Pole barn roof over existing structure

My wife's side of the family has a place near Muskegon. MI that they are looking to expand. They want to do it over the course of time so they want to build a roof over the existing structure, an old trailer home from the 60s, and then eventually box in the walls and do the interior and all that.

The new layout would be 50' x 20' with the walls about 9 feet tall. 
 

I don't get this, but people keep not showing up to do bids or a couple of the places that did show up have not called back with a bid and it's been a couple months.

any idea what a typical cost for something like this would be? Only bid so far was $65,000, which is a surprise, but do they just need to adjust their expectations?

AND, probably at least as relevant, does anyone happen to know a good place in western Michigan who might call back?

This is what they envision the first stage to look like:

I can't help you with the quotes but I have a question.  How are they planning on getting the trailer out after that's built? 

That bid is at least $50K too high based on my location.  We built a 30x60 pole barn for $10K.  Concrete slab, metal roof and walls, 10' ceiling, wired and plumbed with water and gas.  No insulation or garage door at that time.  This was summer of 2020 and we supplied the labor so multiply that by whatever the covid factor is in your area.  A family member had a slightly smaller 3-bay pole barn garage built last summer about a half mile from us and it was $60k on a slab, wired and plumbed.  He hired everything out.  $65K for a picnic shelter over a mobile home is crazy.

Thanks for the feedback. Good to know that's not the new normal, at least.

I'd asked and they'd only talked to general construction people, not pole barn builders, and I've suggested they give that route a try. 
 

Stampie, your name autocorrects to Stallone, FWIW, and I think the plan is to tear it out piece by piece.

Apis Mellifera said:

That bid is at least $50K too high based on my location.  We built a 30x60 pole barn for $10K.  Concrete slab, metal roof and walls, 10' ceiling, wired and plumbed with water and gas.  No insulation or garage door at that time.  This was summer of 2020 and we supplied the labor so multiply that by whatever the covid factor is in your area.  A family member had a slightly smaller 3-bay pole barn garage built last summer about a half mile from us and it was $60k on a slab, wired and plumbed.  He hired everything out.  $65K for a picnic shelter over a mobile home is crazy.

Did you miss a digit in the $10k number?

Apis Mellifera said:

That bid is at least $50K too high based on my location. 

Construction prices can vary widely based on location, so unless you live in the same area this can be comparing apples and oranges.

To the OP: I understand you're having trouble getting contractors to supply quotes, but you're going to need to get several of them.  Make sure the specs are clear, and their quotes should include enough detail so you can tell they're all bidding on the same amount of work.

OHSCrifle said:

Apis Mellifera said:

Did you miss a digit in the $10k number?

I think you may have missed the phrase "we built"...

Whereas, we had built for us, a 60x40 pole barn.  Poles set in concrete below ground level, metal trusses, metal siding and roof, double bubble "insulation", and a 10 foot lean-to covered porch on the side, for 36k recently.  Then we had other contractors put concrete, plumbing, and electrical in later.  More money there.  The raw materials (excluding concrete), probably came in at around that 10K mark.

In reply to travellering :

I did indeed miss that - it sounds like an incredible "sweat equity" story. 

I just placed an order for a pole barn "kit" which is all the materials needed to build it. 40'x80', metal roof, 12' eave height (16' 6x6 posts), open with no sides and open gables. It was $18,821.xx including $636 for delivery.

The same company offers a 30'x60' kit for $10,295 before shipping.

I'm located in central North Carolina and the building company is about 3 hours west.