Metal Roofing for Barns, Shops and Commercial Buildings in Dothan, AL

Drive any road out of Dothan and you will pass pole barns, peanut and cotton equipment sheds, hay barns, workshops and metal-roofed churches and stores. Many of these roofs went up decades ago, and plenty took a beating from Hurricane Michael in 2018. Call (334) 432-8483 and we will connect you with an independent local contractor who handles agricultural, shop and light commercial metal roofing. We are a referral service; the contractor quotes and does the work.

Signs your barn or shop roof needs work

• Rust-through or pinholes, especially at the bottom edge where water runs off
• Panels lifting, flapping or missing after wind
• Leaks dripping onto equipment, hay or stored crops
• Wallowed-out screw holes and loose fasteners
• Sagging or rotten wood purlins
• Heavy condensation dripping inside on humid mornings

Common building types

Pole barns and equipment sheds

Usually ribbed or corrugated panels on wood purlins over posts. Re-roofing often means checking every purlin, replacing rotted ones and adding fasteners to meet current wind recommendations.

Shops and garages

Many owners want insulation or a vapor barrier under the panels so the shop is usable in August and tools do not rust from condensation.

Commercial and church buildings

Low-slope metal buildings may use standing seam or through-fastened panels. Commercial jobs often need permits, engineered details and insurance certificates naming the owner. Ask early.

How a re-roof is done

1. Walk the building. The contractor checks purlins, trusses, gutters and existing panels, and measures.
2. Choose the approach. Remove and replace the old panels, or in some cases install new panels over old metal with spacers. Ask which fits your building.
3. Structural repairs. Rotted purlins and damaged trusses are fixed before any panel goes on.
4. Insulation or barrier. Optional radiant barrier, vapor barrier or insulation goes down.
5. Panels, trim and ridge. Panels are fastened to the manufacturer's pattern, with extra screws at edges and corners where wind is strongest.
6. Gutters and cleanup. Gutters reset or replaced, and the site swept for screws, which matters around tractor tires and livestock.

Typical costs

Typical national-guide ranges for installed panels. Actual price depends on size, access and structure.

What drives the cost

Size is the obvious one, but structure matters too. A barn with sound purlins and trusses is far cheaper to re-roof than one that needs framing work. Height and access count: a tall hay barn may need a lift. Gauge, finish, insulation, gutters and the number of doors, vents and skylights all add cost. Commercial jobs may also carry permit, engineering and insurance requirements that a farm building does not.

How long it takes

A small shed or 30x40 shop can often be done in one to three days. A large pole barn may take three to seven days, and commercial roofs vary widely. Farmers often schedule barn work outside planting and harvest so equipment can be moved out of the way.

Questions to ask before you sign

• Will you replace rotted purlins, and how is that priced?
• What fastener pattern and screw type will you use at edges and corners?
• Is the quote for 29-gauge or 26-gauge, and what finish?
• Do you carry insurance that covers work on agricultural and commercial buildings?

Wiregrass conditions

This is farm country, with peanuts, cotton and cattle across Houston, Dale, Henry and Geneva counties. Open-sided barns catch wind from underneath as well as above, so fastening and edge trim matter even more than on a house. Hurricane Michael showed how quickly a loose barn roof can peel away. Humid, warm air and cool nights cause condensation under bare panels, which is why many shops add a vapor barrier. Fertilizer, livestock and stored chemicals can speed corrosion on bare Galvalume in some barns, so ask about painted or coated panels if that applies to you.

Alabama generally requires residential home improvement contractors to be licensed by the Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board for larger jobs, and a metal roof on a house is almost always a larger job. Ask any contractor for the license and a current certificate of insurance (general liability and workers' compensation), and check the license yourself. Inside the city limits, ask whether a City of Dothan building permit is required and who pulls it; outside the city, ask about Houston County or your town's rules.

Barns and outbuildings may or may not need a permit depending on location and use; ask the contractor and the local building office. Call (334) 432-8483 to get connected.

Frequently asked questions

Areas we serve

We connect callers across Dothan, Enterprise, Ozark, Headland and the Wiregrass of southeast Alabama, including:

• Dothan
• Enterprise
• Ozark
• Headland
• Taylor
• Kinsey
• Cowarts
• Ashford
• Webb
• Rehobeth
• Newton
• Daleville
• Abbeville
• Houston County
• Dale County

Local pages: Enterprise, Ozark, Headland.

Related services

• Standing Seam Metal Roofs
• Metal Roof Replacement
• Exposed-Fastener, Corrugated & 5V
• Metal Roof Repair & Leaks
• Metal Roof Coatings & Restoration