Did you know that a steel roof can last more than 50 years?
Now step back and imagine an entire building made of steel.
It's strong, durable and virtually maintenance-free. It's easy to construct, customizable cost-efficient and eco-friendly.
So why not construct your next warehouse building out of this amazing material metal?
If you're thinking about getting a new building, read on and we'll give you 13 reasons why designing a custom steel building is the only choice for you.
Zillow quotes the average cost of exterior finishings from building a new home at $43,447. This includes doors, windows, finishing the exterior walls and roof, and weatherproofing.
When you choose a pre-fab steel building, you don't have to worry about these extra costs. This is because most exterior finishes on a steel building get worked into the framework during fabrication.
Additionally, the sheer strength of steel means you need fewer parts to make a solid building. Fewer parts mean lower material costs.
When you order a steel-frame building, all the pieces get made off-site on an assembly line and a manufacturing warehouse. The weather doesn't factor in this part of the process. Even during construction, the elements don't affect your time table the same way it does in other building projects.
The more time construction workers spend building your new warehouse, the more money you'll spend on labor costs. The more experience your crew has, the less time they'll take.
Exacting specifications ensure each piece of the building fits together with ease. This means that when it's sent to you for construction, there are no unexpected delays caused by incompatible parts.
You can save even more time by:
If everyone works together, strict timelines are easier to set and adhere to.
If you're up to the challenge, you can build a metal building yourself.
All building kits should come with:
Anchor bolts fasten buildings to concrete foundations. To ensure solid construction, the placement of these bolts is crucial. Having pre-planned patterns for your design ensures your building will withstand the test of time.
You don't have to know what you're doing, you only need to be able to follow the instructions. Every piece of a steel building has clear labels so you can tell what it is. Combine this with the detailed directions in the construction guide and you can erect your building with ease.
Detailed assembly drawings make it even easier to figure out how to put everything together. If you're still having trouble, take a look at our Help Videos for some extra guidance.
To maintain metal buildings, all you need to do is pressure wash the exteriors and clear out the gutters about once a year. You can hire someone to do that or save money and do it yourself. Either way, it's far less labor and money intensive than maintaining other types of buildings.
They only thing you have to worry about with steel-based buildings is corrosion. You can mitigate corrosion concerns with the addition of a Galvalume(R) coating.
Galvalume is an alloy made up of zinc and aluminum. Zinc helps to protect against general damage. Aluminum prevents rust.
Additionally, warranties on steel construction components last for 30 to 40 years on the panels and for life on the structure and you don't have to pay a dime. You must update and pay for Home and building warranties for other structure types every year.
Building materials made of steel are inorganic. This means they are resistant to many things other building materials fall prey to.
A well-designed steel warehouse building can withstand heavy gusts of wind. In areas devastated by tornados, steel buildings are often the only ones left standing.
Steel doesn't mold, it resists mildew, termites don't see it as a midday snack and steel frames won't burn. Can you say the same about wood?
Insurance agencies recognize these factors and provide lower rates for metal buildings.
The solid structure of metal buildings makes them difficult to penetrate. For this reason, many thieves will bypass steel structures for easier targets. Add security cameras, alarm systems, and metal doors for added security.
And we can design in what we call a "block slot" where part of the wall has an 8" slot for masonry that is flush with the outside of the building. We usually do this for areas with super high crime, mostly in overseas locations.
Many of the same features that contribute to lower construction costs also reduce build time:
Plus, once you've drawn up your plans, received your materials and your permits get approved, you can start building.
The need for spacious warehouse floorplans is indisputable. Most warehouses call for the constant movement of products and frequent layout changes.
Steel buildings are perfect for this because they allow for clear span designs. A clear span design is a floor plan with at least 50-100 feet between load-bearing poles.
Because of the strength-to-weight ratios of metal buildings, all the support needed is in the framework of the building. There is no need for support columns in buildings up to 300 feet wide.
If you need something wider, you can go up to 480 feet with a minimal number of supports and still have plenty of room.
While there is a limit to how wide a steel building can be, there are no restrictions on length. You can also combine clear span areas to go as large as you want by adding expansions on end walls. Use overhead rolling doors at extension points to open your space up even further.
If you prefer vertical expansion, this is also possible up to 40 feet. You can then maximize space with the addition of mezzanine floors.
One of the most impressive features of designing warehouse plans is that you can customize them any way you want.
The only limitation is your imagination.
There was a time when steel buildings were boring. Their construction was more or less uniform. The exteriors were simple sheets of plain metal.
They were eyesores.
Today, this makes many people hesitate when considering them for storefronts and homes. Yet this is no longer the case.
Your building design doesn't have to look like an elongated igloo or a giant box. You can design it any way you want.
Advances in materials make it possible to choose from a wide range of colors and textures. Options for exteriors now include:
Wood siding is also an option but may prevent you from taking advantage of insurance discounts.
Even if you don't get any kind of special siding, you can have a mural painted on one side of your building for a splash of color. Don't be afraid to be creative. This is your brainchild.
Steel is a sustainable material and very eco-friendly.
recycled steel scrap comprises 93% of structural steel made in the US. When it's time to dispose of a building, you can recycle 98% of the steel used in its construction.
Unlike many materials, steel doesn't lose any of its physical properties when it's recycled. This means you can recycle it over and over again or sell the scrap metal to recoup some of your original building costs.
Metal roofing materials reflect UV rays from the sun helping them stay cool in warm climates. This helps you reduce both energy costs and your eco-footprint.
You can add vapor barriers at the roofline to help protect against moisture damage and further insulate your building. Vapor barriers have a reflective layer.
When installing your vapor barrier make sure it faces the correct way.
In warmer areas, the reflective layer should face the ceiling to further reflect UV waves. In cooler locations, the reflective side needs to face the interior of the building. This will let sun rays penetrate the building and help warm the space.
In temperate zones, this may be all you need to maintain constant temperatures. In areas with more extreme conditions, you can install insulated metal panels (IMPs) with R-values as high as R-42.
If IMPs won't suit your needs, you may be able to get a high R-value standing seam roof system. This type of roofing uses clips to hold single-skin panels with up to 12 inches of R-30 blanket insulation.
If your area's codes require it, there are also fire-rated panels. These panels are like foam IMPs but have a flame retardant, mineral wool core.
55% of consumers will pay more for products and services from companies devoted to making a positive environmental impact.
It's a good thing then that metal roofs are a perfect location for a solar array.
Besides keeping your customers happy, using solar energy will help save you money on utilities.
Market data shows that the average business spends $1950 per month on their energy bill. Those who supplement their electricity with solar power only pay about $500 per month.
Even residential users can save big. Washington residents who use solar power can expect to recoup up to $12,905 after 20 years of use.
Area building codes change all the time and it's difficult to keep up.
Because metal buildings are pre-engineered, compliant kits get delivered to you calulated to the exact building codes you confimed during the purchasing process. It's one less thing to worry about.
Rapidset Metal Buildings has sold and delivered 1000's of pre-fab buildings to customers in almost every state in the U.S. and around the world. We've been in business since 1992 and combined, we have nearly 50 years of experience. The best part is, we're dedicated to making sure your building is unmatched in quality and craftsmanship.
We'll have your pre-fabricated warehouse building materials sent to you right away.
Contact us with questions anytime or build your building design and quote today. Once you're done, don't forget to take a virtual tour of your floorplan so you can see what it'll be like first hand!