Steel Building Benefits & Advantages over Traditional Construction

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Steel, which is an alloy of iron and carbon, is the most versatile and durable engineering and construction material on the market. Steel buildings used to be limited to storage facilities and aircraft hangers. Today, steel is successfully used for structures as small as toll booths, and as large as sports arenas, that require clear span space. The demand for steel buildings is on the rise, and there is a wide range of ongoing steel building construction projects.

Buildings made of steel offer a number of significant advantages that include: superior flexibility, strength, durability and a long lasting service life. These properties make steel a highly efficient material for industrial construction. Moreover, steel allows for a wide range of architectural applications, designs and space optimization that are not possible with other types of building materials. Another unique benefit to using steel in construction is the fact that it is one of the most sustainable building materials.

Optimizes Space

The demand for open space has been steadily growing, in both commercial and residential construction markets. Fewer columns make it easier to subdivide and customize commercial and living spaces, commanding a premium price and making it more attractive to prospective buyers.

Unlike other building materials, steel has a high strength to weight ratio that allows it to span large distances in a way that is aesthetically appealing and economical. This capability enables construction of large areas of unobstructed space in a single and multi-story buildings. Only steel can offer column grid spacing of 15 meters or more, and steel transfer girders can bridge two points to create column-free spaces by eliminating columns. Additionally, in single story buildings, rolled beams made of steel can provide clear spans of over 50 meters in length. This distance can be further increased to stretch more than 150 meters if trussed or lattice construction is used.

Durable, long lasting and safe

Some inherent properties of steel, and typical construction methods used in steel framing, make it a highly durable material. Steel is strong, lightweight and dimensionally stable. Further, steel is impermeable to termites, insects and rodents, and does not promote mold and mildew. Unlike other materials, steel will not expand, shrink, warp or twist with age. Consequently, it will not cause settlement cracks, floor squeaks and other issues that will require costly repairs.

Moreover, steel is an ideal choice for buildings in earthquake prone regions as it can actually withstand fierce & unpredictable forces of an earthquake. Building with steel will make a structure stable, it will behave in a predictable, none-brittle manner, and will offer superior protection against damage.

Flexibility

Existing buildings often need to go through some modifications in order to meet changing needs such as adding a staircase, or an elevator, raising or lowering the ceilings, and, or adding an additional space. Steel is ideal for such applications, because it is the only building material that allows the strength of a structure to be increased economically once it is built. For example, additional steel can be bolted, or welded to the existing steel framework, beams and girders can be reinforced, and supplemented with additional framing, or relocated to support heavier loads. Additionally, non-composite steel beams can be made composite with the existing floor slab. Cover plates may also be added to beams for increased strength. (British Constructional Steelwork Association) – www.steelconstruction.org


Faster speed of construction

Since structural steel is lighter than other framing materials it needs a smaller and simpler foundation. This translates into reduced cost and the time spent on construction. This is a very important feature of steel that can save both contractors and clients a lot of money. Fast speed of construction decreases financing costs and overhead expenses for construction management services. Additionally, fast completion of a space means that it can be occupied sooner, and the client can make more profit by renting out the space, offering services, or manufacturing products, etc.

Versatility in architectural design

Steel gives architects an unprecedented freedom to have their most challenging designs come to life. With steel, architects can add beauty and distinct style with enhancements such as curving and bending that would either be impossible, or too costly with other building materials. For example, segmented curves, or ones using steel beams bent to a certain radius, or both can create members that follow the outlines of irregular domes, facades, and arches.

Sustainable building material

In recent years, there has been a notable increase in environmental regulations in the construction industry, pushing for greater efficiency, utilization of green building materials and increased recycling of materials at the end of their service life. Steel is a truly sustainable building material because it is 100% recyclable. Some 60 million tons of scrap steel get recycled every year. This amount is more than paper, aluminum, glass and plastic combined.


Reduced construction cost

One of the biggest advantages of steel buildings is reduced construction cost. Given that a building fits parameters and limitations of what is appropriate for steel, prefabricated steel buildings are typically less expensive than custom-designed structures built using traditional construction methods.

Steel Building Prices for Custom Metal Buildings

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What Influences Steel Building Prices?

Steel building prices are determined by various aspects. The main aspects are the type of building, the quality of the steel that is being used, the design of the building, the size, and the additional features. They can be more expensive than other structures, but their benefits make up for the high price. If you are considering purchasing a steel building, then it is best to examine your choices carefully so you won’t end up getting a substandard structure.

Advantages


Before learning about the main aspects that influence the price of steel buildings, you should know about its advantages over other types of structures first. This is to find out whether going for a steel building is the right choice for you or not.

Steel buildings offer benefits that stone and wood structures do not. First and foremost, steel buildings do not require heavy maintenance. The upfront steel building prices may be high, but at least you will be able to save money on maintenance. Steel does not rot and it does not get eaten up by termites either. You also do not have to worry about seasonal variability with steel buildings. Moreover, steel is non-flammable, which significantly reduces the risk of fire to the stored items. Steel walls and a CoolRoof certified paint-coated metal roof of a steel building provide excellent protection from the elements, and offer superior energy efficiency. Additionally, steel buildings are more durable. A lot of manufacturers actually offer long warranties on pre-engineered steel structures.

Types Of Steel Buildings

There are certain types of steel buildings that are pricier than average. For example, the rigid-I beam type is more expensive than the arch type. You may want to choose the arch type because of its cheaper price, but you should know that the rigid-I beam type is the better option if you are going to use the building for commercial or industrial purposes.


Quality


Steel is the major component of pre-engineered steel buildings. Steel building companies use a distinct quality of steel, which is why they charge consumers differently. Steel of a higher quality made of thicker gauge steel tends to be more costly, and its price could be discouraging to some. However, you need to remember that the higher the quality of steel, the more durable and longer lasting your building will be.

Design

The design of the building will heavily affect steel building prices. The design is what determines the amount of steel required to construct the building. Smaller structures use less steel, therefore costing consumers less. Furthermore, designs that are more complicated or more detailed are going to be more expensive. This is because they are more difficult to build. You should make sure that your desired design matches well with your budget.

If the design of the building has spatial constraints, customized dimensions may be required in order to get the right fit. Take note that custom foundations increase the total cost.


Additional features

If plumbing and electric components are added, the price of the structure is going to rise. Similarly, prices will rise if insulation panels are installed.

Transportation costs are another aspect that influence steel building prices. The costs of the fabrication and the erection of a pre-engineered building are not as high as the costs of conventional buildings. However, the pre-fabricated building parts need to be transferred to the construction site from the factory, which increases the price of the structure.