Garages, Barns and Other Steel Buildings to Love

Most people know that steel buildings make great garages and barns, but those aren’t the only uses for a well-built and attractive metal building. From factory buildings to metal shops, from retail stores to houses, the uses of steel buildings are virtually limitless. These are just a few of the unexpected uses for steel buildings from real customers of companies that sell steel and metal buildings.

Pool Housing

Fancy a cover over your in-ground or above-ground swimming pool? A steel-framed building or large carport can provide the shade or cover that you need to make your swimming pool comfortable for use in all types of weather. You can even have a custom steel building created with skylights and roll-back ceilings to open the building to the sky. The beauty of steel buildings is that almost anything can be customized to meet your needs.

Boat Storage

Garages aren’t built to house boats, but steel buildings can fit the bill admirable. The clear span or arch frame construction of a metal building gives you plenty of space to maneuver a boat into place and provides the ideal framework for shelves, racks and hooks to hand sculls and shells. A steel building is a low-cost alternative to a wood-frame building that requires far more maintenance and isn’t as secure.

Man Caves and Entertaining

No room in the house for the man cave? Build one outside the house. When you build a man cave from scratch, you’re not restricted by the structural issues in the house – you don’t have to build around support posts and columns in your basement, for example. You can set up a home theater with no bad seats or create your dream wood workshop or design a building that’s perfect for anything you want to do in it. Steel buildings are eminently customizable and can be wired for electricity so you can have your big screen television, your refrigerator and your power tools.

Conservatories

Building a conservatory onto your house can be prohibitively expensive. It often involves removing support posts to open exterior walls to a glassed in room. Custom-engineered steel buildings can provide an affordable alternative – a free-standing conservatory that provides your family with a lovely space for entertaining and socializing with each other.

Steel buildings have many uses beyond garages, barns and storage. Whatever your building needs, a properly designed, custom-engineered steel building can be the perfect, affordable solution for them.

Are DIY Steel Buildings the Right Choice for You?

People considering the purchase of DIY steel buildings often have unrealistic expectations and understanding of the process of purchasing and erecting a steel building. While metal buildings are very popular for use as garages, storage sheds, barns and garden houses, DIY steel building kits do require some skill and ability to put up properly. If you’re considering the purchase of a do-it-yourself metal building kit, it’s important that you understand the realities of purchasing and erecting a steel building.

You Will Probably Need a Building Permit to Put Up Your Building

Every city and county has its own zoning laws and building codes. Before you make up your mind that you want to put up a steel building on your property, check to be sure that it will be permitted on your property. Once you’ve put down a deposit on a building, you won’t be able to get it back, so check first to avoid being disappointed later.

You’ll Need Some Sort of Foundation

One of the major draws of steel buildings is the fact that smaller metal structures don’t usually require a dug foundation. That reduces the cost of putting up the building and makes a steel building easier to erect than most wood frame buildings of a similar size. On the other hand, most steel buildings do require a poured concrete foundation or concrete pier footings. Getting the foundation right is vital to the safe construction of your building, so if there’s one place to call in a pro, this would be it.

You’ll Probably Need to Unload the Steel Building Components Yourself

In most cases, when your steel building is delivered, you’ll need friends on hand to help you unload the components yourself. Generally, trucking companies will not be responsible for unpacking your steel building. You’ll have to unpack the components and check the order to make sure that everything is there as ordered.

Steel Building Components Are Heavy

About those friends – you really will need them. The walls and other components of your building are pretty hefty – too hefty for you to lift and cart around yourself. In fact, you may want to rent a forklift at least for the unloading and possibly a jack or small boom crane to help you get larger pieces into place.

A Metal Building Kit Really Can Be a DIY Project

Despite all that, many homeowners put up their own steel buildings with little trouble. As long as you understand what you’re getting into and are prepared for the realities, putting up your own steel building is totally doable if your project is small enough.

