How Much Do Custom Aluminum Enclosures Cost?

One of the first questions we're routinely asked about custom aluminum enclosures is, "How much does it cost?"

Buying custom enclosures is a bit like buying a home or a car: the price can vary greatly depending upon the options selected. Much like either of the above, you’ll want to consider the options needed for your custom enclosure design to be sure temperature, access and few other factors are considered.

Here are some of the common options selected for a custom enclosure:

Enclosure Heating

Safe-T-Cover offers an exclusive slab-mounted heater designed and UL-2021 rated for wet/damp environments. To see how this thermostatically controlled slab-mounted heater is superior to wall-mounted heat options, take a look at this short video. Our enclosures, with the correct wattage for heating is installed, will maintain 40 degrees Fahrenheit temperature inside the enclosure when the exterior temperature is as low as -30 degrees Fahrenheit as required by ASSE 1060 Class 1. Even in the coldest environments, if you need to keep the equipment inside the enclosure from freezing, you'll be able to maintain the correct temperature.

Slab-mounted heaters cost about $500-1000 and must be purchased with the enclosure and are not sold separately. We also offer several alternative heating solutions. You can find the full list of our backflow cover heaters here.

Enclosure Fans & Ventilation

Often, equipment installed inside an industrial enclosure will generate heat. In that case, an exhaust fan and louver system can be installed. The exhaust fan is wired through a thermostat and when the temperature reaches a defined set point, the fan will run and the louver will open to draw air through the enclosure. Plan on a range of $1,500-$2,000 to add ventilation to the enclosure.

Measuring Proper Size

The biggest factor impacting a custom enclosure's cost is the size. Our modular, panel-based design allows us to build large enclosures, including some as large as 20’ wide x 40’ long x 15’ tall. If a standard size enclosure doesn’t meet your need, we can build it to an exact dimension.

A discussion with one of our custom enclosure specialists may help determine the size you need and potentially reduce the cost for you. Cost can range from about $2,000 for a small enclosure to as much as $25,000 for a very large enclosure. You can also look through our standard industrial enclosures pricing list here to get an idea of size versus cost.

Customizing the Color

An enclosure can be manufactured in many different colors to meet the specific need of an installation. Our most popular choice is the Hartford Green color. You can see a full selection of our color options here. Color typically adds 15-20% to the enclosure's cost. A lot of people ask how the enclosure is colored: they are not painted and there is no risk of chipping over the life of the enclosure. We work with Pac-Clad^®, the largest manufacturer of metal roofs in the United States. They use the same process on our enclosures as on their roofs.

Adding Windows

Sometimes we’ll build an industrial enclosure for a pump or air compressor system and the customer needs a window for quick visual inspections of the control panel. In some larger enclosures, the windows are also used to allow some natural lighting as routine maintenance is conducted. Depending on the size, windows typically range from $350 to $750.

Access Panels and Hinged Doors

Our enclosures come standard with removable access panels. We can work with you to specify the exact locations for ease of access and maintenance. Access panels are most often installed along the length of the enclosure, but in many cases the access panels can be installed along the width. If a hinged door is needed in addition to or in place of removable access panels, these can be provided as well. Access panels are included in the price, while hinged doors add another $350 each to the cost.

Monitoring Your Equipment

We are often asked if we sell equipment to monitor temperatures inside the enclosure or if the power has failed. Yes, we can provide this equipment! List price for the Temperature And Power Failure (TAPF) system is $1700. Here is more information about our available accessories.

Skid Mounting

If your custom enclosure needs to be mounted to a skid, we can work with engineers to design a mounting system that will work for your specific application. Additional hardware is included in the enclosure price.