How to save money on a steel building?

How to save money on a steel building?

Buying a cheaply manufactured metal building will save you a few dollars in the beginning but you might regret when you see what you received at the end

A well-made steel building not only provides decades of useful service but also enhances the market value of your property.

However, even with a good product from a reputable vendor, there are some ways to reduce your metal building construction cost.

1. Identify what you are looking for

It is essential to know what you are looking for prior to placing your order.

You should be sure about the dimensions and features of your building. Adding costly features or going for a bigger space than you need will drive up your construction budget.

Keep unnecessary features to a minimum. It saves money, time.

Asking for changes in your building after the order may cause delays and probably additional cost. 

2. Choose Options for Pre-engineered Metal Buildings Wisely

TEKMETSAN Steel Building Systems offers great options to customize and accessorize your prefab metal building.

TEKMETSAN steel building options and upgrades include:

• Gutters
• Sandwich panels
• Partitions and walls
• Mezzanine systems
• Overhangs, eave extensions, and canopies.
• Crane Runways
• Door openings
• Skylights and wall lights

Determine which options you really need— and which ones you do not. Eliminating unnecessary features moderates your metal building costs.

Evaluate which options you need and you won’t. You can always consult our team in prioritizing your needs whilst staying in you budget.

3. Planning for future expansion

Plan your future expansion today and reap the benefits tomorrow.

Prefab metal buildings are simple and easy to expand. Let us know in what direction you might expand your building and we will customize your building according to your future needs.

Locate your building in your plot considering your future expansion plans.

If you are tight on building space you can always consider increasing building height and accommodating mezzanine floors inside your building. Majority of our clients locate their offices in mezzanines in order to increase the usable space on the ground floor. 

4. Construction Team Management

Construction is a multi-party business which includes architects, local building officials, ground working contractor, foundation contractor, building fabricator, erection team, mechanical contractor and so on. 

If you are not planning to hand over all the responsible to a general contractor, it is your task to manage and check the proper communication and interaction between these parties. If you are working with a general contractor still you should be setting clear objectives for your general contractor.

5. Time management and planning

Like other type of building constructions, metal building construction consists of consecutive works of different disciplines and requires adequate planning and time management skills. 

For example scheduling rental equipment too soon or too late may incur additional burden into your budget. Moreover, if you rent a crane that is too big or too small for your building, you waste both time and money.

6. Skilled Crew

If you are using a professional erection team, they will arrange their tools and crew, however, if plan to erect your building by yourself, you need to find skilled workforce who have a general understanding of metal building assembly preferable some prior experience.

All the building materials provided by TEKMETSAN are clearly marked with part codes and you will receive assembly drawings showing the place of all parts on the building.

You can always consult TEKMETSAN specialist for suggestions on how big a crew you will need for your specific project.

Conclusion:

Check the details and consult Tekmetsan in order to stay in your budget.

Steel Frame Members

Steel Frame Members

In a steel framed building system, load-bearing and load distribution functions are ensured by installing a main frame consisting of beams and columns.

Columns

The main purpose of the columns is to transfer the vertical loads to the foundations. However a part of the horizontal actions (wind action) is also transferred through the columns.
In multi-storey buildings, the columns are heavily compressed and they are designed for buckling

Variable profile sections can deliver a certain architectural dynamism to the design of these columns.
Formed from standard sections or plates, these columns have as their main characteristic variable lengthwise dimensions which can optimize their structural function.

Beams

Beams spread the vertical loads and are mainly subject to bending. The beam section must therefore present sufficient stiffness and strength in the vertical plane.

There are many different types of beam, as shown in the below table. Amongst these, composite beams are particularly well suited to multi-storey buildings. 

When combined with steel, the concrete works in compression and the steel (mainly) in tension: the outcome is a system that offers good mechanical performance, both in terms of resistance and stiffness.

