Metropolis sits on the Ohio, and anybody who has owned property in Massac County for more than a few years knows what that means for anything you set on the ground. Water moves. Ground that looks dry in August is soft in March. A building that was level when it was delivered can be out of level by the next spring if the pad was not done right.
Elevation is the whole game
The single most important decision you will make about a portable building near the river is how high you set it and how well the water gets away from it. Pick the high point of the yard, not the convenient corner. Then build a gravel pad that sits a few inches proud of the surrounding grade and extends about a foot past the building on every side, so runoff sheets away instead of pooling against the skids.
Concrete is the ultimate base and it is the most expensive. A properly built, properly drained gravel pad is what we recommend for most customers and it will outperform a bad concrete pad every time, because bad concrete traps water against the frame.
Humidity is the second problem
River valley summers are humid enough that a closed-up building will sweat on the underside of a metal roof and drip on whatever you stored under it. Two fixes. Order gable vents or a ridge vent so the building can breathe, and if you are storing anything that hates moisture, get spray foam insulation, which stops condensation from forming on the roof deck in the first place. We offer spray foam as an option, along with finish-out packages that include electrical, flooring and wall coverings.
The floor matters more here than anywhere
On damp ground the floor is the part that fails first on a cheap building. Ours use AdvanTech flooring, which carries a lifetime warranty, and the siding is LP SmartSide with a 50 year warranty. If either ever needs a claim, we handle it for you instead of handing you a manufacturer phone number and wishing you luck. Every building also carries our own 10 year guarantee against acts of nature like storm damage and settling, plus our craftsmanship.
Getting a truck in
A lot of Massac County properties have long soft driveways and low tree cover. Before delivery day, walk the route your building will take and check three things: about two feet of clear width past the building width the whole way, roughly 13 feet of overhead clearance, and ground firm enough that a loaded trailer will not sink. If we have to cross a neighbor to reach the spot, get their written permission ahead of time. Full checklist is on our delivery prep page.
Sizes and cost
We build from 6×8 up to 16×60. A C+ Utility 6×8 starts at $1,900 and a Cardinal Utility 8×8 starts at $2,762, with price moving from there based on size, siding, roof, doors and options. Rent-to-own runs 24 to 60 months with no credit check, from $75.44 a month, first two months as the deposit, and no early payoff fee. Financing with no money down is available with approved credit.
Get Started on Your Metropolis Building
You do not have to drive to a lot to get moving. Use our 3D Shed Builder to pick your size, siding, colors, doors, windows and add-ons and see the building take shape on screen. When it looks right, send it to us and we will confirm pricing and a delivery date for Metropolis.
Prefer to talk it through? Call our main office at 618-518-5578. We will walk you through building styles, custom options and rent-to-own and financing, and answer anything on our FAQ page. You can also see what we serve nearby on our location page.
