Can You Build a Metal Building in Winter in Spokane? Concrete, Crane Days, Bracing and Snow (2026)

Short answer: yes, a metal building can go up in a Spokane winter, but the weather sets the pace. The steel frame doesn't care about the cold. What slows a winter job is the concrete under it, which has to be protected from freezing and reach strength before steel goes on it, plus wind, snow and short days that limit safe crane and roof work. Here's what Washington's rules, the industry standards and Spokane's weather say, and how we plan a PEMB (pre-engineered metal building) that's built between November and March.

What a Spokane winter actually looks like

NOAA's 1991–2020 normals for Spokane International Airport show why a winter build needs a plan:

• November: average low 30.3°F, average high 42.3°F, about 19 nights at or below freezing
• December: average low 24.3°F, average high 33.8°F, about 27 freezing nights and 13 days that never get above 32°F
• January: average low 24.7°F, average high 34.5°F, about 26 freezing nights
• February: average low 26.3°F, average high 39.5°F, about 23 freezing nights
• March: average low 31.5°F, average high 48.6°F, about 19 freezing nights
• Snow: about 45.4 inches of normal annual snowfall

None of that stops steel erection by itself. It changes the order of work, how long each step takes and how much protection the concrete needs.

Step 1: the concrete has to be ready for steel

A PEMB stands on anchor bolts set in concrete footings or a slab, and Washington's steel erection rules won't let the frame go up until that concrete is ready:

• The 75 percent rule: under WAC 296-155-703, before steel erection starts the erector must get written notice that the concrete in the footings, piers and walls has reached either 75 percent of its intended minimum compressive design strength or enough strength to carry the erection loads, based on ASTM tests of field-cured samples
• Anchor bolt changes in writing too: the same rule requires written notice that any repairs or modifications to the anchor bolts were done properly. Our PEMB anchor bolt guide covers setting tolerances
• Cold slows strength gain: the American Concrete Institute's cold-weather guide (ACI 306R-16) treats it as cold weather whenever the air is at, or expected to fall below, 40°F during the protection period after a pour
• Protect it until 500 psi: ACI says fresh concrete has to be kept from freezing until it reaches at least 500 psi, and that most well-proportioned mixes get there in about 48 hours at 50°F. Concrete that will freeze and thaw while saturated should be protected until 3,500 psi

In practice, that means winter footings get insulated blankets or heat, they never go on frozen ground, and the frame waits for field-cured test results rather than a calendar date. Our winter concrete guide explains cold-weather pours in detail.

Step 2: a site the crane and trucks can use

Frozen ground can actually help trucks, but snow, ice and spring thaw don't. WAC 296-155-703 also requires the controlling contractor to provide:

• Access roads: adequate roads into and through the site for safe delivery and movement of cranes, trucks and the steel
• A laydown area: a firm, properly graded, drained area with enough room to store materials and run the erector's equipment safely

On a winter job that means plowed access, a gravel pad for the crane and steel bundles, and drainage that still works when the snow melts. Our site prep guide covers base, grading and drainage.

Step 3: wind, ice and cold decide crane days

Most PEMB frames are set with a crane or lift, and Washington's crane rules list the weather that can shut a lift down:

• Conditions that can suspend crane work: WAC 296-155-54100 names wind velocity or gusting winds, heavy rain, fog, extreme cold or heat, ice, and artificial lighting as conditions that can require suspending crane assembly or disassembly
• Personnel platforms: under WAC 296-155-55300, a crane-hoisted personnel platform can't be used in winds over 20 mph (sustained or gusts), or in snow, ice, sleet or other adverse weather
• Supervision: WAC 296-155-703 requires steel erection to be supervised by a competent person who is present at the worksite, so that call gets made on site each morning

Short winter days matter too. Spokane County's noise code allows construction sounds between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. near homes, but daylight is the real limit in December, so crews plan the crane's hours carefully.

