How Much Does It Cost to Insulate a 50’x100’ Metal Building?

When you purchase a steel building and plan on using it year-round, chances are, you are going to need to have it insulated. Adding insulation makes your structure comfortable and suitable for use in a variety of temperatures and climates, and it also leads to significantly lower energy costs over the life of your building.

If installing insulation saves you even $125 a month, which is a reasonable estimate for many building sizes, you’re looking at saving as much as $1,500 a year in energy costs alone. Fiberglass insulation also helps prevent condensation, which helps your metal building maintain its structural integrity far better over time. While there is no “one-size-fits-all” answer to how much it should cost to insulate your building (final expenses will vary based on building size, insulation R-value and the like), the size of your building should give you a good place to start.

Material Costs

Fiberglass insulation with polypropylene (vinyl) facing is an economical and highly effective insulation option for today’s metal building owners. If you’re looking for a relatively basic, R-13 single-layer insulation system, materials might cost you about $0.50 per square foot. On the flipside, a high-performance, R-30 double-layer system can cost about $1.50 per square foot, so to purchase materials to insulate a 50’x100’ steel building, expect to pay somewhere between $2,500 and $7,500.
(*Prices are subject to change due to inflation and availability.)

Labor Costs

Typically, you should plan to pay somewhere between $0.80 and $1.50 a square foot for fiberglass insulation installation, for new construction. So, if you’re insulating a 50’x100’ metal building, plan on ponying up somewhere in the range of $2,700 and $6,500 in labor costs. (*Prices are subject to change.)

Final Cost of Insulating a 50’x100’ Steel Building

Once you combine the cost of materials with the cost of labor, you should expect to pay roughly $5,000 to $13,750 in total to insulate your steel building. (*Prices are subject to change due to inflation and availability.)

Ultimately, the larger your building is, the more you can expect to save over time by insulating it. Most insulation packages pay for themselves within a few years, giving you and anyone else who uses your building a comfortable, versatile place they can utilize, regardless of temperature or season.