7 Reasons Why Your Next Building Should Be a Steel Building

Steel buildings are everywhere. Take a drive into a rural town or down the highway in a busy city, and you’re sure to see a steel building. Perhaps even several! In fact, the odds say you will. According to the most recent Annual Report from the Metal Building Manufacturing Association (MBMA), metal building systems account for over 50% of the total low-rise nonresidential construction market. It’s not a surprise statistic, considering steel buildings are one of the most cost effective types of construction, and small business owners laud them for their durability, flexibility and wide-ranging applications.

Steel buildings also have valuable advantages over traditional buildings made of wood, brick or concrete. That translates to many benefits for your business.

Steel building cost

While everyone always looks to the price tag first, many builders are excited to hear that steel buildings are usually half the cost when compared to other conventional construction methods. Plus, steel buildings are considered ‘do-it-yourself construction,’ which doesn’t always require the costly expense of an architect or a contractor.

Quick erection time

Construction times are greatly reduced with steel buildings. Building components are pre-engineered and fabricated in a factory, then delivered to your job site, ready to be erected. Lumber for pole barns are usually supplied to a job site as raw lumber, and must be cut and produced on site before assembly can begin. It only takes days or weeks to erect a pre-engineered steel building, not weeks or months. The sooner a building is completed, the faster the return on investment for a commercial or small business owner.

Energy efficient

Steel buildings are generally made entirely of steel. Steel is the most recycled material in the world, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute, and retains a high recycling rate, which stood at 88% as of 2012. Plus, steel buildings are well known for their optimal use of materials. Each piece of a steel building is engineered exactly for your local codes and loads, so there are no wasted materials associated with your project.

Design

You want your design to serve a purpose. Thanks to some of the latest construction technology, you can design a unique-looking steel building for your own space. A steel building can look any way you want it to look. Different finishes, coatings and aesthetic options are available if you don’t want your steel building to look like a simple warehouse. Many first time builders and small business owners customize the interior and exterior to satisfy their company needs.

Easy maintenance

The maintenance of steel buildings is much easier than that of other buildings made up of brick or wood. Steel doesn’t need to be replaced every few years because it doesn’t warp, crack, twist or rot. Plus, steel isn’t susceptible to pests like termites and doesn’t encourage the growth of mold. Wood buildings decay and deteriorate, but steel buildings, from reputable manufacturers, offer long warranties on the structure itself, as well as roof, paint and wall panels.

Ease of expansion

Steel buildings are extremely flexible depending upon your business needs and purpose. The goal of every business is to grow, right? When there is a need for expansion, it’s much easier to modify components. Just let your project manager know in advance if you might have any future expansion plans. It’s possible to add to your building by changing the dimensions, adding a lean-to or even a 2^nd floor. Make sure you check with your local building codes and expand the safest and most efficient way possible.

Much more space

Have you ever heard of the term ‘clear span’ steel buildings? What about pole barn? The names of each building are pretty self-explanatory. Pole barns are supported by interior poles, which support the roof and are necessary to the structural integrity of a building. Clear span buildings are engineered so the walls and beams support the weight of the roof with no internal columns necessary. Clear span steel buildings provide the maximum amount of space in any building application, and also don’t require truss and cord systems in the roof to function properly. Do you have a lot of inventory? Do you need to house your company vehicles? Use all of the space, not just some of the space.

Steel buildings offer a ton of benefits to small business owners as well as first time builders. Visit the first time builders section for more helpful tips and advice!

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