Steel Buildings Down on the Farm

If anyone can take responsibility for the popularity of steel buildings in the United States, it’s the farmers. From the start of westward expansion, farmers were instrumental in the spread of steel buildings across the landscape. During the California Gold Rush, a New York metal worker came up with the idea of portable steel houses for 49ers heading for the Golden State. His steel buildings were created in pieces that could be strapped on a wagon for transport across the country and assembled on site. While the engineering process is far more complex today, that’s still the basic reasoning behind steel buildings – a completely disassembled building shipped on a flatbed or a truck and assembled when it reached its building site.

In the Midwest, where wood was a precious building material, farmers found that sheets of steel made a durable building material to store their grain, house their animals and shelter their equipment from the elements. Metal lean-tos and steel Quonset buildings really took off after World War I and World War II when soldiers returning from service put what they had learned into use on the farm. Quonset buildings were easy to erect, sturdy and required little maintenance. Because they don’t need internal posts or supports, the arch-framed metal buildings provided the most space for storing grain and other commodities and allowed farmers to drive their tractors and wagons in and out for easy loading and unloading.

The flexibility of the interior space also makes steel buildings ideal choices to house animals. Cattle barns, dairy barns and horse barns can be customized for the needs of the animals. They’re easy to insulate and require far less upkeep than wooden barns. That’s an important factor for a small farmer who can’t afford to take time away from their crops and animal care to repaint a barn or treat it for termites and other vermin. And since steel buildings are fire resistant, there’s far less danger to any animals housed in steel barns.

The biggest complaint about metal buildings, especially Quonset buildings, was always their appearance. One writer referred to them as “a squat blight on the landscape.” Today’s technology has wiped away that argument. Steel buildings today are as attractive as their wooden counterparts and far more durable. Their colors don’t fade and peel, and with just a minimum of care, they can be just as attractive twenty years after their construction as on the day they are erected.

Steel buildings got their start on the farm, and they’re still a great option for garages, barns and storage buildings. If you’re in the market to replace your old outbuildings, look into the many advantages that metal buildings provide to farmers.

Five Reasons to Love Green Steel Buildings

If you haven’t already got enough reasons to love steel buildings, here are five reasons that steel buildings are a green choice for an eco-conscious world.

Steel is Recycled and Recyclable

Steel is one of the greenest building materials available. While it is not a renewable resource, most of the steel used in construction today is recycled from other steel. That means that when you choose steel buildings for garages, storage sheds and other uses, you are helping the environment in two ways. Your building is made with steel that is kept out of the waste stream, reducing the garbage that clogs our landfills. In addition, when you choose steel as your primary building material, you are not using another non-renewable resource, and you’re not cutting down trees that are of vital importance to our global ecosystem.

Steel Buildings Arrive in One Shipment

All the components you need for your steel building are delivered at once, usually in one shipment and on one truck. When you build a structure of the same size with other materials, each material or component must be shipped separately. Even the wood you use often arrives in multiple shipments – posts on one truck from one destination, dimensional lumber on another from a second destination, fasteners from yet a third destination on a third truck. Each of those items adds to the carbon footprint of your structure.

Steel Buildings Are More Energy Efficient

Because metal buildings are precision-engineered to fit together perfectly, they’re easier to insulate for your region. In addition, most steel buildings are fitted with energy-efficient roofs – roofs that reflect the heat of the sun to prevent overheating in warm regions or absorb the sun’s rays to help with heating in colder regions.

Steel Buildings Require Little Maintenance

There’s more to low-maintenance than most people realize. Because metal buildings don’t need to be scraped, repainted, scraped down or treated with chemicals to kill termites and other wood-eating pests, you’ll be putting fewer toxins into the environment over the life of your building.

Steel Buildings Can Be Deconstructed Instead of Demolished

When a wood building is demolished, the waste material takes up nearly 100 cubic feet of space in a landfill. That’s not counting all the dust and chemical toxins that demolition spews into the air. By contrast, a steel building can be deconstructed – taken apart piece by piece and broken down into its component parts. It can be reassembled on another site or sent to a recycling plant to start life over again as a car, the side of a bus or another metal building.

