Reviewed by the Benton Metal Depot team · Updated
For some residents in Southward, a metal garage means covered parking. For others, it's where the lawn equipment, tools and weekend projects end up. Benton Metal Depot supplies metal garage packages throughout Bryan, so the building can be planned around the job it needs to do on your property.
Key Points
- ◦Plan for door clearance and walking room when deciding how wide your garage needs to be.
- ◦The current local setback for a metal garage is Not fully published in a single accessible table — the Unified Development/Zoning Ordinance (Ch. 114, Art. V/VI) sets district-specific setbacks. District-by-district side/rear figures for accessory buildings need to be pulled from the primary ordinance PDF..
- ◦Check the permit and setback rules before deciding exactly where the garage will go.
- ◦Benton serves Nevils, Lanier, Letford and Groveland and other communities around Southward.
- ◦In Southward, a building permit is required once the garage exceeds 200 square feet.
At a Glance
| Permit threshold |
200
As of 2026 · Source |
|---|---|
| Setback (side/rear) |
Not fully published in a single accessible table — the Unified Development/Zoning Ordinance (Ch. 114, Art. V/VI) sets district-specific setbacks. District-by-district side/rear figures for accessory buildings need to be pulled from the primary ordinance PDF.
As of 2026 · Source |
| Wind load zone |
Coastal Georgia — Georgia Dept. of Insurance/Safety Fire places Bryan County in Wind Zone 2 (110-130 mph HUD manufactured-housing standard). Secondary sources put ASCE 7 ultimate design wind speeds for this part of coastal GA in the general 130-140 mph range. Exact figure depends on ASCE 7 edition/exposure/risk category and must be confirmed with a GA-licensed engineer or the county building official before publishing.
As of 2026 · Source |
| Panel type/gauge |
29-gauge and 26-gauge Rib panels -- Benton's existing standard gauge/profile for pole-barn, carport, and agricultural structures.
As of 2026 · Source |
| Drive time from Statesboro |
29
As of 2026 · Source |
Permits & Setbacks in Bryan County
Bryan treats a metal garage like any other accessory structure: under 200 square feet, Bryan County Community Development Department, Building and Codes Division typically doesn't require a full permit, but the Not fully published in a single accessible table — the Unified Development/Zoning Ordinance (Ch. 114, Art. V/VI) sets district-specific setbacks. District-by-district side/rear figures for accessory buildings need to be pulled from the primary ordinance PDF. setback rule still governs where it can sit on the lot.
Delivery to Southward
Metal garage delivery to Southward can take about 1 to 2 weeks. Use that time to take care of permits and get the site ready if work is needed beforehand. If you're hiring someone for grading or concrete, coordinate those jobs around the delivery schedule instead of trying to squeeze everything in at the last minute.
Representative product photo — a Bryan County-specific project photo is pending (rotates in from Trey's weekly upload per the freshness cadence).
FAQ
Are metal garages a good choice for Georgia?
Metal buildings are utilized throughout Georgia for garages, equipment storage and other residential, agricultural and commercial uses. The important thing is choosing a building appropriate for the project and location. If you're building in Southward, make sure the garage specifications and site plan also meet the local requirements that apply to the property.
Should I pour the concrete before ordering the garage?
Get the garage specifications nailed down first. You want to know the correct dimensions and make sure the planned location meets the rules for Southward before putting permanent concrete in the ground. It's much easier to adjust a garage plan on paper than to deal with a slab that was poured in the wrong place or at the wrong size.
How long does it take to get a metal garage delivered to Southward?
Current delivery time to Southward is approximately 1 to 2 weeks. If your project also involves permitting, grading or concrete, don't wait to do those jobs until the garage is almost ready. Use the delivery window to get the property prepared, and base your schedule on the estimate given for your order.
How far is Benton Metal Depot from Southward?
Benton Metal Depot's Statesboro location is approximately 19.2 miles from Southward. The company serves residents throughout Bryan, including communities such as Nevils, Lanier, Letford and Groveland. Current delivery time for a metal garage to the Southward area is about 1 to 2 weeks.
How close can my metal garage be to the property line?
The current setback in Southward is Not fully published in a single accessible table — the Unified Development/Zoning Ordinance (Ch. 114, Art. V/VI) sets district-specific setbacks. District-by-district side/rear figures for accessory buildings need to be pulled from the primary ordinance PDF., although you should confirm the requirement for your particular property with Bryan County Community Development Department, Building and Codes Division. A setback controls how close the building can be to certain property boundaries. Check that distance before you settle on a location, especially when space on the lot is tight.
What do I need to do to my property before the garage arrives?
First, decide exactly where the garage will go and check the permit and setback requirements with Bryan County Community Development Department, Building and Codes Division. Then follow the site requirements for the garage you've selected. Any grading, concrete or other preparation should be based on the final building specifications. Don't prepare the site using rough dimensions if the building hasn't been finalized.
Can my metal garage have windows and different doors?
The available configuration depends on the garage package, but doors and windows should be considered while you're planning the layout. Think about where vehicles will enter, where you want a regular walk door and whether natural light is needed inside. Making those decisions early helps you choose a layout that works instead of adding features wherever they'll fit.