 

Bracings

A bracing system is a secondary but essential part of a steel structure. A bracing system serves to stabilize the main girders during construction, to contribute to the distribution of load effects and to provide restraint to compression flanges or chords where they would otherwise be free to buckle laterally.

In order to avoid bracing between the beams, it is possible to design rigid-jointed continuous frames. Multi-storey buildings with a load-bearing structure formed of rigid frames
often require an increase in the column section and sometimes in the beam
section.
Since ensuring stability by frame action is less economical than by bracing, a
combination of the two systems can provide an efficient and balanced solution.
It is possible to have frames in one direction and to use bracing for stability in
the perpendicular direction.

Custom Metal Frame Building for your specifications

Custom Metal Frame Building for your specifications

Tekmetsan custom metal buildings are affordable, simple to erect, cost-effective to operate, strong, reliable, and very versatile.

Tekmetsan’s Custom Metal Buildings Offer Amazingly Flexible Designs

With today’s advanced structural steel computer programs, a Tekmetsan frame building is quick and economical to design. You just order the building size that best fits your needs and budget and then let us take care of the rest.

In a Tekmetsan portal frame steel building, columns are typically spaced 6 meters apart.

Our clear span buildings range from 4 meters to 50 meters in width. Adding a single centre column in each frame allows structures as wide as 300 meters.

Figure 1 Clear Span Buildings

Only steel is strong enough to handle the loads for such massive dimensions.
Our pre-engineered metal buildings have no length constraints.  And all our structural steel buildings extend easily for later expansion.
A Tekmetsan metal framed structure can also be up to 12 meters or more in height.
Also, all Tekmetsan metal frame buildings work on any foundation system, including perimeter footing, pier-and beam, and concrete slab.

 

Custom Metal Buildings with Remarkably Precise Fabrication

Every Tekmetsan prefab steel frame building is cut, welded, and drilled precisely to exacting industry standards.  Tolerances are tight.

When completed, fabricators mark each part for easy identification on the job site.

A Tekmetsan Steel Frame Building Provides Adaptable Floor Plans

Since the Tekmetsan steel framing is completely self-supporting, you will enjoy complete freedom for your interior layout.
Our prefab metal buildings also make remodelling a snap. Change wall locations and remodel as you need, without worrying about load-bearing walls.

Exterior Options with Your Tekmetsan Metal Framed Building

Today’s metal buildings do not look like the old tin barns of past.  In fact, there are no limits to the exterior looks available with a Tekmetsan steel building system.

Complete your Tekmetsan metal framed structure with brick, colourful steel panels, decorative block, aluminium panel, glass, stone, wood— or in any combination of these materials.

In addition, you may customize your metal frame building with gutters, energy-saving insulation, canopies and mezzanines, overhangs, parapets, skylights, vents, wall lights, and sturdy entry and overhead doors.

 

The Countless Uses for Tekmetsan Prefab Metal Buildings

You will find there is a Tekmetsan metal building solution for almost any application. In fact, buyers find that Tekmetsan’s steel building systems adapt perfectly for every use imaginable. For example:
• Helicopter hangars and shade structures
• Automotive, mechanic, and welding shops
• Barns, livestock shades, stables, sheds
• Commercial structures
• Distribution centres and warehouses
• Equestrian riding arenas
• Gymnasiums, sports and recreational centres
• Industrial and manufacturing operations
• Office buildings
• Outdoor pavilions
• Residential storage, RVs and boat garages, multi-purpose garages, and workshops
• Restaurants
• Self-storage operations
• Stores and other retail businesses
• Vehicle dealerships and showrooms
Conclusion
Tekmetsan offers the most versatile metal buildings in the industry today.

Steel Warehouses

Steel Warehouses (Halls)

In the last decades, steel frames became the predominant structural frame for the new warehouse projects all around the world.

The main reasons why warehouses are made of steel structure.

