable end
Rake end caps4—pairleft/right pair per rake run
Purlin clips126——2 per piece · 63 pieces to clip
Walk doors2—3' 0" × 7' 0"Right sidewall · bays 1–2 · centered · White
6. Doors & Windows
Window6—3' 0" × 4' 0"
Roll-up door1—12' 0" × 12' 0"Front gable end · bay 1 · centered · Polar White
7. Lean-To
Lean-to 1 (right sidewall) — roof panels20—12' 2"
Lean-to 1 (right sidewall) — purlins810"30'
Steel, sheet & trim$31,446
Doors & Windows$6,543
Grand total$37,989

Rough budgeting estimate, not a mill quote. Doesn't include permits, engineering, delivery, concrete, labor, or insulation (the Pro plans price those on top of the same takeoff). Prices use the app's default rates; your supplier pricing will differ.

What makes a barndominium shell different

The frame is the same as a 40x60 shop, but a barndominium shell adds what a house needs on the outside: a taller 14' eave for a loft or high ceilings, more walk doors, windows, and a covered porch. The openings alone more than double the doors-and-windows line compared with a basic shop, and every window adds head and jamb trim. This is the steel shell only. Interior framing, insulation, concrete and finishes are priced separately.

Common questions

How much does a 40x60 barndominium shell cost?
About $37,989 for the steel shell at the app's default prices (September 2026), or $15.83 per square foot of the enclosed footprint. Interior framing, insulation, concrete and finishes are priced separately.
Does a barndominium shell cost more than a 40x60 shop?
Yes. A basic 40x60 shop with one walk door and one roll-up door comes to $27,966 (see that breakdown). The taller eave, the extra doors and windows, and the porch make up the difference.

See it before you order it

This same 40x60 draws itself in the app. Pick your wall, roof, trim, door, and wainscot colors and the building repaints in 3D; switch to the wireframe to check where the purlins, girts, eave struts, and jamb purlins land. Eight views — four isometric corners and four straight-on elevations — so you can look at a door from outside or the framing from the corner you'll erect from.

Change any dimension and get your own real takeoff.

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