1. Pre fabricated steel buildings are priced more economically than traditional construction.
2. Metal buildings are faster and more efficient to design, using sophisticated computer programs.
3. All the components are made to fit together exactly requiring much less work at the building site
4. Steel buildings are suitable for any zoning district and can be engineered to meet or exceed any building codes
5. ease and speed of construction- they are erected dramatically faster than traditional forms of construction
6. lower insurance costs, up to 40% lower than for a wooden building
7. efficiency in heating and cooling
8. extremely low maintenance requirements, paint finishes can be guaranteed for 20 years
9. high durability and reliability in any weather condition, including earthquakes and hurricanes

Does your garage look like it's ready to burst because of all the stuff you have inside? Does your spouse drive you crazy every day telling you that, "you need to get rid of your old stuff and clean out the garage"? Don't think twice. What you need is a steel building to store those precious memories - and all the other junk you can't bring yourself to throw away.

Steel garages no longer look like carports with 4 posts, a canopy on the top and no walls. Those are for boats! Your steel garage will come with walls, as many doors as you want and even windows if you wish. You can also design it as big or small as you need, and taking into consideration additions to your present "collections", it will last you a lifetime!

The term, "pre-engineered or prefabricated metal buildings system" refers to the design, engineering and manufacturing process of today's metal buildings. The process of designing and engineering a metal building has been greatly improved over the years, due to the implementation of sophisticated computer aided design and drafting (CADD) of the building. A pre-engineered building purchased today is highly technologically advanced.

The use of the word "system" refers to the fact that all the differing components of the building are engineered to the required specifications and load codes, and shipped together to the job site. Nothing needs to be out sourced from other vendors. Windows, doors, roofing, trim- all are custom fit to each building. This pre-designed system is therefore extremely efficient, and easy to assemble, as each part is a perfect fit to each other part.

For all these reasons, metal building systems have significant cost advantages over many other more traditional types of construction.

• Agricultural- This is the traditional area where steel buildings have been used for many decades. Horse barns, storage barns, grain silos, sheds: these are some of the uses for steel buildings in agriculture.

  If you pass through an agricultural area, you will probably notice the difference between the modern steel buildings and the older wooden or concrete buildings. The steel buildings show no wear, the colors don't fade or look shabby, they do not sag or look like the next gust of wind will blow them over, and their roofs remain intact! It's easy to see why steel has become the construction material of choice for the agricultural sector.

• Industrial- The flexibility and durability of steel structures make them ideal in the industrial sector. Warehouses, manufacturing facilities, generator buildings, and factories: these are some of the industrial applications for steel construction. Industrial structures often utilize top-running cranes, underhung cranes, monorails, jib cranes, and gantry cranes. Steel buildings can be designed to accommodate any of these needs.

• Mini Storage/self storage units - This is a rapidly growing sector of the pre-engineered steel construction industry. Self storage has evolved from single story mini-storage warehouses into two and three-story climate controlled facilities, open and enclosed boat and RV storage, and into small office warehouse facilities.

• Garages and Sheds - These are the perfect type of building to be purchased as a kit, for do-it-yourself erection.

There are various ways of buying a steel building, depending on your needs. Steel buildings can be purchased as a pre-engineered kit, or custom designed to your exact specifications and needs.

1. If you only need a simple building, for a garage or storage unit, you might consider a prefabricated steel building kit. Kits are specially designed so that even someone without professional construction experience can erect them with the help of some willing friends.

Pre- engineered, pre-designed steel building kits are computer engineered for quick, simple and easy assembly. They are cheaper than custom designed steel buildings because they can be sold directly without commissioned salesman, passing the savings along to you.

Kits are also a money saver for homeowners and small businesses because they can be assembled in a few days. This results in a huge savings on the cost of hiring a contractor to construct your steel building.

These prefabricated buildings can be ordered in many different colors and finishes, providing aesthetic appeal. Although a kit can have whatever doors, windows and other accessories you require, they are nowhere near as flexible with design possibilities as a custom building.

2. If price is your main consideration, some metal building manufacturers can offer excellent discounts on prefab buildings that were ordered and manufactured but for some reason not delivered to the client. Obviously, they would like to sell these buildings so the potential for a great deal is quite high, sometimes as much as 25% off the original price. These particular metal buildings cannot be changed from the original specs though, so be sure these specifications are suitable to your needs before making a purchase of this type.