• Clear Span: Most logistics centres, distribution centres, and warehouse buildings require uninterrupted space to store the wares. Steel frame enables to go up to 50 meters without any interior columns which makes it ideal for the contractors. Also the space between the consecutive columns can go up to 12 meters.

• Wide Structures: TEKMETSAN prefab steel buildings do not have a width limit with additional columns.

• Limitless Length: Our buildings do not have any length limitation

• Flexible Space: With clear span designs, the building’s interior easily adapts to sectioning as inventory changes.

• Building Height: TEKMETSAN offers standard steel buildings up to 8 meters height. We offer bespoke solutions for buildings more than 8 meters and multi-floor buildings. Whatever height is required, steel offers great flexibility and cost advantage compared to concrete and timber structures.

• Low Material Costs:  Prefab warehouses have low cost per square meter compared to other forms of construction making it the ideal choice for the builders.

• Fast Construction: Steel’s extraordinary strength means it is possible to construct a highly stable structure with few pieces.  Every piece of the framing is factory-built to exact specifications under strict quality control procedures.  Parts arrive at the site clearly marked and ready to assemble with special connection details. The ready fabricated parts are very easy to be bolted to form the structure in a very short time. 

• Minimal Maintenance: A steel warehouse building needs little upkeep.

• Easy Modification: Steel buildings are incredibly versatile— inside and out. Any extension and modification to the building is very easy compared to the concrete or timber buildings. A selection of wide options are available for the exterior finishing such as insulated panels, aluminium panels, composite panels, glass, brick, stone or etc.

• Durability: TEKMETSAN steel buildings retain their beauty and value year after year. A well painted steel system will last long without any corrosion or rust.

• Environment Friendly: Steel is high recyclable material with very low carbon footprint.

Conclusion

TEKMETSAN not only produces steel warehouses but also offers free consultancy services to configure the ideal building for your budget.

Steel Price Fluctuations

Steel Price Fluctuations

It’s no secret that construction costs are on the rise, with the upswing in the global economy, an increase in the number of building projects, and an ever increasing global market, there is a direct correlation between the above mentioned factors and supply vs. demand. 

Globally, there has been a decrease in the availability of raw materials due to not only demand, but also the decreased output capabilities of some major suppliers.

How does all this affect your building project?

• In the past, price increases were most often forecast with ample time for owners to make smart decisions in advance on when and how to move forward with their projects, as of lately the volatile market is experiencing literally overnight price updates that makes it complicated for decision makers to anticipate this as the new normal and be ready to act in order to protect their budget. 

A 10% increase in raw steel prices on a $100,000.00 project is and additional $10,000.00 immediate cost. As your steel supplier, we do everything in our power to assess the markets and communicate closely with our factories to stay ahead of the pricing curve, and we always work with our clients to minimize the risk to your bottom line with timely information.

• The size and design of your project is obviously another key factor affected by price increases. A project that initially uses 150 tons of steel may be a candidate for redesign with critical thinking (value engineering) that allows for a deduction in overall steel while maintaining the desired footprint and structural integrity. Every one of our structures goes through rigorous design process that allows for maximum efficiency that translates into cost savings for our clients.

• Price increases on steel can have a dramatic effect on funding, especially for pending projects about to begin. Most lending institutions insist on the upfront costs to be identified, and it is often an additional negotiation with the financing institution when the planned budget increases, another reason to make sure order of your project is placed with a fixed price right after funding and deposits are secured.

• The price fluctuations of steel also affects the price of the cladding & roofing materials and the accessories of the metal buildings. Roofing and cladding sheets and insulated panels are also made of steel, therefore, the price increase in the steel primarily affects the cladding material costs.

Conclusion

Price fluctuations are the “new normal” in today’s economic times, at least for the foreseeable future. With that said, building with steel is, and will always be the best choice for commercial construction in both time and money. With a proper planning, a good understanding the markets, along with an experienced supplier like Tekmetsan, you can manage all the risks and deliver a success story.

We work hard for our clients to achieve success in every project we are a part of.