What can I keep in a metal garage?
Cars and trucks are obvious, but metal garages can also hold lawn equipment, tools, recreational gear and general storage. Larger buildings can leave room for work areas, too. Make a list of what you intend to keep inside before choosing the building size. It's easy to underestimate how quickly floor space disappears.
Definitions
- ◦ Clear Span
- Open floor space between the building's exterior supports without interior columns getting in the way.
- ◦ Wall Panel
- Formed metal sheet used to enclose and protect the exterior walls of the garage.
- ◦ Concrete Slab
- A flat poured-concrete surface commonly used as the finished floor and part of the foundation system for a garage.
- ◦ Walk Door
- A regular entry door that lets you enter the garage without opening one of the larger vehicle doors.
- ◦ Trim
- The finished metal pieces used along corners, roof edges, openings and other transitions on the building.
- ◦ Eave Height
- The height of the sidewall measured to the point where the wall and roof meet.
- ◦ Gable
- The triangular wall section found at the end of a building with a pitched roof.
- ◦ Setback
- The required amount of space between your garage and a property line, road or another boundary covered by local rules.
- ◦ Building Footprint
- The amount of ground the garage takes up, based on its outside width and length.
- ◦ Roof Panel
- A formed sheet of metal that makes up part of the garage's exterior roof surface.
Southward, Bryan County — At a Glance
- Permit Authority Name
- Bryan County Community Development Department, Building and Codes Division
- Permit Authority Url
- https://www.bryancountyga.gov/government/departments-a-g/building-and-codes
- Permit Threshold Sqft
- 200
- Setback Feet Side Rear
- Not fully published in a single accessible table — the Unified Development/Zoning Ordinance (Ch. 114, Art. V/VI) sets district-specific setbacks. District-by-district side/rear figures for accessory buildings need to be pulled from the primary ordinance PDF.
- Wind Load Zone
- Coastal Georgia — Georgia Dept. of Insurance/Safety Fire places Bryan County in Wind Zone 2 (110-130 mph HUD manufactured-housing standard). Secondary sources put ASCE 7 ultimate design wind speeds for this part of coastal GA in the general 130-140 mph range. Exact figure depends on ASCE 7 edition/exposure/risk category and must be confirmed with a GA-licensed engineer or the county building official before publishing.
- Coastal
- 1
- Drive Miles
- 19.2
- Drive Minutes
- 29
- Nearby Towns
- Nevils, Lanier, Letford, Groveland
- Delivery Weeks In Stock
- 1
- Delivery Weeks Custom
- 2
- Panel Type Gauge
- 29-gauge and 26-gauge Rib panels -- Benton's existing standard gauge/profile for pole-barn, carport, and agricultural structures.
- Color Count
- 7
Why Benton Metal Depot
Benton Metal Depot manufactures metal products in Statesboro and has served residential, agricultural and commercial customers since 2004. For someone building a garage in Southward, that means working with a regional metal supplier rather than trying to piece the project together from unrelated sources. The garage package can be quoted around the specifications of the project.
Ready to talk through your metal garages project in Southward?
Sources
- Internal: category-data.php (pole-barns / agricultural-pole-barns copy) (2026)
- color-collection.php Weather XL Rib/PBR color chart: Polar White, Pebble Gray, Granite, Onyx, Vanilla, Sand, Chocolate (29ga; 5 of the 7 also available in 26ga). Real Benton color count for this panel line -- not confirmed as the specific palette Jim/Trey intend to offer for metal garages. (2026)
- https://www.bryancountyga.gov/government/departments-a-g/building-and-codes (2026)
- https://www.bryancountyga.gov/government/departments-a-g/community-development/building-and-codes/learn-more ("buildings greater than 200 square feet in size" require a building permit) (2026)
- Bryan County Code of Ordinances Ch. 114, Sec. 114-611, as summarized at https://www.zoneomics.com/code/bryan-county-unincorporated-GA/chapter_6 — verify against primary ordinance at https://library.municode.com/ga/bryan_county (2026)
- https://oci.georgia.gov/inspections-permits-plans/manufactured-housing/wind-zones (primary: lists Bryan among the 6 GA Wind Zone 2 coastal counties: Chatham, Bryan, Liberty, McIntosh, Glynn, Camden) — mph range aggregated from windload.solutions/homenation.com secondary sources (2026)
- Given/client spec — Bryan County is a coastal Georgia county; confirmed independently by its Wind Zone 2 listing at https://oci.georgia.gov/inspections-permits-plans/manufactured-housing/wind-zones (2026)
- Computed 2026-09-16: GeoNames zip centroid -> OSRM public routing engine (real driving route from Statesboro, Bulloch County, GA). Deterministic and reproducible, but a free public demo routing server, not Google Maps -- spot-check a sample before confirming. (2026)
- Computed 2026-09-16: same OSRM routing result as drive_miles, converted from seconds. (2026)
- Computed 2026-09-16: 4 nearest cities in benton_service_area_cities.php by straight-line (haversine) distance from zip centroid. (2026)
- Bulk-set via dev-fact-review.php (2026)
