A lot of businesses across American–and all over the world–are seeing record growth. Many of these businesses are expanding and seeing healthy profits. If you are among the successful–pr want to be–we here at Building Adviser have ways to build the non-conventional way while saving money and producing a high-quality structure. For the next two issues of Building Adviser we want to delineate the non-conventional construction process of building with steel. When deciding whether to build with wood or to build with steel, consider these truths: Steel buildings outpace conventional construction in time, cost, maintenance and sustainability. Do you want to enjoy these same benefits for your construction project? Then stay tuned for the next two issues of Building Adviser and you will better understand the process of a pre-engineered steel building system.

Building code compliance is one of the first factors to consider when purchasing a steel building. There are many thresholds of compliance that conventional buildings must undergo due to changing engineering conditions. A conventionally designed building must be coded individually while steel building manufacturers and suppliers, on the other hand, will meet or exceed applicable codes prior to the shipment of the steel building.

Construction time is another factor to consider. It takes more time to construct a conventional building. The implementation of non-standard materials requires onsite customization in order that the structure is correctly engineered, fabricated and erected. All component parts of a steel building are pre-welded, pre-drilled, and pre-punched prior to shipping to any job site. There is a shorter construction cycle with a steel building that can be completed in a fraction of the time that conventional buildings require.

Cost savings is another important consideration. Custom materials that are often required in conventional construction make final cost determinations difficult to estimate. These unpredictable costs often escalate the project’s expenditures. Higher costs are also seen in conventional buildings because the use of building materials is often inefficient. The use of a steel building ordered from a quality steel building manufacturer or supplier can save you up to a third or more of the cost of a conventionally built structure. Standardization of steel building system design makes for a stable final cost determination.

The fourth factor to consider is that of flexibility. There are limitations to conventional construction based on local building code enforcement, material availability and fluctuating engineering expertise. There are structural options and other flexibilities provided with conventional construction, but usually with a large price tag. A standard, but flexible steel building design can be provided for much less money. Maintenance is another important factor. There are varying degrees of maintenance required for conventional structures because of the types of materials used, the structure type and its location. Long-term maintenance factors can be very expensive. Steel buildings are not affected by such issues as rotting, warping, wasting and insect infestation that plagues conventional buildings. There is no regular maintenance required. Steel building wall paneling and roofing materials are treated with premium coating systems to minimize maintenance considerations. Today’s steel buildings are customized with computerized design and engineering systems. This relatively new innovation allows you the freedom to choose and change your mind in the design process so that you can see the completed structure before construction ever begins. Not only that, but the clear-span framing design is an option that allows for a collumn-free interior for an area as wide as 300 feet. Because there is no need for support collumns (or even load bearing walls) you have the flexibility to re-configure your floor plan whenever necessary.

The final issue is value sustainability. Conventional structures’ future values vary greatly with the materials that are employed, design of the building and construction methods. Quality steel buildings combine style, function, rapid erection and cost savings to provide a quality structure for many years.

>>>Stay tuned for the next issue of Building Adviser for the rest of this in-depth discussion on Building Non-Conventionally with Steel