Pre-Engineered Metal Buildings in Mead & North Spokane County, WA

Steel shops, ag buildings and commercial buildings in Mead, Colbert, Chattaroy and the rest of north Spokane County, from bare dirt to a finished building with one contractor. Raven Buildings handles the site prep, the engineered concrete foundation and the steel erection for pre-engineered metal buildings (PEMB), also called red-iron buildings.

We aren't tied to one manufacturer. For every job we price the building with the suppliers who can deliver fastest at your parcel's design loads, so your project isn't stuck behind one factory's backlog.

What we build in north Spokane County

• Shops and garages: 30x40, 40x60 and larger clear-span shops with roll-up doors
• RV and equipment storage: tall eaves and wide door openings for RVs, tractors and trucks
• Ag buildings: hay and machinery storage on acreage
• Commercial buildings: warehouses, contractor yards and light-industrial space
• Barndominiums: steel-frame shop-houses permitted as single-family homes

The local numbers your building has to meet

Mead, Colbert, Chattaroy, Elk and Nine Mile Falls aren't incorporated cities, so permits there go through Spokane County Building & Planning (1026 W Broadway, 509-477-3675). These are the County's published design figures:

• Ground snow load: 39 psf base, with a 30 psf minimum roof snow load. The County notes some areas reach 150 psf, and your parcel's value is on the snow-load layer of the SCOUT map
• Design wind speed: 110 mph
• Frost depth: footings at least 24 inches below finished grade. Detached residential accessory buildings may use 18 inches, and frost-protected shallow foundations are allowed
• Permit exemption: one-story detached accessory buildings up to 200 sq ft only. Almost every shop needs a permit

North county lots climb fast toward Mt. Spokane and the Chattaroy hills, so the snow load can change from one parcel to the next. Order your steel at your parcel's real number. A kit priced for 30 psf isn't the same building as one designed for a heavier load, and the snow load also drives the column reactions your foundation has to carry.

What a metal building costs

Raven's going rate for an installed pre-engineered metal building in the Spokane area is about $60 to $75 per sq ft. Electrical, plumbing and utility hookups are extra.

• 30x40 (1,200 sq ft): about $72,000 to $90,000 installed
• 40x60 (2,400 sq ft): about $144,000 to $180,000 installed
• Always extra: electrical, plumbing and utility hookups
• Kit-only prices you see online ($10 to $25 per sq ft per HomeGuide) are materials only, before freight, erection and foundation

Rural north county lots often add clearing, grading, a driveway and power to the budget. For a line-by-line breakdown, read what a 30x40 or 40x60 metal shop with a slab really costs.

How a Raven PEMB project runs

1. Site walk: access, slope, drainage and where power comes in
2. Parcel loads: we pull the snow load and confirm the permit path with the County
3. Supplier pricing: we price the building with the manufacturers who can deliver fastest at your loads
4. Anchor bolts and reactions: the supplier's package goes to the foundation engineer before any concrete is poured. See our PEMB foundation guide
5. Dirt work and foundation: excavation, gravel base, footings below frost depth and the slab
6. Erection: columns, rafters, purlins, girts, sheeting, doors and trim
7. Inspections and final

Permits

Check the County's rules before you draw plans. Our guide to shop, pole barn and garage permit rules in the Spokane area covers each jurisdiction. A steel home or barndominium also needs septic and water approvals first; see the barndominium pre-build checklist.

FAQ

Do I need a permit for a metal shop in Mead? Yes, unless it's a one-story detached building of 200 sq ft or less. Mead is unincorporated, so the permit comes from Spokane County.

What snow load should my steel building in Colbert or Chattaroy be designed for? At least the County's 39 psf ground snow load and 30 psf roof minimum. Some parcels are much higher, so look yours up on the SCOUT snow-load map.

How deep do the footings go? At least 24 inches below finished grade in unincorporated Spokane County. The engineered depth can be greater because of wind uplift.

Which manufacturer do you use? Whichever can deliver fastest for your building's size and loads. We're not locked into one brand.

Get a quote for your north county building

Call 509-350-2016 or request a free quote. See our steel building services, concrete slabs and flatwork and pole buildings if post-frame fits your budget better.

Sources

• Spokane County BP-06 Residential Building Permits
• Spokane County Building FAQ (snow load and jurisdiction)
• Spokane County SCOUT map, snow-load layer
• City of Spokane / Spokane County Joint Policy BUILD-07, Official Frost Depth
• Spokane County BP-25 Permit Exemptions
• HomeGuide, "How Much Does a Metal Building Cost?" (2026)