If you’re considering a storage shed, garage or other structure on your property, take a look at the many reasons that steel buildings are good for the ecosystem.

Are Steel Buildings the Solution to Your Problem?

Steel buildings are popping up everywhere – but you wouldn’t always recognize them when you see them. Today’s steel buildings are a far cry from the traditional grain silos and Quonset buildings that most people associate with the style. Whether used as garages, barns, workshops, home offices or for any other purpose, metal buildings today have a dash of style that belies their utilitarian history. Could a steel building be the solution to your storage or space problem? Here are just a few of the many ways that people use steel buildings today.

Garages

Many homes were built without a garage, but today’s homeowners expect one. A pre-engineered steel building is one of the easiest and most affordable options for adding a garage to your property. Because they don’t require interior supports or posts, it’s easy to erect a two-car or three-car garage with plenty of space to maneuver your vehicles into position.

Barns

Farmers have always loved steel buildings because of their ease of construction and affordability, but these days they also love their style. A number of metal building manufacturers specialize in constructing agricultural steel buildings, so farmers can easily order barns that have all the features they need and expect. The variety of exterior finishes makes it easy to fit a new barn or equipment storage building to the style of other buildings on the property.

Home Offices

Professionals who work from home often choose a steel building as the shell of their home office. A separate home office makes it much easier to get your work done; it gives a clear message that you are at work and not to be disturbed and gives you a dedicated space to meet your clients or see your patients. The construction of steel buildings makes them easy to insulate, plumb and electrify, making them the ideal, affordable choice for a professional office building.

Storage Buildings

One of the most common uses of steel buildings on residential and agricultural properties is for storage. They’re available in nearly any size you need and are perfect for storing garden and lawn equipment, pool supplies, tractors and overflow from your attic or garage. Small storage buildings are often available in pre-engineered kits that a homeowner can put together himself with the assistance of a few friends.

If your property is in need of more space, whether for storage, garaging or any other use, contact an supplier of steel buildings and find out just how easy it is to adapt a metal building to your needs.

Buying Steel Buildings: Preparing for Delivery

You did your homework, learned about steel buildings, found a supplier and placed your order. You may feel like you’ve run a marathon, but you’re not finished yet. You’ve got some work to do to prepare for the delivery and erection of your new structure. These tips can help you get ready.

Ensure Access to the Building Site

The trucks that deliver steel buildings need to be able to pull up to your building site in order for you to unload. If your actual building site is inaccessible to a large vehicle, you’ll have to set up a staging area where the components of your metal building can be offloaded.

Double-Check on the Delivery Date

Your contract with the manufacturer or broker will state the expected date of delivery. As that date approaches, check in with the company to make sure that things are still on track. It’s important to know when to expect delivery of your metal building because you’ll have to arrange for the unloading.

Clear Space for Unloading

Clear a space near the building site to unload the truck and place all the building components. The steel buildings supplier should be able to give you information on how much space you’ll need to stack all the components.

Arrange for Unloading Help

If you’re working with a contractor who will be doing the actual erection, make sure they know the date your building will arrive and arrange to have them on site to do the unloading and check-in of all the components. If you’re doing the construction yourself, arrange for help with the unloading. You will be responsible for getting the components off the truck and checking in all of the materials. Depending on the size of the components, a rented forklift might be very useful.

Check In and Inspect the Steel Building Components

Have your contract handy and any packing list sent with it. As you unload the metal building components, check off each piece, inspect it and make a note of any missing components or damaged pieces. In most cases, you’ll have to report those within a very narrow time frame to get any replacement or refund on missing pieces without additional cost.

Make sure that you understand all the terms of delivery and receipt of your pre-engineered steel building components. The more you understand about the process of purchasing and accepting delivery of steel buildings, the more smoothly the entire process will go.

