Steel Buildings vs. Conventional Construction

A great advantage of pre-engineered buildings is that they can be relocated if required. Since your building is shipped to you with a complete set of instructions, detailed engineering drawings and a shipping list, you can erect you steel building without consulting a construction company. This also means that should you someday decide to relocate, you can take down your building and erect it elsewhere.

Adding partition walls in a steel building allows one building to be a meeting room, or office and storage facility and another to be a restaurant. Building with steel gives you the ultimate in design flexibility. You can either own one outright or purchase a steel building to rent to others. Your one time cost is regained sooner rather than later when you rent it as mini storage or public meeting space. Steel buildings can be designed with a almost unlimited amount of options.

If you have a need for a new building, don't make a decision until you have explored your options with a qualified steel building manufacturer. The Steel Building Network has reviewed a wide range of manufacturers, suppliers and building industry professionals, and we know that no matter what your intended use, there is steel building system to suit your needs. Getting I contact with the right company to get your questions answered is the first step in having your building needs met.

Advantages of Metal Buildings

LOW COST - Our steel buildings are more economical than conventional methods due to the originating costs and reduced labor. Complete steel buildings are delivered to the jobsite and quickly erected. QUICK CONSTRUCTION - On average, a steel building system can be completed in approximately two-thirds the time required for conventional construction. BETTER APPEARANCE - The appearance of steel buildings can easily be enhanced with stucco, stone, brick or glass. Metal building systems can attain a remarkable exterior that will merge with the ambiance of the building's surroundings. LOW ENERGY CONSUMPTION - A suitably insulated metal building can drastically decrease heating and cooling expenses. Insulated roof and wall systems preserve and reassure thermal efficiencies. LOW MAINTENANCE - Extended life materials reduce maintenance, and eliminate troubles such as structural deterioration, rotting and insect damage. EXPANDIBILTY - It is easy to enlarge a building by removing the end walls, erecting new framework and adding matching wall and roof panels. In most situations, the original end wall panels can be reused.

Frame Features

Connection Clips - Specially fabricated clips are designed to securely connect structural components. Many companies supply only blank plates that must be cut, drilled and/or welded to components before assembly can begin. In some cases it may require many hours of work to connect required clips. Metal Building Depot details and supplies each clip and placement to every building manufactured. We factory weld all clips onto rigid frames and guarantee the correct placement of all component connections. Don't waste your time and money attaching clips that should have been factory located.

Structural Bracing - Most buildings under 60' have sufficient diaphragm action or "panel shear" that provides all the bracing needed to stabilize the building. In some cases of high winds, seismic or snow loads may cause more stress than panel shear can handle, so additional reinforcement may be required. In these extreme cases we will employ the use of X bracing to reinforce the frame. In situations where X bracing cannot be used a wind column is an excellent addition to strengthen a vertical rigid frame column. A portal frame is sometimes used in extreme load circumstances. Portal frames are fairly expensive and only necessary in rare circumstances.

Steel Buildings

Why should I build with steel instead of wood? - The number one reason is strength. Steel buildings can withstand high load conditions. Steel buildings are fastened together with high-strength bolts and screws. The connections remain secure because there is little to no movement in the structural members and panels. However, wood connections in conventional construction become loose due to expansion and contraction and the result is warping of the wooden frame. Steel does not warp, shrink, or change with time so the connections remain secure. Wooden buildings can suffer damage do to insects such as termites, and this deterioration will reduce the quality of wooden buildings. Furthermore, metal building material is not a flammable substance so your insurance costs will be reduced.

How does the price of a steel building compare with others? - Conventional construction materials are affected by demand and availability; conversely, steel has remained relatively constant for many years. When it comes to pre-fabricated steel buildings it would be difficult to find a like structure to compare with the low cost of a steel building.

Is everything I need to construct my building included? - Everything you need to construct your new metal building will be included with the exception of the anchor bolts, which should be supplied by your foundation contractor.

What is Bay Spacing? - It is the space between 2 frames. For example, the end wall of the building is the End-Frame, and the distance between the End-Frame and the next column/rafter section is the Bay Space, or the distance between two column/rafter sections.

How do I assemble my steel building? - Steel building assembly couldn't be easier. We provide you with the necessary information to erect your steel building quickly and efficiently. Many of our clients erect their steel buildings on their own, although a professional contractor can also used at an affordable price.

Are the steel buildings painted? - Yes, the walls and trim are painted with a long-lasting factory-applied paint manufactured by a leading manufacturer of heavy duty, high performance protective coatings for steel building components. There is a wide selection of colors for you to choose from. You can select the wall panel, trim, and roof colors on the color chart section of our website.

Other Metal Building Details

Fasteners: Self-drilling fasteners are designed for rapid drilling without slipping of the drill point, thus reducing walking and surface marring. The neoprene washer keeps your building watertight as well as providing vibration dampening.

Structural Bolts: We provide all the nuts and bolts to assemble your building through pre-punched holes.

Closure Strips: Our Steel Buildings come with closure strips which when installed provide weather tightness. The closure strips are pre-formed to match the profile of the panels.

Ridge Cap: The ridge cap is designed to match the slope and contour of the roof providing a tight seal along the ridge of the building.

Trim, Flashing, Gutters & Downspouts: All our buildings come with standard trim to give the building a finished clean look. Optional Gutters and Downspouts provide additional protection from the elements.

Plans and Drawings: We provide a full set of anchor bolt plans for the placement of anchor bolts in the foundation. We also provide engineered stamped and certified construction prints. In addition we provide an in depth erection manual to walk you through the erection of your building.