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Blackjack
Farmers know steel machine sheds, and I have seven that I use. I will share some pointers on features I like and things to look for when picking a manufacturer. Checking the guage of metal, finish, and warranty was good advice from Aumore. I would also check the snow load rating, who erects the building (company crew or independent contractor), out of season purchase discounts, and if you can see area completed buildings to guage the quality of the final erected product.
If you plan to go with an open rafter design in at least your tractor and implement portion of your building, I would reccommend a continuous ridge row skylight. This type of skylight seems stronger than the rectangles in the miidle of the roof. These buildings can be dark inside even during the day without the doors open, so you need skylights. If you will have sliding big doors, try to lay your building out so the wind doesn't make them tough to close when a Summer or Winter storm surprises you. This is tough to do since the different season storms likeky come from different directions. Remember that even smaller tractors can be taller than cars and trucks. You probably don't need the 14' clearance for a combine or folded equipment, but there are some 4x4 SUVs that won't even fit in standard height garages. We have 22' or 24' width doors, but you would probably want at least a 14' or 16' wide implement door. You may have to hit that hole in the dark when you are tired and need extra room to spare. You can have end or side doors or both. If you only have one set of doors you'll always be rotating equipment to get to what you need. My preference for construction of the sliding doors is to have the framing 2x4s turned so the door is thicker and more resistant to extreme bowing from high wind. You may want a divider wall going all the way to the roof so you can cut costs and only insulate/heat where the cars go. The building company can use the same construction technique as for the exterior walls. If you have a workshop or garage area with a dropped ceiling, the loft space above it can be used to store car parts, etc... Make sure you add extra ceiling/floor joists for any serious storage weight. When having your building wired, make sure the electrician adds extra outlets near the door openings. Outlets in the middle of wall runs don't do you much good when you have to crawl over farm machinery to get to them.
There are lots of Manufacturers. Morton Buildings is the Cadillac and the price reflects it. Two other brands to check are Cleary and Wicks. There are lots of "factory direct to you" companies, but I don't know anything about them or who erects the product. The Farm Progress Show showcases many of the steel building companies, who actually build examples of their product on the show site. This years show is in Iowa in late September. Hopefully there is another Ag products or trade show closer to you. There is always the internet to turn to for leads.
I hope this helps.
Fast Farmer
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