Buying a metal building in Burke County, NC
Burke County has two building inspections departments, and a metal building buyer needs to know which one they belong to before signing anything.
Who issues the permit
Official record
Burke County Building Inspections
(828) 764-9020
Official website
| Zoning and other jurisdictions | Contact |
|---|---|
| Burke County Planning and Zoning | (828) 764-9030 |
| City of Morganton Building Inspections (city limits and its extraterritorial jurisdiction) | permits@morgantonnc.gov, 305 E. Union St., Morganton |
Checked against the offices’ own websites and forms on September 17, 2026. Phone numbers change. Confirm on the official site. Serves: Morganton, Valdese, Hildebran, Connelly Springs, Drexel, Glen Alpine, Rutherford College.
Morganton inspects its own
The City of Morganton’s Building Inspections Division enforces the state building code inside the city and in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, the ring of land just outside the limits. Everywhere else in the county goes through Burke County Building Inspections. A lot with a Morganton address can fall on either side of that line.
Eastern Burke and the Hickory overlap
Portions of Hickory, Long View and Rhodhiss sit inside Burke County. If you are in Hildebran, Connelly Springs or the Burke side of Hickory, a seller based in another part of the state will not know which office you belong to, and under a contract like mine they do not have to: the permit was entirely my responsibility. Make the phone call yourself.
Ask who will be on the permit
When you call, tell the office the full project value, building and concrete together. Mine was $98,750. Ask whether they expect a licensed general contractor on a project that size and what they require from an owner who applies instead. Then put the same question to the seller and compare the answers.
Before you sign with any metal building company in Burke County
I am a customer, not a contractor. I signed a $98,750 contract with L&G Building & Concrete in February 2026 and, seven months later, have a cracked slab and half a frame. Everything I learned is on this site.
Sources and other counties
- Burke County Building Inspections
- City of Morganton Building Inspections Division
- Burke County fast facts and department phone list
Other guides: Alexander County, Catawba County, Caldwell County, Iredell County, Randolph County, Guilford County.
This page is general information from one customer’s research and experience. It is not legal advice, and the permit office has the final word on your lot.