Things to Consider When Erecting Steel Buildings

After all you’ve done to find the perfect steel building for your needs, you want to see the finished product go up without a hitch. In order to ensure a smooth building process, there are a few things you need to consider. These are the most important considerations for erecting steel buildings before construction.

Before Construction of Steel Buildings

Make sure that all of the drawings are complete and ready. Check to make sure you have all necessary building permits and that your metal building design meets all the applicable code and building standards for your area. This is vital. Most areas of the country have local building codes that apply to all structures erected within the city, county or town limits. If the metal building you’re considering barely meets the building codes or doesn’t meet them at all, you could find yourself with a white elephant – a very desirable steel building that you can’t erect on your site. It is your responsibility to make sure that the building meets all applicable building codes, and the best way to ensure that is to bring your purchase contract to the local code office before you make the actual purchase to ensure that your building will be approved by the building code department.

While it is your responsibility as the property owner to make sure that you have all the necessary permits and permissions, if you’ve hired a steel building erection contractor, the contractor may take care of all those details. Don’t just assume, though. Make sure that you discuss it with the steel buildings manufacture and the contractor.

On Delivery

Make sure you know all the details of delivery for your metal building. In most cases, companies that manufacture steel buildings will hire a third-party carrier to deliver the building components to your work site. Make sure that the manufacturer knows about any special accommodations you may need, and that you won’t have to change the shipping details after you’ve signed the contract. Any changes that you make will end up adding to the cost of the steel building.

You or the building contractor you hire will need to be on site to receive the metal building and all the other materials on the designated date of delivery, and will be expected to verify that everyone on the paperwork is correct and that delivery was made without a problem.

When it comes to the actual erection of your steel building, details matter. The closer attention you pay to the details, the more likely it will be that your construction process will go off without any snags. For more information about what you should expect, talk to the company that sells steel buildings.

Tips for Building Garages from Steel Buildings

Garages are among the most popular residential uses for steel buildings and metal buildings kits. There are a number of companies that sell metal buildings garage kits, as well as many manufacturers and brokers that sell steel buildings suitable for use as garages. Choosing the right one for your needs can be a little overwhelming. These tips can help you decide which steel building company is the best one to provide your metal buildings kit.

Start With Your Local Code Office

Steel buildings are not allowed in some areas because of the building codes or zoning requirements. Some counties restrict the use of steel buildings, and some states have strict codes to ensure that steel buildings are sturdy enough to withstand the most severe weather events. Before you start looking at steel garages and metal buildings kits, make sure that you’ll be allowed to erect it where you want to put it.

Write down all the codes and zoning requirements so you’ll have them handy when talking to different manufacturers of steel buildings. You’ll need to provide the building codes when you ask for a quote from a building company because they’ll need to incorporate all the relevant codes into the cost they quote you.

Plan Ahead

Garage kits come in standard sizes to fit one car, two cars or more, but you don’t have to confine yourself to the standard sizes when you choose custom-engineered steel buildings for your garage plans. Start with the basic measurements for one-car and two-car garages, then decide what other amenities you might want to add. Do you want extra storage space for seasonal yard equipment? An enclosed workshop built onto the end of your garage? Room for a motorcycle beside your automobile? Since each metal buildings is designed to spec, you can let your dreams run wild – at least until they run out of budget.

However, keep in mind that you may want to expand in the future. Many steel buildings can be expanded easily while others will require you to buy an entire new building if you want to add another ten feet to the end. If possible, leave yourself room to grow in the future.

Think about your building site before you place your order. The local zoning laws may have some effect on your choice, since many counties and municipalities require that steel buildings be a certain number of feet away from the road and from neighboring boundaries. In addition, you’ll want to choose a building site that’s easily accessible by a large truck to facilitate delivery of your steel building components.

The actual erection of garages using steel building kits is a fairly straightforward and simple process. Most relatively handy homeowners can put up small steel buildings with the help of one or two friends, and no special tools at all.

The Stages of Buying Steel Buildings

Steel buildings are becoming more and more popular with private homeowners for use as storage buildings, garages, barns, home offices and more. Many of them think that ordering a metal building is an easy process – just pick out the model you want, pay for it and wait for it to be delivered. Unfortunately, ordering steel buildings isn’t as easy as a lot of suppliers’ websites make it sound. There are a number of steps involved in ordering, designing and erecting a custom steel building – and most steel buildings are custom designed and engineered. These are the basics you need to know about the stages of buying and construction steel buildings.

