Look Beyond Price When Buying Steel Buildings

If you’ve been considering steel buildings as an option for your residential storage needs or business needs, you’ve probably seen a lot of ads on the Internet that talk about the price. Many manufacturers and distributers of steel buildings tout low prices as the major advantage of choosing a metal building for your needs. If you investigate beyond the price, though, you’ll find that many of these economy-priced structures aren’t so much budget-friendly as they are simply cheap.

Before you make a decision about the steel building you’re going to buy, you need to look beyond the attractive price to see what you’ll actually be getting for the money. Chances are you’ll find that those great bargains aren’t quite the deals they’re made out to be. It’s important to compare quality, materials and service when you’re choosing among the many steel buildings on the market. If you choose simply based on the lowest price, you’re likely to find yourself with a sub-par steel building that costs far more to maintain than you expected.

What to Look for In a Quality Steel Building

The steel used in construction is obviously one of the most important factors in the quality of steel buildings. Premium steel buildings are made of heavy-duty 26 gauge steel. Many economy metal buildings are made using much thinner 29-gauge steel, which is considerably weaker and may not even meet the building codes in some areas. Because they’re thinner and of lesser quality, you’re also more likely to run into maintenance problems than you’ll have with a high-quality steel building.

The coating on the steel will also have a major effect on your maintenance costs and the durability of the building. Look for buildings that have a rust and corrosion-resistant powder coating rather than cheaper metal paint or dip coating. This is especially important if you’re choosing a color for your building – powder coating won’t flake off or rust away, while other types of paint and coatings might flake off and leave your building prone to rust and corrosion.

Look for a building dealer or manufacturer who asks for a copy of your local building codes. You may read advertisements for steel buildings that promise your new structure “complies with all local codes.” Since building codes vary from one county to the next, there is no such thing as a universally code-compliant building kit. Be leery of any steel buildings dealer who doesn’t ask about your local building codes.

Consider any additional expenses you’ll incur in building, insulating and making your new steel building habitable. Often, cheap steel buildings are nothing more than metal shells. You’ll end up paying extra for doors, windows and trim. Make sure that you get a complete quote that includes everything you need for your steel building.

Steel buildings are a phenomenal bargain, but it’s important to make sure that you’re buying a quality structure that will last you for decades.