Steel building garage?

[cstreit]

Gang,

We're building a bigger detached garage in the spring and I've been thinking about going the steel building route. I'm in an "unincorporated" area so no problems with codes...

For those that are experienced with these, a few questions...

1. What is your overall feeling about these?
2. How long do they last/look nice?

3. Can the be insulated for retaining heat in the winter?

4. What about adding"amenities" such as gas, electric? is this different from a standard frame building?

Any other "gotchas?"

[greglepore]

Chris-I have one. If I had to do it over again, I'd do a pole barn w/ the steel skin.

The all steel buildings have no studing in the sidewall-just a fore-aft beam and tension wires-as a result, it's difficult to insulate, and there's little support for electric and pipes. I worked around this by using metal studs where needed as outlet supports etc, but its not an elegant solution.

A pole barn is same cost, maybe less, and has greater options for entry doors (steel building are doors in ends only), insulation, and loft area-you can't run anything side to side in the steel building to create a storage loft area.

The skins on the buildings are identical materials and long lasting either way.

[pbs911]

Look under moduloar buildings. Lots of options.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Chris,

It all depends on who builds it and how. Mine is insulated R-13 all around. interior walls can easily be added by putting in studs. It maintains temperatures above freezing with no heat, I'm in Central Texas. Plumbing and electrical are all like a regular building. Go visit the buildings the builders have done, no matter the method you choose. Oh, mine is build with Structural tubing and solid steel I-Beams.

[KevinP73]

If you decide to go this route give Techweenie a shout. He had one for sale sometime back and I'm sure he'd make you a deal.

[Rob Channell]

I saw this company and thought it was a neat design. I haven't seen one in person, though. You can use standard insulation and standard length boards to finish the walls.

http://www.miracletruss.com/welcome.html

Show us pictures when you build.

[MotoSook]

Chris,

I spec designs for steel buildings for the facilities I design. I've done all sizes with and without insulation. You can have a door anywhere you want if the skeleton is design correctly. You can get insulated and even sound attenuating walls. Anything is possible....but it's expensive. I have a few steel building manufacturers that I use. If I could have done it cheaper with one of them, I wouldn't have designed a stick framed garage for my own use. I would shop around and bid out the construction once you have decided on size and design. You can design the foundation and contract that yourself. My permit was likely more involve than your's will be, and I designed my foundation using PowerPoint! Find out what the code is in your case and design for it.

[cstreit]

Thanks Souk...

I looked at some of the pre-fab designs from American Steel Span, etc.. and they come in around $8k with shipping for a 30x30 design, but I'm wondering about "extra's". May hit you up for some ideas later.

I think I'll submit for bids from both sources this winter to see where they come in...

[techweenie]

Originally posted by cstreit
Thanks Souk...

I looked at some of the pre-fab designs from American Steel Span, etc.....

I had a "P" building from American Steel Span, and sold it, unbuilt a couple of months ago (long story).

The building is entirely 22 ga. galvalume steel. No frame, whatsoever. It uses large 'corrugations' to give it strength. You can have doors and windows on the 'sides' but they have to nave complex panels that conform to the corrugations. these are among the endless pricey options...

American Steel Span (and about five other companies operating out of McKees Rocks PA), are marketing companies. Somewhere, there's a manufacturer. The marketing companies are just boiler room operations with the ability to set final prices way below initial quotes. The more time you spend with them, the better the price will be. Freight is the killer. My 25 X 30' building was 3,000 lbs. It was on a skid, but included long panels up to 12'. Put that on a big truck by itself, and you'll pay about a buck a mile to ship it. The building marketers have solved that with a 'community freight' offer that gets rid of any shipping deadline, and allows them to accumulate buildings going to your general area before shipping.

PM me if you want more about the steel buildings of this configuration. The best alternative I saw was from a company in Texas that makes steel buildings with actual steel frames and straight walls... All of the manufacturers/marketers are on eBay, by the way.

[MotoSook]

8K for a 30X30 is probably the minimal framing with a steel skin. Then you have to insulate and sheet the interior. Like you said, extras will load the price. As someone else said, the framing is not ideal for adding insulation using low cost solutions. Unless you insulate the roof/ceiling, it'll be pretty loud during a rain storm too. I'm using 1/2 inch sheating and house wrap. So even without insulation in the parking area, I should have better insulating value than a steel building w/o insulation.

I checked with a local steel building retailer, and the cost for just the basic 20X24 was rediculous. To make a steel build asthetically pleasing is probably rediculous. With wood, you can modify, add and maintain w/ traditional means.

I'm not opposed to steel buildings, but to design one the way I would want (comparable to my wooden building) will cost to much in the long run.

The current enamal coating that is used on steel sheets these days are pretty durable, but overtime, they will fade and flake. I see it all the time in the field. Sure it'll be 20 some years down the road, but vinyl siding is cheap and easily replaced. If you ever have to paint, you'll have to etch the skin before you paint. Siding...it's probably a $1000 job on my garage if I ever need to replace the siding.

[gaijindabe]

Originally posted by Souk
To make a steel build asthetically pleasing is probably rediculous. With wood, you can modify, add and maintain w/ traditional means.

Amen to that Brother! These steel buildings, outside of a farm shed in Iowa are a blot on our landscape.

Where are the graceful carriage houses and barns of yesterday?

One hundred years from now, they are going to look back on this generation and curse the crap we left behind. (If it lasts that long.)

[MotoSook]

The big timber barns in the Midwest are disappearing fast Every week I spot another barn I want to buy and save/convert to useful space....Most of them are on land already sold to developers who will grade the farmland and raze the barn for more houses....If I had money when I was single, I would have bought a barn and converted it into a loft with plenty of work space and parking on the ground level...but the opportunity and convenience have escaped me

[greglepore]

I paid 7 for a 25x30 before the floor and rollup door. Erected it myself (not plug n/play by any means) which was likely another 3k or so if i had to pay for it. I would not go this route again. The only real advantage to a steel building is that you get lower overall height for a given interior height, and maybe save some cost there, but in our area pole buildings are around the same money, maybe a bit more, but have numerous advantages for a non industrial bldg.

Oh yeah, Souk's right-when it rains, its like standing in a tank while someone shoots ball bearings at it.

[cstreit]

Good points guys!

Miracle truss seems like it might be a good compromise...

Appreciate all the input!

[schamp]

I went 40x60 all steel. Either 5 or 6 inches of concrete and 16 foot ceiling with 2 16 foot roll up doors. You have to insulate a metal building I am told or it will rain (condensation, drips) inside. I work with a large power company that when we build a new power plant they put up a large metal building. No insulation. I kept telling them to insulate. They didn't. Cost like hell to insulate after roof is on. I love mine. I don't have to worry about it rotting. It is tough to heat with the 16 foot ceiling but had to have it for my scenicruiser/camper. Good luck.

[dad911]

Steel building will definitely condensate without proper insulation & ventilation. I owned a 'tennis center' steel structure, with the right weather outside, inside you would think it was raining. Even after extensive(expensive) insulation, we just reduced the problem, never totally eliminated it.

Pole-barn type construction with wood trusses should be about the same price. Also, with wood construction, it will be easier to modify, add doors andd windows as your needs change, and even sheetrock/enclose an office/bathroom/engine-building 'clean room' when the time comes.