Steel Buildings Breakdown: Benefits of Quonset Buildings from Kits

Quonset buildings are still among the most popular types of steel buildings sold. The hoop frame or arch frame construction makes them especially strong and eminently suitable for small building projects like garages, barns, storage buildings and home offices. Many property owners choose Quonset buildings made from kits for these uses because of the many benefits and advantages they provide. Today’s metal building kits deliver many benefits for today and for decades into the future. They include:

Low Cost

Steel buildings are affordable, and Quonset buildings are among the most affordable of all. In many cases, you can build a metal building for as low as $5 per square foot before you add finishing touches. Compare that to the cost of traditional wood frame buildings or masonry structures.

Simple Construction

Quonset buildings are so easy to construct that many homeowners do the erection themselves with the help of a few friends. All you need is simple power tools and the ability to follow a diagram. A forklift, rentable from a local company, makes it easier to move heavy components into place.

Easy to Care For

Steel buildings are incredibly low maintenance. The components generally come pre-painted with a powder coating in the color of your choice. The powder coating is rust-, corrosion- and fade-resistant. Most metal buildings have at least a 10-year warranty on the paint, and many have a 20-year warranty. There’s no need to repaint, and no worries about termites or other infesting pests.

Great Eye and Curb Appeal

In addition to being easy to maintain, modern steel buildings are very easy on the eye. They’re available in the most popular home colors, so homeowners can choose garages and storage buildings that are a perfect match to the other buildings on their property.

Thoroughly Customizable

Steel Quonset buildings are among the most adaptable of all building structures. The arch construction needs no interior supports, so you have an entirely open interior that can be configured in any way you want. That makes them ideal for just about any use you can imagine, including retail space, storage space, garages, barns, airplane hangars and even sports and riding arenas.

Superior Durability

Steel is the strongest construction material available, and the precision engineering of Quonset buildings makes them rugged and durable. They’re designed to withstand harsh weather conditions and extreme events, including hurricanes and earthquakes.

Low Total Cost of Ownership

Best of all, steel buildings have the lowest total cost of ownership of nearly all types of construction. They’re energy efficient, so they cost less to heat. They require little maintenance, and, because they are so durable, cost less to insure than buildings of comparable size made of other materials.

Five Ways Steel Buildings Help You Meet Your Green Goals

In an overcrowded world, it’s hard to reconcile the need for more space with the desire to be good to the earth. If you’re trying to decide on a new storage building, consider the many benefits of steel buildings as garages, barns, storage buildings and home offices. These are just five of the many ways that steel buildings are the greener choice for your additional need for space.

No Non-renewable Resources Used

The metal used in most steel buildings is 100% recycled steel. That means that your new workshop or storage building won’t be using up non-renewable resources or helping deforest the planet. Instead, you’ll be re-using a resource that has already been harvested, and keeping the materials out of the landfills.

Energy Efficient Design

Steel buildings today are designed for energy efficiency. Because they’re precision engineered, the seams meet perfectly, reducing heat leakage between the indoors and the outdoors. That means that you use less energy to heat and cool your new structure, and that’s a nice green goal to aim at.

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

When you build using traditional materials, you’re sourcing your materials from many different places. The wood, fasteners and other components are all shipped on separate trucks and trains to get to your location. Steel building components are fabricated and partially assembled at the factory, then shipped to you in one shipment. That saves energy and reduces your carbon footprint.

Energy Saving Roofs

The roofs available for steel buildings are among the most energy efficient available anywhere. Cool roofs are painted with a reflective coating that helps keep your building cooler in warm climates. In cold climates, dark steel roofs can help absorb heat and keep your building warmer.

Recyclable Designs

Prefab and pre-engineered steel buildings are designed to be recyclable. Unlike wood and concrete buildings, which are demolished at the end of their usable life, steel buildings can be disassembled and rebuilt on another site. Again, that reduces the amount debris going into landfills, putting less stress on the earth.

Whether you need a storage building, a home office, a garage or any other type of structure for your residential or commercial property, steel buildings offer truly sustainable solutions – and that’s before you start adding on any of the extras, like skylights, solar panels and insulation, that can make your metal buildings even greener than they naturally are. Check out your options with metal buildings before you make any decisions.

