Determining the Use and Size of Your Pre-Engineered Steel Building
To determine the proper size that you will require for a new steel building you first must determine what you will be using the building for. Is it a simple storage area, or a residence? Will it be a large automobile dealership showroom, or a small one-car garage? Figuring out what the building is to be used for will help you spend the right amount of money on the right amount of space.
Making a list of all the things that you want your building to do for you will also be helpful. The question to ask yourself should be: What is this building going to do for me and what needs will it meet? This should be enough circumspection to help you determine the proper size for your requirements.
If you are going to be housing or using large equipment in your building, you need to determine if a roll up door, a sliding door, or a walk through door (or doors) is necessary. Determine how many doors you will need and where in the building you want them placed. Do the doors need to be placed on the end of the building or on the sides? You need to consider where people will access the building, and allow for alternative entrances if large equipment is ever to block one or more doors.
Figure out if you need column-free interior space. If you do, this is called “clear span” construction and it can be expensive. If you don’t mind the inclusion of interior support columns, then you can opt for a construction called multi-span, which tends to be a less expensive construction style.
You need to determine how tall you require your new steel building to be. You should allow for optimum vertical space if things that are tall will be built or stored inside. Although steel buildings can easily be designed for a second story, the inclusion of a mezzanine can be pricey.
One big decision is whether to insulate your building for hot and cold weather. If the building will be occupied even for just a portion of the day, insulation is strongly recommended. Consider whether you will finish the inside of your building: will you drywall the interior or leave the metal exposed?
Before building, find out the proper snow and wind loads that need to be engineered into your building from your local building code office. The proper loading of your building is essential for approval, but also drives the price up when more wind and/or snow loading is added.
Finally, the foundation needs to be decided on. A concrete foundation is highly recommended for any steel building, except in some limited agricultural applications. Are you going to pour the concrete yourself or hire someone else to do it? Answering this question one way or the other will obviously impact your work load and budget.
Answer all of these questions for yourself before talking to any steel building manufacturer or supplier about a new steel building. That way you can determine how much it may cost and you will be better able to compare all bids and offers.