Engineering Considerations

Every steel building must be engineered to meet the standards required by the location where it will be erected. In order to build safely, the engineers who design your building will need information about your building site and the building codes and standards that your city or region requires. Engineering to meet those standards is vitally important. They dictate the amount of wind, snow, rain and other events and factors your building must be able to withstand. You should have those things on hand before you place your order so that you can get an accurate quote on your metal building.

Design

Every steel building is custom engineered to suit your needs – but you have to know what your needs are. If you’re working with an experienced supplier of steel buildings, your sales rep should be able to walk you through the design process and help you make the decisions you have to make. In some cases, you should have precise measurements. In other cases, you can count on the expertise of the supplier. If you’re building a garage, for example, you can expect the supplier/designer to know the standard recommended measurements for garages.

Choosing an Erector

Unless you’re buying a do-it-yourself metal building kit – and you have the skills to do the work – you’ll need a qualified contractor to erect your steel building Many suppliers of steel buildings maintain a list of contractors around the country who have experience working with their building systems. Engage an erector well before the expected delivery date of your steel building components because you’ll need them there to help unload and check all of the delivered items.

Site Preparation

You’ll need to get your site ready to build before your building is delivered. In most cases, that means clearing ground, making sure that trucks have access to a staging area to unload the building components and putting in the building foundation.

Delivery

When you’re building arrives, you’ll be responsible for unloading the building components, inspecting them and accepting them. It’s vital that you or your agent – that’s where your qualified erector comes in – inspects each piece as it comes off the truck, or you’ll be out of luck if you find that you’re missing pieces or that pieces were damaged in transit.

How to Recognize a Steel Buildings Scam Site

The popularity of steel buildings as garages, storage buildings, barns and other residential and agricultural uses has brought a lot of bad actors out of the woodwork. While most suppliers of steel buildings are legitimate, there’s a significant proportion of metal building sellers who are little better than scam artists. The scams range for passing off shoddy steel buildings as top quality to fake suppliers who exist long enough to take your deposit and disappear. Learning how to recognize a scam steel buildings site can help you protect yourself from the bad actors and purchase a high quality metal building for your property.

If It Sounds Too Good to Be True…

It’s been said before and it still bears repeating. If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Shop around before you decide to make a deal so you have a good feel for the average prices being asked for the type of steel building you want to buy. If someone is offering a metal building at prices far lower than is typical, chances are good that the deal isn’t as good as it looks.

Flashy Website with Big CLEARANCE SALE Signs

Most reputable dealers of steel buildings don’t put their buildings on sale at low, bargain basement prices. If a website is plastered with big, flashing LOW, LOW PRICES banners, be suspicious. Chances are there are strings attached – or that the prices just aren’t that low.

No Information About Steel Specs

High quality metal buildings are made from 26 gauge steel or lower. A reputable dealer or manufacturer will always list the quality of steel for their buildings. If you can’t find that information on the website, or if the steel gauge listed is higher than that, they’re probably trying to pass off shoddy steel buildings as top quality construction.

High Pressure Sales Tactics

If a salesman tries to pressure you to buy by telling you that a deal is “good for today only” or another high pressure sales tactic, walk away. There are plenty of legitimate metal building suppliers who will wait for your answer – and be happy to answer all of your questions.

Not Answering Your Questions

And speaking of answering questions, be suspicious if the salesman you’re talking to can’t answer your questions about the process of buying or erecting your steel building. A legitimate supplier or manufacturer will employ sales people who can answer all your questions because they want to be sure you get what you need.

There are plenty of legitimate suppliers of steel buildings online. Take your time shopping around so you’re sure the deal you’re getting is really as good as it looks.

Eight Commercial Uses for Steel Buildings

Steel buildings are growing in popularity for residential uses – private garages, home workshops and storage buildings, to name a few – but their use is also spreading into commercial arenas in areas that aren’t typically acknowledged. Most people know about steel skyscrapers and office buildings, but here are eight commercial uses for steel buildings that you might not have considered.

Sports Facilities

Sure, metal is common in building huge sports arenas, but steel buildings are also the ideal choice for many smaller sports facilities. Quonset buildings are the perfect choice for buildings that need high center ceilings and unobstructed interior space. The domed steel buildings are perfect for use as indoor volleyball courts, tennis courts and indoor tracks. They’re also ideal for use as roller skating and ice skating rinks and as covers for indoor pools.

