That blistering summer heat out here in the East Valley takes a heavy toll on cheap backyard structures. If you are tired of watching your gear bake in the sun, you are probably thinking about putting up a Metal Pole Barn. Champion Metal Buildings has built dozens of these structures across Mesa neighborhoods from Alta Mesa to the Countyline, and doing it right requires a solid game plan.
Before you even look at a catalog or buy a single tool, you need to deal with the City of Mesa permitting office. Do not skip this step thinking nobody will notice. Zoning laws care about property lines, wind loads, and drainage. If you live out near Las Sendas, you also have to deal with HOA rules that dictate roof pitches and color palettes. Here is what you can handle yourself in the planning phase:
- Mapping out your exact property boundaries and utility lines
- Drafting a rough sketch of dimensions and door placements
- Gathering HOA architectural guidelines
Once the paperwork clears, the real work starts. The foundation and post-setting phase is where most do-it-yourself builders get in over their heads. Mesa caliche soil is notoriously stubborn; it is basically concrete six inches down. Renting a standard auger will not cut it when you hit that layer. Champion Metal Buildings brings heavy equipment just to get post holes down to the required frost and wind depth. You can clear the site and haul away debris yourself, but let the pros drop and anchor those primary structural posts.
During assembly, framing goes up fast if you bought a pre-engineered kit. Putting up wall girts and roof purlins is a solid weekend project if you have a couple of buddies helping out and you are not afraid of heights. But the moment you start hoisting heavy steel roof panels, safety becomes a real issue, especially when afternoon wind gusts kick up out of nowhere during monsoon season. One gust can bend a sheet of metal before you even get it screwed down.
After the structure is standing, the maintenance game begins. Metal Construction Company work is tough, but it is not completely bulletproof against the desert environment. You will want to wash down the exterior walls twice a year to get rid of dust accumulation that bakes onto the paint. Check your roof fasteners annually. The constant expansion and contraction from our extreme temperature swings can back those screws out just enough to let moisture in when we actually do get a heavy rainstorm.
Tackling a Metal Pole Barn project does not have to be overwhelming if you know your limits. Handle the site prep, permitting legwork, and interior finishing touches on your own to save some cash. When it comes to the heavy structural framing, concrete pouring, and roofing, bringing in experienced hands ensures your Metal Pole Barn survives the next few decades of Arizona weather without giving you headaches.