Search for a Quonset hut and you'll find used ones for sale on marketplace sites, farm auctions and classified listings, often at prices that make a new kit look expensive. Sometimes a used building is a good deal. More often, the low price hides costs and risks that don't show up until you're trying to get a permit or put the building back together. Here's what to check before you buy secondhand, and how to compare it fairly against new.
Why Used Looks Tempting
The appeal is easy to understand. The listing price is lower, the building is available now, and steel arches seem simple enough that a used one should be just as good. The trouble is that a Quonset hut is an engineered structure, not just a pile of steel. What you're really buying is a set of parts designed for a specific size, location and load. A used building can lose a lot of that along the way.
What Can Go Wrong With a Used Quonset Hut
1. Missing parts. Buildings that have been taken down, moved or stored for years rarely come with every bolt, base plate, end wall piece and seal. Tracking down matching parts for an older building, sometimes from a manufacturer that no longer exists, can stall a project for months.
2. Unknown gauge and load rating. The steel was chosen for wherever the building was originally put up. A building engineered for a mild climate may not be rated for the snow load or wind speed at your site. Our
steel gauge article and
wind and snow load guide explain why that matters.
3. No engineering paperwork. Many areas require stamped engineered drawings to issue a permit. Used buildings usually come without them, and having a used building re-engineered for your site can cost real money, if an engineer will sign off at all.
4. Damage from take-down. Panels get bent, bolt holes get stretched, and sealant gets torn when a building is disassembled. Arch panels that don't line up cleanly can lead to leaks.
5. Corrosion and wear. Look closely at the panels near the base, where dirt, standing water and stored materials sit against the steel. Check for rust-through, scratched coating and wet storage stain on panels that were stacked damp.
6. Transport and labor. Someone has to take the building down, load it and haul it. Those costs are easy to leave out when you compare prices.
7. No warranty. A new Duro Span building carries a corrosion warranty from the date it ships from the factory, plus a 12-month warranty against manufacturing defects. A used building effectively has neither.
If You Still Want to Buy Used
If the price is right and you want to proceed, go in with a checklist:
• Get the original manufacturer, model, size and steel gauge in writing.
• Ask for the original engineering drawings and parts list.
• Inspect the building standing, if you can, or every panel if it's already down.
• Count the hardware and check that end walls and base parts are included.
• Call your local building department before you buy and ask what they'll need for a permit.
• Price the take-down, transport and any re-engineering into your total.
When a Used Building Can Make Sense
A used Quonset hut can work for a small building in an area that doesn't require a permit, where you know the building's full history and can see every part. For anything larger, anything that needs a permit, or anything that has to stand up to real snow or wind, the risks usually outweigh the savings.
Why a New Kit Is the Safer Buy
A new Duro Span building is engineered to the building code for the specific state and area it's being delivered to, and we can provide stamped engineered drawings from an engineer licensed in your state for your permit. Every building is made from Galvalume Plus steel, inspected three times before it ships, and arrives complete, with an erection manual and support from our team. If you want to grow later, adding arches for more length is straightforward because every part uses the same nut-and-bolt system.
When you compare used and new, compare total cost, not the listing price. Include transport, missing parts, engineering and the value of a warranty. Our article on
how to compare steel building quotes has a checklist that works for this, too.
Ready to price a Duro Span building?
Request a free quote or call 888-848-2011 to talk with a Duro Span steel building specialist.