3. Custom buildings are designed and engineered to your exact needs. With advances in computer design, and new materials for customizing a project, steel buildings have become popular in almost all sectors of new construction. These include: agricultural, commercial, industrial, and institutional!

Your new steel storage building need not look plain and utilitarian. You have undoubtedly been in many buildings, such as schools, churches, strip malls or fast food "joints" without ever guessing they were metal based- today's modern steel buildings can look just about any way imaginable. Metal exteriors can be smooth, curved or combined with EIFS, brick, glass, masonry, natural or faux stone finishes to create whatever style is required.

It is easy to put in windows, change the coating color, raise the roof pitch, or change the design of a building to fit a community's zoning codes. One of the attributes of metal is the ease with which the material is designed to fit the needs of the owner and the community, especially with a custom designed building.

• Arch Style/Quonset huts- this is the style popularized by the army for barracks in World War II. It is difficult to insulate effectively, and doesn't provide the design flexibility of the other frame types. Windows or doors can only be installed in the ends, not the sides of the building. This style building is nowhere as popular now as the rigid frame constructions described next.

• Clear Span- these frames use no interior supports or columns. This design is ideal when large areas of unbroken floor space are required. It is often used for warehouses, athletic facilities, airplane hangers, or storage. The clear span design does have limits though. As the width of the building increases, the frames must become heavier to bear the greater load of the roof, and the cost per square foot will rise as well. Clear span frames are usually not used for buildings over 150 feet wide.

• Multi Span, or Modular- these frames do use interior columns. The weight of the roof is more evenly distributed to both walls and column supports; this reduces the cost of the frame and the foundation for wide buildings. This type of framing design is more cost effective after approx. 80 feet wide. The wider the building, the greater the savings of using multi span construction. Most buildings beyond 150 feet in width will utilize interior columns.

• Single Slope- this type of construction uses a different eave height on each sidewall. This causes the roof of the building to slope up from front to back. A number of single sloped roofs use a ? :12 pitch but they can be higher pitched. The single slope design is frequently used for strip malls, office space, and mini-storage facilities.

• Lean-To- a quick and economical way to expand to a building. The lean-to attaches to the exterior of an already existing wall. More space can be added to the building without interrupting the internal operations. This easy method of expansion makes the Lean-To system ideal for additional storage.

First, you must know what you need. A steel building is a complex purchase, with a wide variety of factors involved, such as your budget, the size and the end use of the building.

It is always recommended to do some price shopping. When comparing prices from different suppliers, make sure you are comparing buildings with the exact same specifications! Many steel buildings look alike, but prices vary widely and there is usually good reason for this. Some suppliers use cheaper components, thinner gauge steel, or do not supply as many features as other suppliers.

For a list of features of a quality steel building, click here

Here are some ways to make sure you are working with a reputable, experienced supplier:

• Ask for references. Any high quality, experienced supplier should be happy to provide them.
• Are your phone calls returned promptly? This is a hallmark of good service.
• A manufacturer should be AISC certified; this assures that every facet of their production has been audited and is the highest degree of technological efficiency and quality.
• Check the Better Business Bureau for complaints or unresolved disputes: this is an immediate red flag!
• Ask your potential suppliers if there are any of their buildings already erected in your local area, so you can check them out for yourself.
• A reputable steel building supplier will be willing to answer all your questions in as much detail as necessary, to help you educate yourself in making the appropriate purchase. Beware of aggressive, high pressure sales tactics! If you feel uncomfortable, or pressured to buy before you are ready, that is another red flag!

It is possible to get the quality building you need, at a price you can afford if you are willing to do your homework and shop carefully.

Sometimes, without realizing it, a customer will blow their whole budget on the building, not realizing how many other costs need to be factored in, and are unable to complete their building project.

