How to order your Steel Eco-Kit

Where to begin

Already have property?

Start with the six steps below. We’ll help you shape a steel building kit around your property and the requirements of your local planning department.

View the ordering steps

Still exploring your project?

Our Before You Build guide helps you understand what a cold-formed steel residential living kit covers, the work involved in getting the shell built, the crew and equipment questions to consider, and how to compare doing the work yourself with hiring an erection crew.

Get the guide · $27 See what’s in the guide

Secure checkout through Payhip. Digital PDF download.

Step 1

Talk to your local planning department

Ask for a thumbs up to build an engineered steel building, such as a home, cabin, shop, garage, ADU, or barndominium, of the size and height you need on your property.

While you are speaking with your planning department, ask for:

Roof or ground snow load requirements, or both if required
Frost depth requirements for the foundation
The required wind speed rating for your location

Step 2

Request a free project consult

Our design team works with you on the initial design of your steel building kit: the roof design, length, width, height, and the approximate locations and sizes of the openings you want.

Your designer typically sends a price quote within about 24 hours. The quote may include the price of the building kit, engineered plans for the building and the foundation, and the cost to ship the building to your location.

Step 3

Choose preliminary or architectural plans, then review with your planning department

Before you order engineered plans, we recommend sitting down with your local planning department to review your project and confirm what they require. Which documents you bring depends on the type of building.

Option 1 · Non-residential

Buildings with simple floor plans

For shops, garages, warehouses, storage buildings, or other projects that only need a simple floor plan layout for areas such as a bathroom, washroom, or office, a full architectural plan set may not be required.

Preliminary plan review packet: $597

This packet may be used for planning discussions and initial review before moving into engineered plans.

Preliminary documents are for discussion and review. They are not the permit-ready engineered plans ordered in Step 4.

Option 2 · Residential

Homes that need a full plan set

Barndominiums, cabins, homes, and accessory dwelling units typically require a complete architectural plan set. This may include the floor plan, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and other details required by your planning department.

Architectural plans, upfront: $2,997
Credit toward building kit purchase: $2,000
Net cost for architectural plans after credit: $997

The $2,000 is a credit toward your building kit purchase. The current terms describe it as “credited back toward the building kit purchase when moving forward,” so it applies when you go ahead with your kit order. It is not an immediate discount or a cash refund.

Up to three revisions are included at no additional cost. The plan set is prepared by an off-shore architect who is not licensed in the United States. If your planning department requires a local architect to sign off, our engineer can do that for a fee of $300 to $400. About the architectural plan set

Architectural plan process

After you order the architectural plan set, our team works with you and the architect to design a customized floor plan for your residential steel building, such as a barndominium, cabin, home, or accessory dwelling unit.

When the floor plan is complete to your specifications, we prepare a preliminary document package for your planning department meeting. It may include:

Floor plan
Preliminary building and foundation plan
Rendering of your residential steel building kit

Planning department meeting checklist

The goal of the meeting is preliminary approval and a clear list of requirements for your building permit application. Items to discuss may include:

Setbacks
Licensed trade requirements
Stamping requirements
Plan details such as wall schedules, breaker box locations, stair details, and insulation specifications
Any other local requirements

Step 4

Order engineered building and foundation plans

Engineering deposit: 30% on average, exact amount determined by your project quote

The deposit averages 30% of the building kit price, and your project quote specifies the amount. It is required before engineered plans are started.

Once the deposit is received, our team works closely with the architect to finalize the architectural plans and make any needed adjustments to window and door placement, so the building can be engineered smoothly.

The engineering team then produces a stamped and signed set of plans for both the Steel Eco-Kit and the foundation. Standard engineered plans are ready in 3 to 5 business days on average. Custom engineering is ready in 5 to 7 business days on average. Hard copies of the signed plans may also be mailed.

Engineers are available in all 50 states. California projects are subject to case-by-case engineering review.

Step 5

Submit your plans for permit review

Once you have the engineered building plans and, if your project needs one, the architectural plan set, submit the documents to your local planning department and building team for permit review.

Your contractor, electrician, plumber, HVAC installer, insulation contractor, concrete contractor, and other trades may also review the plans at this stage.

Permit approval is decided by your local authority. Buying plans does not guarantee a permit.

Step 6

Order your Steel Eco-Kit

Once you have your permit from the planning department, you are ready to order your Steel Eco-Kit.

A final payment contract is generated for your building order. Your Steel Eco-Kit goes into production once the final payment has been received.

Estimated kit delivery timeline: 4 to 6 weeks on average

Cost summary

Preliminary plan review packet: $597; Often used for non-residential planning discussions and initial review.
Architectural plans: $2,997 upfront; For residential projects that require a full architectural plan set.
Building kit purchase credit: $2,000 credit; Credited back toward the building kit purchase when you move forward.
Net architectural plan cost: $997 after credit; After the $2,000 building kit purchase credit.
Engineered plans deposit: 30% on average; Exact amount determined by your project quote. Required before engineered plans are started.
Final payment contract: Pay Balance Due; Once you have received your permit from the planning department, you are ready to order your Steel Eco-Kit. A final payment contract will be generated for your building order. Your Steel Eco-Kit goes into production once the final payment has been received.

Optional planning resource

What’s in the Before You Build guide

Before You Build: Cold Formed Steel Residential Living Kit Planning and Readiness Guide · Digital guide · $27

Planning checklists: questions to settle before ordering, steps to complete before delivery, an equipment planning checklist, and a project action list
A DIY readiness scorecard to help you weigh doing the shell work yourself against hiring an erection crew
Budget and crew comparison worksheets for self-perform, hybrid, and professional crew options
Links to 44 general video demonstrations, grouped by project phase

The guide is a pre-purchase planning resource. It is not project-specific engineered plans or the construction manual supplied with a kit order. For a particular build, the approved project plans take precedence over the manual and videos.

The guide is separate from the free project consult, the $2,997 architectural plan purchase, and the $2,000 building kit purchase credit. You do not need the guide to request a consult. It is not included in the architectural plan price, and the $2,000 credit does not apply to it.

Get the guide · $27

Digital PDF download through Payhip. Video links are provided with your purchase.

Who does what

You

Get local requirements from your planning department, approve your design, submit documents for permit review, and hire your local contractors.

NuEco

Initial design and quote, coordination with the architect and engineers, the final payment contract, and production of your kit.

Architect and engineers

The architect prepares the architectural plan set when your project needs one. Engineers produce the stamped and signed building and foundation plans.

Local planning department

Sets requirements for your site, reviews your documents, and decides on your building permit.

Contractors and trades

Review the plans, build the foundation from the engineered foundation plans, and complete construction on site.

What the kit covers

Engineered foundation plans are drawings. The physical foundation is built by your local contractor. The kit does not include the built foundation, the finished interior, or the windows and doors. Windows and doors are not included in a standard kit. They may be provided when NuEco supplies turnkey building services in Texas. Door and window frames sized for your requirements are included.

Start with a free project consult

Tell us what you want to build and where. We will work on the initial design with you and send a quote.

Architectural plan set · Barndominium kits · FAQ

Or call 520-210-9069