Shops and Storage Buildings in Edgewood
Before we price an Edgewood building, we ask which side of a line the lot is on. After the town incorporated in 1999, large areas of land were annexed, which resulted in a checkerboard pattern of incorporated and unincorporated properties. Two neighbors can answer to different permit offices, different zoning and different fire rules.
That question matters because we erect pre-engineered metal buildings on these lots: shops, barns, riding arenas, equipment storage and small commercial buildings. The steel is the same on either side of a line, but the schedule and the paperwork are not, and we do not want you to learn that after the order.
Edgewood is 33 miles east of Albuquerque along Interstate 40. I-40 exit 187 serves NM 344 and Edgewood, so trucks and crews come in on a good road. The ground is in the Estancia Valley, east of the Sandia and Manzano Mountains, at 6,687 feet.
Town, county and state
The first step is to find the jurisdiction. Call the town and the county with the parcel number and ask who permits it. Then ask which fire district responds, which road standard applies to the driveway and whether the lot sits in a mapped drainage area.
State rules apply either way. The 2021 New Mexico Commercial Building Code adopts the 2021 International Building Code as amended and took effect July 14, 2023. We prepare the drawings to that code, and we respond to comments from whichever office reviews them.
Wind, woodland and grass
Most of the land cover in the area is woodland or grassland. Open grass lets the wind run, and a tall building catches it. Woodland brings fire concerns and a need for a clear apron around the building.
We design the bracing and the panel attachment for the wind load the engineer of record specifies, and we choose noncombustible materials. Steel helps with fire, and a defensible space is the owner's part of the job. If you keep animals, our agriculture and agribusiness page covers barns and arenas.
Septic and water are the next questions on a lot outside a municipal system. A well, a cistern or a septic field affects where the building sits and how big it can be. Ask the state and the county about setbacks from the well and the leach field, and give us the survey that shows them.
What we build on a valley lot
A typical order is a 40 by 60 shop with a lean-to, a horse barn with stalls and an arena, or an equipment building with a wide door. We build the frame, hang the panels and install doors. Slab, plumbing and electrical go to licensed trades under our coordination.
Our clear span buildings work is the usual fit for an arena or a shop, since there are no columns to work around. Our metal building design-build service covers the drawings and the permit package for owners who do not have an architect.
Barn owners ask about stalls, tack rooms and hay storage. We frame a center aisle, a wash rack and a tack room as part of the building, and we keep hay in a separate bay or building because of fire risk and heat. A riding arena is a clear span with high eaves over a compacted base, with sand or fiber footing added by others.
Route 66 and the valley road
Edgewood's commercial district lies along New Mexico Highway 66, part of the post-1937 U.S. Route 66, and Highway 344. NM 344 is a 17.4 mile state highway whose southern terminus is at NM 333 and Historic US 66 in Edgewood. It meets I-40 at exit 187 and ends at NM 14 south-southwest of Golden.
A lot on the commercial corridor sees passing traffic, and a retail or service building there benefits from a storefront. A lot off the corridor is cheaper and quieter, which suits shops and storage. Our pre-engineered metal building page shows the usual layouts.
Because much of the area is low density, buildings tend to be freestanding with a gravel yard. Fire access, turning radii and driveway grades matter, and the fire district will want them shown on the site plan.
Quick steel, slow permits
Steel on a valley lot goes up in days. The permit is the slow part, especially if the lot sits across a line and the office is not sure who reviews it. Start there, and the steel order follows the approved drawings.
Winter slows concrete at this elevation, so we plan the slab in the milder months when possible, and we say so when the calendar gives us no choice. Monsoon afternoons stop panel work, so we aim to have the roof on before the heavy season.
Phasing works well on a valley lot. Pour a pad for the first bay and add another when you can afford it. A shop with an expandable endwall lets you grow without tearing out a wall.
What our trade partners do
Our trade partners erect frames, set secondary framing, hang panels and trim and install doors. That is the weather-tight shell. We also set the anchor bolts template and check the survey before steel arrives, since a bolt out of place stops a morning.
Neighbors on the interstate include Moriarty to the east and Santa Fe to the northwest, and a manufacturer who needs space can read the manufacturing industry page for how we lay out a shop floor.
Send the parcel number
Share the parcel, the use and the size. We will tell you who permits it and return a price for the steel and the site.
Common Questions
How do I find out who permits my lot?
Take the parcel number to both the town and the county. After incorporation in 1999 and the annexations that followed, the area has a checkerboard of incorporated and unincorporated parcels. One call answers it, and we can make it with you.
Can I build a riding arena with steel?
Yes. An arena is a long clear span with high eaves, and the frame is deep at the knee. We show the interior clearance before ordering so you know the height at the rail.
Does wildfire risk change the design?
It changes the materials and the apron. Steel frames and metal panels resist fire, and ember-resistant vents help. The owner keeps the area around the building clear.
How far from the interstate is the work?
I-40 exit 187 serves NM 344 and Edgewood, so most sites are a short drive from the ramp. Rural driveways can be longer, and we check the last mile for the truck.
Is it cheaper to build here than in the city?
Land often costs less. The building costs about the same, with a little more for travel. Permit time can be shorter or longer depending on the jurisdiction.
