Prefabricated, or pre-engineered buildings, are both terms frequently used to describe metal building systems. These buildings are chosen or prefabricated to the desired specification prior to their arrival on site. As a result, very little work is required once the actual structure arrives. Do-it-yourself steel building kits require a very minimal amount of work to assemble the structure once it has arrived on site.
These steel building were first introduced in the early 1900s and their use grew in popularity after World War II, when steel became more readily available. The market has drastically expanded since then mostly due to the buildings’ cost efficiency as well as improvements in materials and the design capabilities of computer software.
Prefabricated steel buildings are popular because they have a lot of advantages and very few disadvantages.
1. Short Construction Time
Prefabricated steel buildings take the least amount of construction time to complete than any other building type. These steel buildings are specifically designed for easy assembly. Prefabricated steel building companies accomplish this by doing almost all of the assembly work prior to shipping out the building. A building that can take weeks to assemble can be assembled in days if a prefabricated steel building is used in its place.
2. Cost Efficiency
Not only do steel buildings drastically reduce the construction time, but they also drastically reduce the costs associated with buying/constructing a building. Due to the fact that pre-engineered buildings use a lot of automation when dealing with metal, the labor costs are drastically reduced. Labor costs are further reduced when the building arrives on site and needs a minimal amount of labor to be assembled.
3. Expansion
Steel buildings, due to their ease of assembly and dynamic design, can be easily modified or expanded. The ends and sidewalls of the building can be easily removed and expanded upon.
4. Durability
Steel is a very robust building material. Not only is steel not susceptible to the common woes of other building materials such as cracks, splitting, rotting, or termites, but it is also very resistant to high winds, storms, snow, and even hurricanes. Most prefabricated steel building manufacturers offer an extensive warranty along with their building. Nowadays, steel building are even highly resistant to rust because the steel and the paint are treated with special coatings, which are also typically under warranty.
5. Environmentally Friendly
Environmentally friendly isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind when a person hears the term “steel building,” but steel buildings are very eco-friendly. The steel is typically 100 percent recyclable, the materials are highly efficient, steel buildings have long life cycles, if eco-friendly paint and sealants are utilized, the steel building will release very few pollutants unlike wooden buildings that release pollutants due to their treating processes, and steel building also tend to be very energy efficient because steel retains both hot and cold air better than other materials.
6. Efficient & Low-Maintenance
On top of these major advantages, steel buildings also have several smaller benefits: efficiency of material use (thanks to computer software), reduced insurance premiums due to the durability of these buildings, and they are easy to maintain requiring nothing more than a simple rinsing with soap and water. Another small advantage that shouldn’t be overlooked is that the entirety of your steel building will come from a single source which can drastically reduce any potential issues that one might have when obtaining materials from various sources.
Using a prefabricated steel building has many advantages such as reduced construction times, cost efficiency, durability and reliability, and the ability to expand your building if ever needed. While a prefabricated steel building might not be the right fit for every project, it is an excellent choice to consider.
