Wind and Snow Rated Metal Buildings in Evanston, Wyoming

Order a metal building for Evanston off a generic snow load chart and the plan reviewer will send it back. The city's design load sheet calls for a 100 mph basic wind speed with exposure B in the developed city and 110 mph with exposure C on the surrounding benches, a 40 psf minimum snow load (60 psf in basin areas), and footings at least 54 inches below finished grade, or 70 inches for unprotected footings subject to frost creep. We start from those numbers, so the frame, the foundation and the price already reflect them.

The work around Evanston has some size to it. Uinta County commissioners unanimously approved Prometheus Hyperscale's 1.25 gigawatt data center on 506 acres of ranchland about 12 miles east of town, south of I-80, with mostly natural gas power and construction to start within six months of final permitting and run four to five years (reported June 19, 2026). The company puts the investment at $16 billion, a judge dismissed a legal challenge on August 17, 2026, the county permit carries about 30 conditions, and construction had not begun as of August 25, 2026. We treat it as a possibility that can move the local trades, not a certainty.

Whether or not that project proceeds, Evanston owners still need shops, storage and equipment buildings, and they want the price and the lead time first. We give both early.

What the Evanston load sheet means for your building

Wind exposure and speed drive wall girts, bracing and anchorage. Exposure B in the developed city means other buildings and trees break the wind, while exposure C on the benches means open ground and a heavier design. Snow load drives rafters and purlins: 40 psf minimum in town and 60 psf in basin areas can change the steel weight noticeably, and drifting adds more at roof steps and next to taller walls.

Frost is the third piece. A 54 inch footing depth means a deeper excavation, more concrete and more anchor bolt and foundation cost than in warmer parts of the state, and unprotected footings subject to frost creep go to 70 inches. Wyoming has no single statewide building code, and cities and counties adopt and enforce their own; Evanston's sheet is meant for use with the current International Building Code, so we confirm the edition and any amendments with the building office.

I-80, the railroad and the benches

Evanston is bisected by I-80 and also served by US 189 and Wyoming Highways 89 and 150. The Union Pacific started the town as a divisional point, and a machine shop and roundhouse were added in 1871. Union Tank Car repairs railroad tank cars near it, which tells you the town has a working industrial base alongside its historic district. Freight, rail and highway all pass through, and warehouse and distribution buyers can use.

The benches around town are open, with more wind and more room for a yard. The developed city is tighter, with more neighbors and more setbacks. Both are workable for pre-engineered buildings, but they call for different design values, different foundation approaches and different crane or delivery access.

Wind on the benches, snow in the basin

Siting a building is half of the design. A shop on a bench faces the 110 mph exposure C design, so we orient doors away from the prevailing wind, place the heavy bracing where it counts and put in wind-rated overhead doors. In a basin location with a 60 psf snow requirement, we use a steeper pitch or standing seam roof where owners want snow to shed cleanly.

Access matters too. Long trailers need turning room, and frost heave can shift a poorly drained gravel pad. We look at drainage, approach grades and where snow will pile from plowing. A short walk of the site before design catches most of the problems that cost money later.

Erecting steel where the wind is a factor

A building that is rated for 110 mph is not erected in 110 mph wind. Until the bracing is complete, a half-built frame is the weakest it will ever be, so we brace as we go and do not leave frames standing unbraced overnight. We watch the forecast, set lift limits and stop panel work when gusts exceed what the crew can handle safely.

Cold adds frost on steel and ice on slabs. We clear working surfaces, use fall protection throughout and keep the crew's hands warm enough to hold a tool. A safe job is also faster over the length of the project.

Planning around a possible data center

If the Prometheus project goes ahead, the trades around Evanston, concrete, trucking, cranes and lodging, will be busier for four to five years. We cannot predict that, but we can give you a schedule that does not depend on it. Order steel early, lock the foundation contractor and get the permit moving, and you are not waiting in line behind a larger project.

For any building in Evanston the schedule runs: stamped drawings and permit, steel order, foundation before the ground locks up, then erection. The frost line makes late-fall concrete risky, so we try to have footings in before it gets cold. A building enclosed before heavy snow lets interior work continue through winter.

Hospitals, rail and the people who support them

Evanston's major employers include the Wyoming State Hospital, run by the Wyoming Department of Health, and Evanston Regional Hospital. Campuses like these need maintenance, storage and equipment buildings, and a plain steel building often does the job at much lower cost than conventional construction. See our hospital and healthcare pages for how we handle facility-support structures.

Contractors, haulers and equipment companies working on I-80 and the energy projects nearby need shops and yards. If you are building west toward Kemmerer or north toward Afton, we can combine deliveries for more than one site.

Price an Evanston building

Tell us the use, size and location of your Evanston or Uinta County project, and we will respond with a price range and a lead time based on the load sheet. If the ground is about to freeze, say so, and we will plan the foundation first.

Common Questions

Which wind and snow numbers apply to my Evanston building?

Evanston's design load sheet gives 100 mph with exposure B in the developed city, 110 mph with exposure C on the benches, and 40 psf minimum snow load, or 60 psf in basin areas. Which one applies depends on where your parcel sits. The building office can confirm it, and the engineer stamps the drawings to the value they give us.

How deep do footings go in Evanston?

The load sheet requires footings at least 54 inches below finished grade and 70 inches for unprotected footings subject to frost creep. That depth makes foundation cost a bigger part of the budget than in warmer places. It also means pouring before hard frost, which affects the schedule.

Will the proposed data center affect my project's price or schedule?

It might. The approved project east of town is large, with construction expected to run four to five years once final permitting is done, and large projects tighten the local trades. As of late August 2026 construction had not begun, so we plan around your schedule and keep a close eye on conditions.

Can you build a shop on the benches around Evanston?

Yes. The benches use the 110 mph exposure C wind design, so the frame, bracing and doors are heavier than in town. We often add wind-rated overhead doors and ask the engineer to check the end wall framing carefully.

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