Legal Requirements for Steel Buildings

Like any other type of building, steel buildings must meet many legal requirements for the structure. These requirements may include meeting local standards for weather and climate conditions, safety and zoning. In addition, you may need to meet specific licensing requirements for your building, including licensing for building contractors, electricians and plumbing. These tips and facts can help you stay on the right side of the law when buying and erecting steel buildings.

Gather Your Information

Before you visit your local building codes office, put together your basic information, including the planned location of your building, the general size and height of the structure you’re planning, and its function. The more information you can provide to the clerks at the building office, the more accurate the information you get from them will be.

Visit Your Local Zoning and Building Codes Office

Armed with your information, pay a visit to the local zoning and building codes office. Be prepared for just about anything – some communities don’t allow steel buildings in some zones, for example. In addition to getting a copy of the local building standards – which will include information like the minimum wind load and minimum standing load the building must be able to withstand – you should also find out the requirements for erecting a structure on your property. Most communities specify how many feet your structure must be from the edges of your property and from other structures. Depending on the amount of square footage you have available, that information may restrict the size of the metal building you can erect at your chosen site.

Licensing Restrictions

If you’re planning to erect the structure on the site yourself, ask your local registrar about the process for getting approval for building and about any restrictions on licensing for those who work on your building. In many cases, private buildings on private property are exempt from some of those licensing restrictions, but that’s not the case in all communities. If you’re putting up a commercial property of any kind, chances are that you’ll have to use licensed contractors for all parts of your steel building construction.

Process

Finally, be sure that you’re aware of the process for having your building plans and your building approved by your local building authorities. If you use a general contractor, you can count on his expertise, but keep in mind that the ultimate responsibility – and fault for any wrongdoing – will lie with you.

Steel buildings are easier to erect than any other type of structure, but there are still laws and regulations you must follow. Know them and follow them to ensure that you’ll get full use out of your building when it’s erected.

Buyers Tips for Steel Buildings

Steel buildings are an investment. If you shop wisely, the metal building you buy will last for decades, so you’ll get a great return on your investment. You can improve that ROI significantly by shopping around for the best deal – but keep in mind that prices shouldn’t differ significantly. If one bid is considerably lower than the others, take a closer look. The company may not be including important components that others are including in their bids, or they may be selling poor quality steel buildings.

Examine the contracts carefully when buying steel buildings, and watch out for substitution clauses that allow the manufacturer to substitute other materials for those specified. Make sure that any substitution clauses specifically state that any materials substituted must be of equal or greater value, or that you must approve the specification. The contract should also specify the brand name and model numbers for components such as doors for garages and barns.

Always research the distributor or manufacturer online before making a final decision. A simple Google search will turn up complaints or any negative reputation the company may have acquired. You can also check the Better Business Bureau in the company’s home region to see their rating with the BBB.

Expect to put down a substantial deposit when you order your metal building. Because every building is custom engineered to meet the codes and standards of the site where it will be erected, a lot of work goes into the building even before any steel is cut. Once you put down the deposit, the engineers will design your building and fabricate the components. When all the pieces are ready, they will be shipped to you.

Discuss your responsibilities for accepting delivery of your steel building at your building site. Among other things, you will probably need to provide access to the work site for a truck and have a foundation poured and ready to build on.

Check your local building codes office to find out if you can erect your steel building yourself. Some local governments require that all steel buildings be erected by professional contractors. If that’s the case – or if you simply prefer to have a professional do the work – your building supplier can recommend local contractors who have experience erecting their building systems. Choosing an experienced contractor can reduce your labor costs significantly by reducing the amount of time and work the contractor has to do.

Should You Consider Steel Buildings for Your Next Home?

We’re all familiar with steel buildings used for storage, garages, barns and industrial uses, but there’s a growing trend for new homeowners to choose steel buildings for their residential needs. From storage containers to beautifully designed and constructed architectural marvels, metal buildings are making a huge splash on the residential market. Why would anyone want to live in a steel building Here are just a few of the reasons that steel buildings make great homes.