Individual Garages

Yes, there are enormous steel parking garages that are meant for retail and office parking, but some residential planners are using mini-storage steel buildings for a rather novel use – to provide individual garages for residents in duplex and townhouse developments. Unlike large parking lots and open parking garages, the mini-storage buildings provide each tenant with his or her own private space and storage area.

Boat Storage

As crew and sculling become more popular sports at the high school level, school departments and municipalities are faced with finding storage space for boats and other crew equipment. Steel buildings are affordable, weather-safe, meet all local building standards and provide unobstructed interior storage space for boat cradles and other boat storage.

Airplane Hangars

The arch-domed construction of most steel buildings provides plenty of interior space for garaging large vehicles like airplanes. With no need for interior support posts, metal buildings allow for easy maneuvering of airplanes and equipment.

Animal Shelters

Animal shelters, veterinarians’ offices and other animal-centered businesses turn to steel buildings for housing animals for many reasons. Steel is affordable and easy to build, but more importantly, it’s easy to disinfect and clean, a vital factor when you’re housing dogs, cats and other animals in large numbers.

Dance Studios

Metal buildings provide a number of important advantages when used as dance studios. The biggest of these, of course, is the completely open interior, which can easily be reconfigured for various uses. A steel building provides plenty of interior space for practice halls, dressing rooms and exhibition space.

Houses of Worship

It may be stretching the definition of commercial to apply it to churches, but they are public buildings meant to be used by a community. More and more church communities are choosing the convenience and affordability of steel when building a new home for their congregations.

Craft and Art Studios

Many crafters who choose to turn their hobbies into businesses find that a steel building is the ideal home for their workshop/studio. Steel buildings are attractive, affordable and easy to maintain, and can be built in far less time than conventional structures.

If you’re considering a small commercial business that needs a home, consider the many benefits and advantages of steel buildings for your particular application. You can build far more affordably and easily than you think.

Five Things You Shouldn’t Believe About Steel Buildings

Many people decide against steel garages, workshops, barns and other steel buildings because they’ve fallen for one of the many mistaken beliefs that exist about these affordable, convenient and very functional structures. These are just a few of the things people believe about metal buildings – and the reasons that none of them are true.

Metal Buildings Get Struck By Lightning More Often

Metal is a good conductor of electricity, so it’s easy to understand how this particular myth about steel buildings got started – and seems reasonable. In fact, industry research shows that a metal building is no more likely to be hit by lightning than a wood or masonry structure of the same size and shape. Steel buildings can be struck by lightning, just like any other type of building, but they don’t attract lightning. And if it really concerns you, you can always install a lightning protection system.

Steel Buildings Are All Ugly Little Boxes

Steel is one of the most versatile building materials available, and there are creative architects and engineers building and designing exciting visions and shapes with steel. There are octagonal churches, arch-framed buildings, Quonset buildings and many other styles of residential, agricultural and industrial steel buildings. The most popular small steel buildings – storage buildings, home workshops and garages – most often are designed to look like their stick-built counterparts, but offer many more benefits.

Steel Buildings Only Come in Certain Standard Sizes

Once upon a time, manufacturers ran off steel buildings in standard, stock sizes. Computer engineering and fabrication has changed all that. These days, most manufacturers design, modify and fabricate a steel building after a custom order is completed and received. There are far too many different building standards and codes to meet for a reputable company to run stock sizes only. Chances are good that skilled architects and engineers can create nearly any steel building you can envision.

Metal Wall Panels and Roof Panels Only Come in Standard Lengths

See above. While most supply centers do carry wall panels and roof panels in an array of standard lengths, it’s really no different than a store only stocking the most popular sizes of anything. Most steel building suppliers will happily order custom size panels in exactly the length you need for your metal building project.

Cold-Formed Steel Is Too Light to Be Strong

Light-gauge steel buildings – the most common residential and small metal buildings – are generally made of cold-formed steel. While the steel components might be lightweight, they’re custom-engineered for incredible strength. Between the strength of the materials and the inherent strength of the structural design, lightweight steel buildings can easily withstand heavy snow loads and hurricane force winds.

Don’t let the common misapprehensions about steel buildings stop you from investing in the best solution to your storage and or extra room needs.

