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You would need a professional to customize it, to make sure there's ventilation, etc.

You could follow the guidelines for shipping container architecture. There's been a lot written about it recently, including DIYs. http://firmitas.org/

I considered this before I built Modern in MN, and I still think it's an interesting approach. A lot like the building houses from shipping containers thing, except without the dimensional constraints. And just like using shipping containers, it's certainly one way to go about getting a building envelope, but you'd still need to do just about everything to it that a "regular" house would require in order to make it into a living space, at which point it becomes not a lot more than an exterior finish.
Granted, that they are structural in and of themselves does count for something, but once you start messing around with getting fenestrations (windows and doors) it's possible that you'd need to supplement the structural elements anyway.
Another way to think about it is if you break down the costs of building a house, the structural components and exterior finish materials (which is basically all a steel structure is) represent a very, very small portion of the overall expense.

I think there are situations where starting with this type of structure could be a cost savings, but that would be the exception. More likely, you'll end up spending more on every component of the building process just because it's such a non-standard approach to residential construction.

I was just on the Internet this week looking for similar ideas after a recent Apt Therapy post on a renovated quonset hut. With spray on/in foam insulation available now, the steel building/quonset hut style looks like a very doable, and possibly a greenish option. I am also interested in finding out more about this type of home.

Steel buildings some have used for homes on the left side links

http://www.us-buildings-direct.com/Agriculture.aspx?cmp=18216

Different photos of the renovated quonset hut featured in an Apartment Therapy post.
http://www.lcweekly.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1012&Itemid=252

A Modern Quonset Hut
http://nontraditionalhousing.tribe.net/thread/83839c99-8caf-4ab5-8160-d8
6f4290c1bc

http://nontraditionalhousing.tribe.net/photos/26b10335-9a55-422b-82aa-b8
adf066bd41

http://tribes.tribe.net/quonsethome links of posts on the hut

Hope this is a start to a great new home.

As far as doors and windows, the companies that sell these structures customize them all the time so you won't have a problem with that. And businesses regularly have offices, toilet rooms and the like built inside steel structures like these, especially away from urban areas. It's turning the interior into a "home" that they aren't used to....and that banks aren't used to either which means you'll run up against some resistance when it comes to financing.

I think you'll find that you'll have to deal with two construction outfits. One that supplies the prefab steel structure and another that does all of the interior finishing. The more house-like the interior is, the more it's going to cost.

I think if you didn't put a lot of extra stuff inside, like walls and such, you could probably save some money. Treat it like an industrial loft.

Is there a source for this particular kit above?

I don't have much technical information, but I do know that it is 100% do able. My boyfriends parents have this exact type of home. They originally lived in a camper inside the steel warehouse, and eventually just started building it into a home. The cement floors are great because they are heated in the winter, and they even have and upstairs with two bedrooms and two areas where a balcony looks over the living room/ kitchen. Their house is beautiful, so definitely keep with this idea, because it's totally possible!
Maybe I'll be able to get some more information from them soon :) Good Luck!

I live in Oklahoma where these types of homes are getting fairly popular. (We call them "pole barn homes.") My friend built one, and the materials for the outside of the house were incredibly cheap. Because I live in a rural area, there are plenty of builders who can customize and build these types of homes for a very reasonable price.

I know of someone who put a steel pre-fabricated barn on a property as a vacation home in California. Because it is a rural property, they were able to put in this "barn" without permits. They outfitted it with a full bathroom and shower and left the rest of the space pretty raw initially. Little-by-little, they have insulated and done some interior finishing themselves. It is an awesome space and takes advantage of the beautiful landscape where it sits. I know of an architect who is very familiar with this project. Let me know if you would like his name and contact info.

UK shelter mag Living Etc. did a feature on a warehouse kit converted into a residence about four or five years back that might be worth searching out.

We didn't use a kit, but my husband and I built a pole barn and lived in it while we remodeled another home we had purchased. I absolutely loved it - we put radiant heat in and a very nice bathroom, but treated it mostly like a loft space, with an industrial feel. If we wouldn't have had kids, we might still be there. . .

I tried looking into this using a kit for greenhouses (I've seen it done quite sucessfully by an architecture firm in France), but the manufacturers explicitly said they wouldn't talk to me if I was considering for residential (they were worried about thier liabillity, I take it) - word to the wise.

here are a couple of places to check out:

www.rhinobldg.com and www.ecosteel.com

Go to the local authority (usually the town hall, building inspector's office) and ask them about it. Even if they aren't familiar with the specific kits, they will know what needs to be in place for an approved structure, and might have opinions as to cost effectiveness. (Sometime shipping and unloading in woodsy surroundings amps up the price shockingly!)

I think there is a significantly more attractive alternative. I would look into a "Katrina Cottage." The Katrina Cottages, small classical style cottages, were designed as an alternative to FEMA trailers (cost was the same as FEMA trailer). You can buy the plans for $700 from Lowe's. Also, a lot of the plans are designed to allow you to easily expand.

http://www.katrinacottagehousing.org/
http://www.cusatocottages.com/

Best,
Keith

Thanks for all the comments, everyone - it'll take me a while to check them all out. It does seem like buying a steel warehouse is affordable but fitting the interior really isn't....
Thanks especially for the person who mentioned Living Etc - this was actually the article I was referring to, but had forgotten it was in this magazine. Incidentally, I did find the web site for the architect who built this house, and even more incidentally, they are just in the middle of selling it. Check it out at www.mxadevelopment.com - at least you'll be able to see what got me started in thinking this might be a great idea!