Affordability

Steel is one of the most affordable building materials available, but that’s only where the savings start when you choose to build a steel home. Depending on your local building codes, a metal building may not require a full basement and dug foundation, which will greatly reduce your building costs. In addition, the cost of your home will be directly related to the length of time it takes to erect it – after all, your contractor will base his fees on the number of hours he has to pay his workers for building. Steel buildings arrive in component parts that are pre-drilled and ready to assemble, cutting the construction time from months to weeks, and in some exceptional cases, days.

Environmental Concerns

People tend to think of sustainable building as homes that look as if they grew in place – but that kind of environmentally friendly building is only skin deep. In fact, because most steel used in building is recycled, steel buildings are among the most environmentally friendly types of structures you can build. When you decide to build a steel home, you’re building the only type of home with a 100% recyclable building frame. And because everything is pre-engineered for you, it’s really easy to add energy-saving features, like solar panels, green roofs and skylights, to your home plans.

Safety Considerations

Steel buildings are among the safest types of construction. Every metal building must meet all local building standards, including those that will make them resistant to earthquakes and floods and sturdy under the weight of heavy snow loads. In hurricane- and tornado-prone areas, the building codes include high wind tolerances, making them very safe in those natural disasters, as well. And, of course, steel buildings are non-combustible, so there’s a lower risk of fire, and considerably less damage in case of fire.

Maintenance Costs

Unlike traditional wood homes, steel homes require very little in the way of ongoing maintenance. Steel buildings won’t rot and aren’t susceptible to termites, mold and other infestations. And since most steel buildings are colored with long-lasting powder coatings, you won’t have to repaint for decades.

Some Interesting Facts About Steel Buildings

Steel buildings have become the most popular option for small storage buildings, free-standing garages, barns and commercial buildings in the United States. There are many reasons for their popularity. Prime among them are affordability, environmental friendliness, durability and versatility. But how much do you really know about steel buildings? Here’s a collection of random interesting facts about metal buildings, their history and the things that make them popular with homeowners and commercial property owners alike. While many of these factoids are well-known to people in the steel building  trade and industry, they’re not as widely known outside the business.

Historical Facts About Steel Buildings

During the 1890s Gold Rush, a clever businessman came up with the idea of selling pre-drilled metal sheets and fasteners as portable steel houses. These may have been the first portable steel buildings. They were bought by pioneers, who carried them with them on their westward journeys and assembled them when they reached their destination in the California hills.

During World War I, the British Army deployed steel Quonset huts to house their troops in temporary barracks. The hoop construction became the model for most modern small modern steel buildings. By World War II, the use of Quonset buildings had become widespread among the military from other nations, including the United States.

After the war ended, the Army sold many of the steel buildings that had housed troops in the field as Army surplus materials. They were scooped up by farmers and industrialists who knew a good bargain, and Quonset buildings sprouted across the countryside like mushrooms after a spring rain. They weren’t pretty, but they got the job done – and they lasted practically forever.

Facts About Modern Steel Buildings

Steel buildings are easily expandable, making them a popular option for people and businesses who may want a larger structure in the future.

Warranties and guarantees for metal buildings differ from one company to the next, but most of them offer a minimum of 20 years protection for your steel building  They still last practically forever.

Since all steel buildings are engineered and designed to meet the building standards of the region in which they’ll be erected, they’re built to withstand the weather events and natural disasters common to those regions. The hazards that properly constructed metal buildings can withstand include high winds, heavy snow loads, hurricanes and earthquakes. And since steel is naturally non-combustible, they’re also often rated fire-resistant.

Want to know more about steel buildings? If you’re interested in purchasing a metal building, the supplier you choose should be able to answer any questions you have regarding their cost, construction and delivery process.

Steel Buildings Offer Vital Versatility

Steel buildings offer many important benefits over conventional structures and conventional construction. They’re generally more durable than wood and more affordable than masonry. More importantly to many people who choose a metal building, they offer unmatched versatility in both style and utility. The popularity of steel buildings continues to rise as more and more people recognize their utility as more than just garages and barns.