Debunking Myths About Steel Buildings Specials

When you’re shopping around for steel buildings, you’ll run into a lot of websites offering specials on metal buildings Many of the “specials” are blatantly untrue, and the websites are using deceptive sales practices. If you run into a business using one of these tactics to sell you steel buildings, be very skeptical. Better yet, look for a legitimate supplier of high quality metal buildings.

Free Freight

One of the most common dodgy tactics used by high-pressure steel building sellers is a promise of free shipping if you buy in the next 24 to 48 hours. The purpose of this tactic is to pressure you into making a quick decision and stop you from shopping around for a better price. Reputable dealers will cost out every expense associated with your order, including the shipping. You can be certain that the company is not absorbing the freight cost. Instead, they’ve simply added the cost of shipping to the upfront cost of the building and marked a $0.00 on the shipping line. If you shop around, you’ll find the same deal or better on steel garages, storage sheds and other metal buildings – even when you include the shipping costs.

All Steel Buildings 50% Off

This is just another sales gimmick, especially when you run into it online. Chances are good that if you shop around to other sites selling metal buildings you’ll find that the supposed 50% off price is no different than the standard selling price at a reputable dealer. Typically, the dealer has inflated the listed price for the buildings on sale, and will offer you a great “discount” if you’re willing to commit to a decision now. That’s not saying there’s anything wrong with the buildings they’re selling – it’s just a dodgy selling tactic to make you think you got a great deal when you might do better elsewhere.

Unclaimed Steel Buildings for Sale

This may be the most common cheesy selling tactic used in the metal building industry. When you cal to inquire, the sales person will tell you that he just happens to have a building in exactly – or close to it – the size you’re looking for, and it will meet your local building codes, and you can have it for an amazingly low price because another customer ordered it and walked away from the deal. The premise is completely untrue 99% of the time. Steel buildings are generally only fabricated after the order is placed, and each one is precision engineered to meet the standards of a specific area or municipality. The chance that there is a building sitting on the lot that will exactly meet the specs you need – and for which someone else has already paid 25 percent of the price – are just about nil.

There are plenty of reputable dealers of steel buildings that will not play pricing games with you. Shop around for the best price from a legitimate supplier so that you can be comfortable you’re honestly getting the best deal possible.

Tips for Buying Snow-Resistant Steel Buildings

Over the last few years, historic blizzards have whacked the East Coast and the Midwest, and nearly every major blizzard is accompanied by at least one story about a steel building roof collapse. If you’re purchasing a steel building for any purpose, it’s important for you to take the changing weather patterns into account, and shop for steel buildings that are designed to withstand the weather extremes in your area. These tips can help you choose a metal building that will withstand heavy snow loads and extreme cold.

Bulk Up Your Foundation

While most steel buildings don’t need much in the way of foundations, a building is only as strong as the foundation it sits upon. Check with your local zoning office and code office to get a list of the safety standards your steel building has to meet. Most metal building suppliers will custom engineer your building to meet your local standards, but it’s up to you to make sure that your foundation meets the standards as well. If you have the option, choose to exceed the standards for a better safety rating.

Request Additional Structural Support

Your steel building supplier will be working with design engineers whose job it is to make sure your steel building meets or exceeds your local building standards. In most northern areas, those will include the minimum load bearing standards for buildings of various sizes. Those standards are bare minimums, based on historical data. With the weather in flux and each year’s snow loads seeming to get heavier, it makes sense to request additional structural support for vertical loads to be on the safe side. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Choose a Pitched Roof Design

The steeper the pitch of the roof, the more easily your steel building will shed snow and rain. Most collapses are due to snow collecting on a flat or low-pitched roof. In most cases, you’ll pay a little more for a more steeply pitched roof, but you’ll reap a number of benefits for the added cost:

-          Your roof will be easier to clear because gravity does most of the work.

-          You’ll have more usable space inside the building.

-          Pitched roofs are less likely to develop leaks.

-          Pitched roofs are safer in heavy snow areas.

Choose a Dark Roof

While lighter roofs are more efficient in warm regions, dark roofs are the better choice in areas where you spend more on heating than cooling costs and where there is a high likelihood of heavy snow. Dark roof coatings absorb heat and help melt the snow more quickly and efficiently. If you’re building in zone 4 or above, choose a darker roof coating.

As the weather changes, many areas will tighten their building codes to reflect the changing needs. Stay a step ahead when you’re ordering your metal building. Steel buildings can easily be engineered to exceed your local standards for snow loads. It only makes sense to spend a little extra for safety’s sake.