Buying Steel Buildings: Choosing a Supplier

Once you’ve made sure that you can erect a steel building on your property, you can start looking for the best supplier for your needs. There are dozens of companies that supply steel buildings, but they fall into two basic categories: manufacturers and brokers.

Many manufacturers sell their own steel buildings through a website. The biggest advantage of working with a manufacturer is that you cut out the middleman, which can result in lower prices because there won’t be a broker taking a commission. On the other hand, many manufacturers are used to dealing with knowledgeable buyers who understand the ins and outs of buying and erecting steel buildings. They may assume that you know and understand things that are standard in the industry, which could lead to misunderstandings. If you decide to buy your metal building directly from the manufacturer, choose one that frequently deals with the end user – that’s you.

Brokers often sell buildings made by several different manufacturers. They often deal with end users who are buying small steel buildings for use as garages, hangars, storage buildings or barns. The better brokers will handhold you through the process, making sure you understand exactly what you’re buying and what you need to do during the ordering, delivery and manufacturing process. Of course, just as with any other industry, there are companies that will take advantage of unwary buyers. That’s why it’s important to research each company you’re considering carefully.

Before you choose a supplier of steel buildings, take these steps.

-          Check the Better Business Bureau listing of any company you’re considering to see if there have been complaints against them.

-          Do a search for the company name online to find any complaints or mentions of the company.

-          Look for contact information on the website. If the company doesn’t list a physical address and telephone contact number, look for another steel buildings supplier.

-          Narrow your choices down to two or three of the most likely suppliers. Request a quote from each of your choices. Most will have a contact form that asks you for basic information. Fill it out as completely as you can.

-          Ask each company to supply references from former customers, and check the references. If possible, try to get references from local customers that you can visit so you can see the quality of the buildings.

-          Once you receive complete quotes, compare them carefully to each other to make sure that they all include the same options. Don’t forget to look for the freight and shipping charges, which can add a considerable amount to the price.

Consider your entire experience when choosing which steel buildings supplier to work with. The price is an important factor, but it’s also important to work with a company that provides excellent customer service, so be sure to weigh that into your decision.

Buying Steel Buildings: Before You Shop

Steel buildings are a more and more popular choice for garages, barns, workshops, storage buildings and even residential buildings. Pre-engineered steel building kits take a lot of the cost, time and complexity out of erecting a new structure on your property. If you’re considering a metal building for your needs, these are several things you should know before you even start shopping.

Are You Allowed to Erect a Steel Building?

Before you get your hopes up, check with your local building department and code office and tell them that you’d like to put up a pre-engineered metal building on your lot. Give them the location/address of your lot so they can check the zoning and the building codes to be sure that it’s an allowable use of your property. Some towns restrict steel buildings to industrial or commercial areas. Others have no restrictions and still others don’t allow pre-fab or pre-engineered buildings at all.

Check the Building Codes

Even if the local zoning laws allow you to erect a steel building on your lot, you still might not be allowed to do it. Ask about the metal building codes and, more specifically, about setbacks – how far from the street and neighboring properties you must build – and any other codes that may prohibit any type of building on your lot. While you’re at it, get a copy of the building codes for steel buildings. You’ll need it when you’re ready to get estimates for your order.

Don’t Forget the HOA

Your town may be just fine with a steel building on your property, but your Homeowner Association may have their own rules and regulations about structures in the community. Check before ordering to avoid sinking time into something you won’t be allowed to do. Of course, you may be able to get an exception to the zoning or the HOA rules. If you’re committed to a new steel building, find out how to apply for a zoning exception in your city or with your HOA.

Decide What You Need

Once you’re certain you can erect a steel building on your property, you can settle in and start planning. Using the figures you got from the zoning and code offices, figure out the size of the building you can construct and sketch out your basic idea. Figure out exactly how you’ll use your building to help you plan the features you’ll need to look for when you’re shopping for steel buildings – windows, doors, trim and all the rest. The more you’ve decided before you start looking, the less likely you’ll be to overspend on features and accessories you don’t need.