Reviewed by the Benton Metal Depot team · Updated
One mistake people make when planning a garage is sizing it for what they own today. If you're building your garage in Sheppards, think about storage, door clearance, work space and what might be added later. Benton Metal Depot supplies metal garage packages for residents throughout Screven and the surrounding area.
Key Points
- ◦The current local setback for a metal garage is Accessory buildings not attached to the principal building must be located at least 12 ft from the principal building, and detached accessory structures must be located in the rear yard (not permitted in front or side yards), per a secondary summary of the Screven County zoning ordinance. This should be verified against the primary Municode text before publishing specific side/rear property-line setback distances, which were not independently confirmed..
- ◦Plan for door clearance and walking room when deciding how wide your garage needs to be.
- ◦Check the permit and setback rules before deciding exactly where the garage will go.
- ◦In Sheppards, a building permit is required once the garage exceeds Not found. No sqft-based permit exemption was located on the county site. Contact the Screven County Zoning Office (912-564-2951) to confirm before publishing a number. square feet.
- ◦Benton serves Brier Creek Landing, Dover, Woodcliff and Burtons Ferry Landing and other communities around Sheppards.
At a Glance
| Permit threshold |
Not found. No sqft-based permit exemption was located on the county site. Contact the Screven County Zoning Office (912-564-2951) to confirm before publishing a number.
As of 2026 · Source |
|---|---|
| Setback (side/rear) |
Accessory buildings not attached to the principal building must be located at least 12 ft from the principal building, and detached accessory structures must be located in the rear yard (not permitted in front or side yards), per a secondary summary of the Screven County zoning ordinance. This should be verified against the primary Municode text before publishing specific side/rear property-line setback distances, which were not independently confirmed.
As of 2026 · Source |
| Wind load zone |
Inland east-central Georgia — roughly 105-120 mph (ASCE 7, Exposure C). NOT a verified figure; exact design wind speed depends on the ASCE 7/IBC edition 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 |
35
As of 2026 · Source |
Permits & Setbacks in Screven County
Screven treats a metal garage like any other accessory structure: under Not found. No sqft-based permit exemption was located on the county site. Contact the Screven County Zoning Office (912-564-2951) to confirm before publishing a number. square feet, Screven County Planning and Zoning Department typically doesn't require a full permit, but the Accessory buildings not attached to the principal building must be located at least 12 ft from the principal building, and detached accessory structures must be located in the rear yard (not permitted in front or side yards), per a secondary summary of the Screven County zoning ordinance. This should be verified against the primary Municode text before publishing specific side/rear property-line setback distances, which were not independently confirmed. setback rule still governs where it can sit on the lot.
Delivery to Sheppards
The current estimate for getting a metal garage to Sheppards is 1 to 2 weeks. The area is about 26.3 miles (35 minutes) from Benton Metal Depot in Statesboro. That gives you a general timeline for scheduling contractors, preparing the property and handling local permits before the building is due to arrive.
Representative product photo — a Screven County-specific project photo is pending (rotates in from Trey's weekly upload per the freshness cadence).
FAQ
Can I use my metal garage as a workshop too?
Definitely! Just plan for the workshop before deciding on the garage size. A workbench, toolboxes, shelving and equipment can eat up a lot of floor space, especially when you're also parking a vehicle inside. Make sure to give yourself enough room to work comfortably instead of trying to fit a workshop into whatever space happens to be left over.
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 Sheppards, make sure the garage specifications and site plan also meet the local requirements that apply to the property.
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 Screven County Planning and Zoning Department. 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.
Do I need a permit for a metal garage in Sheppards?
That depends on the garage and the requirements of Screven County Planning and Zoning Department. The current rule requires a permit once the garage exceeds Not found. No sqft-based permit exemption was located on the county site. Contact the Screven County Zoning Office (912-564-2951) to confirm before publishing a number. square feet. Check before doing any permanent site work. There may be other requirements tied to your property as well, so getting an answer early can save you from having to change plans later.
Can I use a metal garage just for storage?
Yes. Cars don't have to be part of the equation at all. A metal garage can give you enclosed space for tools, lawn equipment, recreational gear and other belongings. If storage is the main purpose, think about shelving and aisle space while planning the building so everything remains accessible once the garage starts filling up.
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 Sheppards 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 Sheppards?
Current delivery time to Sheppards 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.
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.
Definitions
- ◦ Ridge
- The top line of a pitched roof where the two sloping sides come together.
- ◦ Roof Panel
- A formed sheet of metal that makes up part of the garage's exterior roof surface.
- ◦ Walk Door
- A regular entry door that lets you enter the garage without opening one of the larger vehicle doors.
- ◦ Building Footprint
- The amount of ground the garage takes up, based on its outside width and length.
- ◦ Fastener
- A screw or other connector used to hold metal panels and building components securely in place.
- ◦ Concrete Slab
- A flat poured-concrete surface commonly used as the finished floor and part of the foundation system for a garage.
- ◦ Roof Pitch
- How steep the roof is, usually described by how much it rises over a set horizontal distance.
- ◦ Overhead Door
- The large door that opens upward to let cars, trucks or equipment move in and out of the garage.
- ◦ 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.
Sheppards, Screven County — At a Glance
- Permit Authority Name
- Screven County Planning and Zoning Department
- Permit Authority Url
- https://www.screvencountyboc.com/planning-zoning
- Permit Threshold Sqft
- Not found. No sqft-based permit exemption was located on the county site. Contact the Screven County Zoning Office (912-564-2951) to confirm before publishing a number.
- Setback Feet Side Rear
- Accessory buildings not attached to the principal building must be located at least 12 ft from the principal building, and detached accessory structures must be located in the rear yard (not permitted in front or side yards), per a secondary summary of the Screven County zoning ordinance. This should be verified against the primary Municode text before publishing specific side/rear property-line setback distances, which were not independently confirmed.
- Wind Load Zone
- Inland east-central Georgia — roughly 105-120 mph (ASCE 7, Exposure C). NOT a verified figure; exact design wind speed depends on the ASCE 7/IBC edition adopted and must be confirmed with a GA-licensed engineer or the county building official.
- Coastal
- Drive Miles
- 26.3
- Drive Minutes
- 35
- Nearby Towns
- Brier Creek Landing, Dover, Woodcliff, Burtons Ferry Landing
- 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 has been working with metal building products in Statesboro since 2004. That local experience is important when you're planning a garage in Sheppards and trying to sort through materials, building specifications and the rest of the project details. Benton works with homeowners, contractors and property owners throughout the region.
Ready to talk through your metal garages project in Sheppards?
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.screvencountyboc.com/planning-zoning (2026)
- https://www.zoneomics.com/code/screven-county-unincorporated-GA/chapter_13 — verify against the primary ordinance at https://library.municode.com/GA/Screven_County/codes/Code_of_Ordinances (2026)
- General ASCE 7 inland-Georgia range (aggregated secondary sources) — no county-specific or primary map source found (2026)
- Screven County is well inland (east-central Georgia, on the Savannah River but far 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)