Here are some potential additional expenses to be considered:

• Accessories such as windows, doors, insulation, gutters, vents, skylights.
• Outer architectural finishes such as stucco, brick, etc.
• Most parts of the country require building permits for any new construction. The costs of obtaining these permits vary. Be sure the building will be approved for your site before purchasing it.
• A concrete foundation costs from $6 to $10 per square foot (as of May, 2006). It is highly recommended to have the concrete poured by a professional; it must be exact, square, and level, with the anchor bolts in precisely the positions shown in the erection manual provided by the building supplier.
• Hiring a professional to erect the building is a substantial expense, versus doing the job yourself.

You must work with your local building authority and know what code/loads and what type of documentation are required from the supplier, before signing a contract to purchase. There will be live load, wind load, exposure, seismic and design code requirements. Many of the larger steel building manufacturers keep databases of the building codes for different areas of the country, but ultimately it is the customer's responsibility to make sure that the building they are purchasing is in compliance with local code.

Click here for more info on building codes

1. Before the building is delivered, have the foundation poured and fully cured, the access to the building site cleared, and any building permits in hand. (Even if you are erecting the building yourself, it is strongly advised to have a professional lay the foundation.)
2. Have the proper tools and equipment, professional grade, and know the safety regulations of a construction site. You will probably need a crane or forklift for both the unloading of the building and the erection itself.
3. Unload the building components off the truck, checking that you have all the necessary parts and there are no damages.
4. Lay the building components out as near as possible to where they will be installed, to save the time and effort of moving them twice.
5. Follow the "erection manual" provided by the building manufacturer, it contains step-by-step illustrations and directions.
6. Erect the primary framing, consisting of I-beams. These are the first components that you will bolt together and fasten to the anchor bolts already in your foundation.
7. As soon as some of your primary frames are in place, you can start to bolt the secondary framing, comprised of girts and purlins. Running horizontally the length of the building, they provide support for the wall and roof sheeting.
8. The wall and roof panels attach via the use of self drilling fasteners.
9. Weather stripping is installed with the wall and roof panels to keep the building from leaking.
10. Trim finishes off the building both in appearance and weather proofing.
11. Accessories, such as doors, windows, vents and gutters are the last step!

Not sure if you could erect your new storage building yourself?
Click here for more detailed info about erecting a steel building.

• Steel is 100% recyclable
• All new North American steel currently being forged contains recycled steel.
• 2 out of 3 pounds of new steel today are made out of old steel.
• Every ton of steel that is recycled saves approx. 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal and 120 pounds of limestone.
• New steel made with recycled steel is vastly energy efficient, needing only ?- 1/3 (approx) of the energy required to make steel from raw materials!
• Almost all the hazardous waste once generated by the steel industry is now being recycled for beneficial use.

This highly efficient use of materials results in a lower "carbon footprint." Just as steel itself is environmentally friendly, there are also many benefits to the environment and to the purchaser from building with steel.

• Steel buildings are energy efficient to operate and maintain.
• Research on "cool metal roofing" proves that the reflective properties of steel roofs provide significant savings in energy consumption.
• Heat and cooling loss, especially around doors, windows, foundation, and roofing, are significantly lower than other types of construction.
• The insulation used in steel structures also makes a huge difference to the energy efficiency of the building. >

If you are hiring an erector/contractor to install your new steel building, it is a good idea to get recommendations from your supplier, and secure the erector's services as soon as possible once you know your delivery date. Qualified erectors are in high demand, during the busiest seasons they may be booked weeks or even months in advance.

There are some other things that must be done prior to the delivery of the building. The foundation must be laid, and cured (dry) before the erection can begin. Do not attempt to begin construction on green concrete. This is a safety hazard and may lead to damage to the foundation and the building itself.

Access to the site from the road must also be prepared in advance of the arrival of the truck. Boulders, trees, etc, must be cleared to allow an 18 wheeler to deliver the building to the site.

You are now ready for the installation of your new steel building.

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References:

SteelBuilding.com, http://www.steelbuilding.com/buildings/frame_types.htm
About Steel Buildings, http://www.aboutsteelbuildings.com/frame-types-for-steel-buildings/
Steel Buildings Guide, http://www.buildingsguide.com/buyers-guide/steel-buildings-buyers-guide.htm
The Steel Recycling Institute, http://www.sustainable-steel.org/, http://www.recycle-steel.org/buyrecycled.html
The Metal Initiative, http://www.themetalinitiative.com/content/building_with_metal/benefits/sustainability/s_sustainability.cfm