Five Things to Look for in Quality Steel Buildings

With the growing popularity of consumer-grade steel buildings – the type you use for storage sheds, home offices, garages and workshops – there’s also a growing number of dealers capitalizing on the trend and profiting from selling low-quality buildings at so-called bargain prices. If you’re in the market for a new steel building for your storage, home office or other needs, how do you make sure that you’re getting a high quality structure that’ worth the price you’re paying? These tips can help.

The Right Gauge

Steel gauge is a measure of its strength. Unlike most gauges, the higher the number on steel gauge, the weaker the steel is. Many cheap steel buildings are made of 29 gauge steel. Look for steel buildings made of at least 26 gauge or lower steel to make sure that your building will stand up to the rigors of regular use.

The Right Coatings

Most steel for buildings is coated to protect it against corrosion, rust and other environmental factors, as well as painted with a color for appearance sake. Substandard steel buildings may be dipped and spray-painted, often with lower quality coatings that have to be renewed every few years to maintain their protection. Look for Galvalume steel or another high-quality protective coating for corrosion resistance, and for powder-coated color, which will last for decades without peeling or wearing away.

Blueprints and Engineering Diagrams

If you’re putting up a steel building in many counties or cities, the coding/zoning department will require that you file detailed, stamped architect drawings or engineering plans before they’ll issue a permit. Make sure you work with a dealer or manufacturer who can supply the needed paperwork and doesn’t charge you an additional fee for it.

Local Contractors

If you’re planning to hire a contractor to do the actual construction of your new metal building, look for a company that is associated with local contractors, or check with local contractors to find one that has experience with that particular style and brand of steel building. There are many advantages to working with a local contractor that has been trained and has experience in working with steel building from a particular manufacturer or in a particular style. Just think about how much easier it is to build something the second time, after you figure out all the pitfalls and places you could go wrong the first time around.

Ethical Business and Sales Practices

Be careful about websites and dealers that offer flashy “huge sales” and “steep discounts.” Steel buildings offer big profits for middlemen, especially those who are peddling low quality buildings for high prices. Get familiar with the sales tactics used by hucksters, and avoid any dealer who uses them in their marketing.

Steel buildings offer great value for most needs, but it’s important to know what you’re buying. Do some research to understand what goes into a quality metal building so that you know you’re getting the best quality building available for your budget.