Metal Building Re-Skin, Retrofit and Repair in Wyoming

A steel building with a good frame and a bad skin is the best deal in the repair business. The columns and rafters are often fine for many more years, but the panels are chalked, the fasteners have backed out, the trim is gone in places and the roof lets in snow melt every March. Replacing the skin and fixing the leaks costs a fraction of tearing down and rebuilding, and you keep the footprint, the slab and the utilities you already have.

We re-skin, retrofit and repair metal buildings across Wyoming: shops, county sheds, warehouses, hangars, ag buildings and old industrial structures. Some jobs are a handful of panels and a ridge cap. Others are a full strip-down to the frame with new wall and roof systems, new insulation and new doors. We start by finding out which kind you have.

The first visit is always a walk-around with a camera, a tape and a flashlight. We look at the frame, the purlins and girts, the base connections, the foundation edge, the roof and the walls. You get a plain list of what is sound, what needs work and what it will cost. Sometimes the answer is that the building should be replaced, and we say so.

Working on old steel safely

Roofs on old buildings are not always strong enough to walk on. Corroded purlins, loose deck and old skylights are real hazards. We assess each roof before crews go up, plan access with lifts or temporary walkways, and use fall protection. Panels are sometimes removed in sections so that no one stands on weak ground.

Older buildings may also contain materials that need special handling, such as old insulation or coatings. We test or ask for records when the age of the building makes that a concern. Owners with active operations get a plan for keeping people, vehicles and equipment clear of the work area, and we coordinate on shift changes and deliveries.

Repair, retrofit or full re-skin

Repair covers the small jobs: replacing damaged panels, resealing laps, swapping fasteners, re-hanging doors and patching flashings. Retrofit adds something new to an existing roof or wall, such as a new roof system over the old one or new insulation inside the wall. A re-skin takes off the old panels and trim and puts on new ones, often with better insulation, new colors and new openings.

Roof retrofits are the most popular. A new standing seam roof can go over the old one on new framing or clips, which avoids tear-off and keeps the building dry. For walls, insulated metal panels can replace single skin steel to cut heat loss. On the interior, liner panels and trim give a clean finish and protect the insulation.

Frame first, then skin

We check the frame before we sell a new skin. We look for rust at the column bases, cracked welds, loose bolts, bent purlins and sagging rafters. If the frame is sound, we fix what is wrong and clean and paint exposed steel. If it is not, we tell you what reinforcement is needed. A new skin on a failing frame is wasted money.

Then we sequence the work to keep the building closed. We replace wall panels in sections, roof panels in bays and doors one at a time. Insulation goes in as the new panels go on. Where the building houses equipment or product, we protect it with tarps and temporary closures. The goal is a building that is dry every night.

What drives repair and retrofit cost

The condition of the frame and the extent of damage drive the price. A building that has been maintained needs less work than one that has been neglected, and a roof with a few leaks costs less than one with widespread corrosion. Access, building height and the number of penetrations all add labor. Insulation, color, roof system and doors set the material cost.

The alternative is replacement. For older industrial and commercial structures that outlast their original use, keeping the shell is often the cheapest path. Naughton Power Plant on the southwest edge of Kemmerer was scheduled to stop burning coal in 2026, and the Kemmerer coal mine was reported sold in 2024. Shifts like these leave sound steel buildings that can be reused if the skin and systems are brought up to date, and we help owners weigh reuse against new construction.

Where old steel gets a second life

Wyoming has plenty of aging steel. Torrington's sugar plant, operated first by Holly Sugar and later by Western Sugar Cooperative, closed in early 2019, and large industrial buildings that go idle can often be reused for storage, ag processing or light industry after a re-skin. Laramie sits at about 7,165 ft with roughly 48 inches of snow a year, and roofs there take a beating from freeze and thaw.

We serve Kemmerer and Torrington as well as every other part of the state. Municipal and public works owners, manufacturers and fleet owners all call us for repair and retrofit, and our overview of the pre-engineered metal building shows how these structures are designed and why they can be renewed so well.

Book a building walk-around

Send photos or ask for a site visit. We will inspect the frame, list what is sound and what is not, and price the repair or re-skin so you can compare it with replacement.

Common Questions

How do I know if my building is worth re-skinning?

A building is worth keeping if the frame is straight and sound, the foundation is stable and the layout still works. We inspect those items and give you an honest answer. If the frame is damaged or the building no longer fits the use, replacement may be better.

Can you replace the roof without moving the contents?

In many cases, yes. We work in sections, close up at night and protect the interior. Sensitive equipment or open product may need extra covers. We plan the sequence with you before work begins.

Will new panels match the old ones?

Usually not exactly, since old panels fade and profiles change. If you want a uniform look, we re-skin the whole building or the visible walls. We can also use a contrasting trim color to make the change look intentional.

Does a re-skin need a permit?

Often. A new roof or wall system usually requires a permit, and some jurisdictions apply energy code rules when the work reaches a certain size. We confirm with the building official before pricing.

How long will a re-skin job take compared with new construction?

A re-skin is usually faster than a new building because the frame, slab and utilities stay in place. Panel and trim lead time sets the start, and then the crew works section by section. Weather and wind stop roof work, so we pick a calm season where we can, and we tell you the likely window once the scope is set.

What happens to the old insulation and panels?

We remove and haul away old panels and insulation as part of the job, and we sort metal for recycling where possible. If we suspect a regulated material from the building's age, we stop and test before work continues. You are told about it in writing, and the plan changes only with your approval.

Related

Ready to talk about your project?