Step 4: keep the frame braced until it's sheeted

A half-built steel building is at its weakest in wind and weather:

• Stability at all times: WAC 296-155-706 says structural stability must be maintained at all times during erection
• The erector braces it: AISC's Code of Standard Practice (Section 7.10) makes the erector responsible for temporary supports that keep the bare frame stable against erection loads, including wind, and says they stay in place until the permanent bracing system is installed
• Panels are part of the bracing: manufacturers' erection manuals say the same thing in plain words. Steelway's manual says the building can't be considered fully braced until the paneling is complete and warns not to remove erection bracing until then, and it recommends sheeting the walls first because wall panels add rigidity
• Secure loose sheets: Sunward's erector manual says sheeting and trim must be secured from the wind at all times

That's why we don't leave a winter frame standing for weeks without sheeting. Once steel goes up, we push to get walls and roof on and the building dried in.

Step 5: snow on the roof during and after the build

A finished PEMB is engineered for your site's snow load, and in Spokane County that's not a small number. The County uses a minimum roof snow load of 30 psf, notes that some areas reach 150 psf on its SCOUT snow-load maps, and says the ground snow load is multiplied by 0.7 to get the roof snow load. Our Spokane County snow load guide walks through it.

During construction, the rule of thumb is simple: treat the partly built roof gently.

• Snow gets heavy: Sunward's manual says fresh snow can weigh 10 to 12 pounds per cubic foot and can reach 16 to 30 as it compacts, and rain on snow makes it worse
• Call the engineer first: the same manual says to call the manufacturer's engineer before removing snow, and to remove it evenly so the roof isn't loaded on one side
• Keep material off the roof: bundles of panels and insulation left on purlins add load that the design may not expect during erection

Step 6: insulation and dry-in

Cold, wet weather is hard on insulation. We keep blanket insulation dry until it's installed and roof it in the same day it goes up where we can. Condensation inside a metal building is a winter issue in Spokane, which our metal building insulation guide covers along with Washington's energy code.

Permits don't stop for winter

Spokane County building permits are good for 3 years from the date they're issued, with one extension of up to 180 days if you ask in writing before the permit expires. So a winter build doesn't put your permit at risk, but plan inspections around the weather. Electrical permits in unincorporated Spokane County come from Washington Labor & Industries, not the County.

Is a winter build worth it?

Often, yes:

• You're ready by spring: a building ordered in fall and erected over winter is ready to use when the busy season starts
• Supplier timing: we aren't tied to one manufacturer, so we source each PEMB from whichever supplier can deliver it fastest, which can line up delivery with a good weather window. See our PEMB lead time guide
• The trade-off: some days are lost to wind and snow, and cold-weather concrete protection adds time and work. We build that into the schedule up front

New to steel buildings? Start with what a PEMB is.

What it costs

Raven's current installed price for a PEMB metal building is about $60 to $75 per square foot. Electrical, plumbing and utility hookups are extra. Foundations and any cold-weather concrete protection depend on the site and the time of year, so we quote those per project.

Get a quote for a winter or early-spring build

Tell us your building size, doors, intended use and site address or parcel number, and we'll lay out a realistic schedule for the season. Call 509-350-2016 or request a free quote. We build across Spokane County and Eastern Washington, including Spokane Valley, Mead and Deer Park.

Sources

• PEMB pricing: Raven Buildings' current rates
• WAC 296-155-703, Steel erection: concrete strength notice, site layout and competent person
• WAC 296-155-706, Structural steel assembly (Cornell LII)
• WAC 296-155-54100, Crane assembly and disassembly (adverse conditions)
• Washington State Register 13-02-068, WAC 296-155-55300 personnel platform wind and weather limits
• AISC, Temporary Support of Structural Steel (Code of Standard Practice Section 7.10)
• Steelway Building Systems, Erection Manual
• Sunward Steel Buildings, Building Erector Manual 2024
• ACI 306R-16, Guide to Cold Weather Concreting (excerpt)
• American Concrete Institute FAQ, What is the effect of freezing on concrete?
• NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Monthly Normals, Spokane International Airport
• NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Annual Normals, Spokane International Airport (snowfall)
• Spokane County Building FAQ (snow load, permit expiration, noise hours, electrical permits)