Reviewed by the Benton Metal Depot team · Updated
For some residents in Southlands, 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 Richmond, so the building can be planned around the job it needs to do on your property.
Key Points
- ◦Benton serves Mechanic Hill, Neco, Westover and Tahoma and other communities around Southlands.
- ◦In Southlands, a building permit is required once the garage exceeds 120 square feet.
- ◦Check the permit and setback rules before deciding exactly where the garage will go.
- ◦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 Rear: minimum 10 ft (including eaves/overhangs) for all accessory buildings. Side: same as required for the principal structure — 5 ft each side on lots ≤55 ft wide, 7 ft on lots 56-70 ft wide, 10 ft on lots >70 ft wide. Accessory buildings generally barred from front yards (except carports/garages, which must meet the principal-structure front setback)..
At a Glance
| Permit threshold |
120
As of 2026 · Source |
|---|---|
| Setback (side/rear) |
Rear: minimum 10 ft (including eaves/overhangs) for all accessory buildings. Side: same as required for the principal structure — 5 ft each side on lots ≤55 ft wide, 7 ft on lots 56-70 ft wide, 10 ft on lots >70 ft wide. Accessory buildings generally barred from front yards (except carports/garages, which must meet the principal-structure front setback).
As of 2026 · Source |
| Wind load zone |
Inland Georgia, Wind Zone 1 per Georgia Dept. of Insurance/Safety Fire — roughly 115-120 mph (ASCE 7, Exposure C). Exact design wind speed depends on which ASCE 7 edition Richmond County/Augusta has adopted and must be confirmed with a GA-licensed engineer or the county building official.
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 |
96
As of 2026 · Source |
Permits & Setbacks in Richmond County
Richmond's permitting office, Augusta-Richmond County Planning & Development Department, License & Inspection / Construction Division, sets the accessory-structure line at 120 square feet — build under that and you generally skip the full building-permit process, though a setback of Rear: minimum 10 ft (including eaves/overhangs) for all accessory buildings. Side: same as required for the principal structure — 5 ft each side on lots ≤55 ft wide, 7 ft on lots 56-70 ft wide, 10 ft on lots >70 ft wide. Accessory buildings generally barred from front yards (except carports/garages, which must meet the principal-structure front setback). still applies. Confirm your lot's zoning district before ordering, since setbacks vary by district.
Delivery to Southlands
Metal garage delivery to Southlands 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 Richmond County-specific project photo is pending (rotates in from Trey's weekly upload per the freshness cadence).
FAQ
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 Augusta-Richmond County Planning & Development Department, License & Inspection / Construction 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.
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 Southlands 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 Southlands?
Current delivery time to Southlands 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 Southlands?
Benton Metal Depot's Statesboro location is approximately 74.3 miles from Southlands. The company serves residents throughout Richmond, including communities such as Mechanic Hill, Neco, Westover and Tahoma. Current delivery time for a metal garage to the Southlands area is about 1 to 2 weeks.
How close can my metal garage be to the property line?
The current setback in Southlands is Rear: minimum 10 ft (including eaves/overhangs) for all accessory buildings. Side: same as required for the principal structure — 5 ft each side on lots ≤55 ft wide, 7 ft on lots 56-70 ft wide, 10 ft on lots >70 ft wide. Accessory buildings generally barred from front yards (except carports/garages, which must meet the principal-structure front setback)., although you should confirm the requirement for your particular property with Augusta-Richmond County Planning & Development Department, License & Inspection / Construction 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.
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 Southlands, make sure the garage specifications and site plan also meet the local requirements that apply to the property.
How much extra room should I allow around my vehicles?
Don't measure a car and make the garage barely wider than the vehicle. You need enough room to open the doors, get in and out, walk around it and reach anything stored nearby. With two vehicles, remember the space between them too. Adding a little breathing room during planning can make a big difference once you use the garage every day.
Can I put a metal garage beside my house?
You may be able to, but don't assume every open spot on the property is buildable. Augusta-Richmond County Planning & Development Department, License & Inspection / Construction Division has requirements that can affect garage placement, including a current setback of Rear: minimum 10 ft (including eaves/overhangs) for all accessory buildings. Side: same as required for the principal structure — 5 ft each side on lots ≤55 ft wide, 7 ft on lots 56-70 ft wide, 10 ft on lots >70 ft wide. Accessory buildings generally barred from front yards (except carports/garages, which must meet the principal-structure front setback).. Check the rules for your address before choosing the location, particularly if you're working with limited room between the house and property line.
Definitions
- ◦ Wall Panel
- Formed metal sheet used to enclose and protect the exterior walls of the garage.
- ◦ Clear Span
- Open floor space between the building's exterior supports without interior columns getting in the way.
- ◦ 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.
- ◦ Eave Height
- The height of the sidewall measured to the point where the wall and roof meet.
- ◦ Trim
- The finished metal pieces used along corners, roof edges, openings and other transitions on the building.
- ◦ Roof Panel
- A formed sheet of metal that makes up part of the garage's exterior roof surface.
- ◦ Building Footprint
- The amount of ground the garage takes up, based on its outside width and length.
- ◦ Ridge
- The top line of a pitched roof where the two sloping sides come together.
- ◦ Gable
- The triangular wall section found at the end of a building with a pitched roof.
Southlands, Richmond County — At a Glance
- Permit Authority Name
- Augusta-Richmond County Planning & Development Department, License & Inspection / Construction Division
- Permit Authority Url
- https://www.augustaga.gov/2101/Building-Permits
- Permit Threshold Sqft
- 120
- Setback Feet Side Rear
- Rear: minimum 10 ft (including eaves/overhangs) for all accessory buildings. Side: same as required for the principal structure — 5 ft each side on lots ≤55 ft wide, 7 ft on lots 56-70 ft wide, 10 ft on lots >70 ft wide. Accessory buildings generally barred from front yards (except carports/garages, which must meet the principal-structure front setback).
- Wind Load Zone
- Inland Georgia, Wind Zone 1 per Georgia Dept. of Insurance/Safety Fire — roughly 115-120 mph (ASCE 7, Exposure C). Exact design wind speed depends on which ASCE 7 edition Richmond County/Augusta has adopted and must be confirmed with a GA-licensed engineer or the county building official.
- Coastal
- Drive Miles
- 74.3
- Drive Minutes
- 96
- Nearby Towns
- Mechanic Hill, Neco, Westover, Tahoma
- 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 Southlands, 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 Southlands?
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.augustaga.gov/2099/Building-Construction (2026)
- https://www.augustaga.gov/2101/Building-Permits (2026)
- Secondary source (permitsguide.com/shed/georgia) states "one-story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds not exceeding 120 square feet do not require a permit" in Augusta-Richmond County — NOT independently confirmed against the primary zoning ordinance PDF at https://www.augustaga.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8388; verify before publishing. (2026)
- Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance of Augusta-Richmond County, Section 8-4(a)/(b), as summarized at https://www.zoneomics.com/code/augusta-GA/chapter_10 — verify against primary PDF at https://www.augustaga.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8388 (2026)
- https://oci.georgia.gov/inspections-permits-plans/manufactured-housing/wind-zones (confirms Richmond County is not one of the 6 GA Wind Zone 2 coastal counties; Georgia has no Wind Zone 3) — general ASCE 7 range aggregated from windload.solutions (2026)
- Richmond County is inland (Augusta, on the Savannah River but ~120 miles from the coast) and is not among the coastal counties named in the client spec (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)