The Basics About Steel Buildings

Steel buildings get many of their best qualities from the way they are made. Unlike most conventional construction methods, which call for building the entire frame and walls on site, steel buildings are pre-engineered and pre-fabricated with the components delivered to the building site ready to assemble. The construction crew doesn’t have to cut and measure anything, drill holes in anything or fabricate anything on site. It’s all done before the pieces are delivered. The only work required on site is bolting the steel frame pieces to the foundation, assembling the walls, and bolting them into place through pre-drilled holes. Most of the complicated fitting and welding is done in advance, so you only have to put the pre-assembled pieces into place. That reduces the amount of skilled labor required to actually erect a steel building which also reduces the costs associated with construction.

Metal Buildings Through the Years

Steel buildings first became popular in the post-war years, when the Quonset buildings that had been used overseas became the models for aircraft hangars, equipment storage buildings and grain storage buildings across the Midwest and Northwest. At the same time, metal building manufacturers began developing clear span construction and other methods of constructing steel buildings that were used to erect factories, warehouses and, yes, skyscrapers. These days, the same methods used to construct Quonset buildings are used for a wide variety of building styles, providing the benefits that made them the choice of the military – quick construction, portability and versatility – combined with more attractive styling and structures that are better suited to the environmental challenges of different areas.

Of all the benefits offered by steel buildings, however, few are prized as much as their versatility. The construction configuration for most metal buildings provides a completely open interior space that can be configured to meet any needs you may have. The open floor space makes metal buildings the ideal choice for home workshops, garages, barns, home offices, retail stores, churches, auditoriums, temporary classrooms and more. If you’re in need of more space on your residential or commercial property, a steel building could be the perfect, affordable solution.

New Designs for Residential Steel Buildings

In addition to garages and barns, steel buildings are seeing increasing use as homes. Once seen as unfriendly metal boxes at worst or downright ugly hoop-framed Quonset buildings better suited as barns and agricultural storage, metal building manufacturers have rehabbed their drab image with cutting edge designs for steel buildings. In some cases, designers take full advantage of the building material to create stunning statement works of art. More often, though, they rely on the versatility of the metal to create steel buildings that are practically indistinguishable from traditional stick built homes – they’re just a lot cheaper and a lot more comfortable to live in. These are some of the most sought-after styles for modern residential steel buildings.

Contemporary

Do you love clean lines and sweeping curves? Steel was practically invented to accommodate your preferences. Contemporary styles of steel buildings feature expanses of glass and steel, often integrated with wood, stone and brick. While they look modern, they often fit comfortably into natural landscapes, especially wooded hillsides.

Classic Suburban

All the classic suburban styles – peaked roofs, ranch homes, open spaces and bright facades – are easy to achieve in steel. If you’ve got a love for the standard ranch or split-level home, you’ll find that they’re among the most affordable and easiest to build styles. And if anything, when you build these architectural styles from steel components, you get the most flexibility possible with your interior floor plan because there’s no need for support posts and load-bearing walls. Even better, the once-limited color choice for steel buildings has expanded. Most residential steel buildings – with matching garages or barns – are available in the most common and popular colors for homes today, and most manufacturers will happily create custom colors for you, though it will come at a price.

Neo-Mediterranean

Mediterranean style steel buildings are another popular options. Similar to contemporary designs, they feature expanses of glass and steel, but it’s often liberally mixed with stone and brick rather than wood. You’ll also see more use of curves than angles. Neo-Mediterranean homes are also more likely to incorporate energy saving features like skylights and solar panels into their design.

The best thing about choosing steel buildings in modern styles is that they are still, underneath the pretty faces, steel buildings, with all the strengths and benefits of choosing steel as your building material. While they may be more expensive than more typical metal buildings, they’ll be far more affordable than similar designs built with wood frames, and they’ll be far stronger, sturdier and more durable. They’ll also cost far less to maintain and to insure over time.

If you’re in the market for a new home and want the benefits and advantages that come with using one of the best and most affordable building materials, take a look at the many options available for steel buildings on the market today.