Metal Building Homes 101 – All You Need to Know

08 Nov.,2023

 

Metal Building Homes – There are many reasons to consider residential metal building homes. For one, they save homeowners hundreds of dollars per year on their home heating and cooling costs. Many people living in residential metal buildings pay $1,000 less monthly than the average homeowner spends on heating or cooling their dream home.

This is also true when it comes to paying energy bills year-round; Metal Building Homes save homeowners 40%-60% compared with traditional residential construction.  Metal building homes are tailor-made to adhere to all local building codes.

Metal Building Project Benefits

The benefits of steel buildings doesn’t stop there.

Long-lasting and durable

When you think of steel buildings, you most likely envision a structure that’s strong and long-lasting yet light enough that several individuals can easily assemble it by hand without heavy machinery weighing them down. And this is precisely what you get when you build your residential property using steel-frame homes compared to wood-framed homes.

More space

Steel framed homes also offer the homeowner interior space that’s greater than what is available in a stick-built traditional home. This not only provides more room for traditional home living but it means you’ll be able to easily accommodate larger appliances, more garage storage, and additional features like home theaters or exercise rooms.

Safe and secure

Homeowners who build their residential property with metal houses assure themselves of having a secure, safe property that’s less likely to be damaged by severe weather conditions like tornadoes, hurricanes, and hailstorms.

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Customizable

Homeowners interested in metal houses can choose from dozens of interior and exterior design including traditional residential styles; however, metal residential buildings also offer the opportunity to introduce your creative touch into how your home is designed and built which keeps things fresh and fun. Metal building homes are custom-made to meet all local building codes.

Advantages of Metal Building Homes

A steel house offers many advantages as compared with conventionally built homes.

Comfortable living

They offer a sturdy alternative to composite or traditional home wood framing. The metal building home construction is able to withstand strong winds and hurricanes for long hours.

Quick to assemble

A metal building package can be ready for living in just a few weeks. This compares to conventional homes that could take months or even years to complete.

Cost-effective

Third, they cost less than traditionally built metal homes as you could save a lot from labor costs. Since they are easy to assemble, it only requires two to four people to erect them. They don’t even require special carpentry skills.

Zero to low maintenance

Unlike Metal Building Homes made through the conventional method of construction, metal building home kits are resistant to mold, termites, rot, and fire. Hence, the upkeep cost is also relatively lower.

Environmentally friendly

A Steel home kit has less impact on the environment and is recyclable.

Metal Building Homes Floor Plans

When buying a metal building with living quarters, there are four general exterior styles to choose from that are easy to assemble in several exciting metal building homes’ floor plans.

In essence, you get the liberty to choose from an array of Metal Building Homes plans that best suit your budget and needs.

Sierra home-style

This style has a classic design. Its exterior walls have a vertical orientation while its roof panels were designed to create an effective runoff for snow and rain. It is the most common style you can find everywhere. It utilizes a stand-alone frame system that easily allows for cladding or covering the exterior of the building with almost any type of material without necessarily altering its support system. It also does not require additional steel components just to attach optional exterior materials.

Teton Home Style 

Houses built in Teton style are defined by heavy-gauge exterior panels with wood shiplap siding. It appears more like a traditional house due to its large eave overhang. Houses featuring Teton Style are a lot easier to erect than other metal home styles as the roof and interior walls are specially engineered to achieve this purpose.

Mohave home style 

The Mohave style is the cheapest among all the metal home kits. Its exterior wall panels with horizontal orientation offer a seemingly siding appearance.

Gambrel home-style

This style has a signature roof design that is similar to what is used on big barns. The design, which is also known as ‘Dutch Gambrel’ or ‘Dutch hip’ is ideal for cabins. Its steep sloping roof makes it easy to shed snow and allows more storage space. You can also turn it to a cozy loft.

Things to Consider for Custom Metal Buildings Plans

Before deciding which metal building kit to purchase, it is necessary to take in mind a few considerations for your metal framing home plan as follows:

Size

 In determining the size of your new steel building kits, it is important to factor in what you want versus what you need. Ask yourself: How many bedrooms do we need? How much space do I need? Do I need additional space for formal dining areas or recreation rooms? Do you expect your family growing or do you see it becoming ‘empty nesters’ soon? All these questions should be discussed with your family and the sales representative.

Building permits and site preparation 

Make sure you have surveyed the site in which you plan to set up your metal home and find out any special requirements for the structure from your local department. You need to find out too the permitting process before the kit is delivered to you.

Building erection

Are you a do-it-yourself type of person? Do you have some friends or family members to help in erecting the steel frame building? Or will you hire contractors to do the job for you? You should have this thing decided early on.

There may be other building material factors to keep in mind before drafting metal building plans, depending on the job site and other particular situations.

Metal Building Cost

How much metal building cost is mostly determined by the distributor – a third-party entity authorized by the manufacturers to place price tags on the buildings based on market competition? To better gauge a fair rate, it is advisable to compare steel home kit prices before purchasing. Get as many building material square foot quotes as possible.

Price estimates per square foot

Based on rough estimates, a metal home kit measuring 40 ft x 60 ft could cost up to $28,000 depending on other factors that will easily add up to their total prices. Influencing factors could include accessories and the job site location.

If you choose a straight wall or a Quonset Hut steel home, the cost per square foot is approximate $9. Hence, the total cost is around $21,600 for a Quonset hut kit. In most cases, distributors charge for an additional delivery fee which is around 8% of the total cost. In this sample, final cost is $1,728. Additional accessories may cost around 20% or $4,320 in a Quonset hut kit.

Metal Building Manufacturers

Metal building manufacturers have emerged to provide a variety of metal home kits and floor plan options to the average homeowner. These manufacturers have decades of experience in the steel construction industry and are now offering their services to home builders.

Some National Metal Building Manufacturers:

  • Morton buildings
  • Heritage Building Systems
  • Rhino Steel Building Systems
  • Rocket Steel Buildings

When looking for a metal building manufacturer, it is important to check their credentials and read reviews from past clients.

The Rise of Barndominiums

Have you heard of the term Barndominium? A Barndominium is a steel building kit that resembles a barn and in some cases is a barn that has living areas.

While people have lived in barns before, the modern versions of these steel building homes are metal buildings. These Barndominiums usually have commercial spaces separate from the living area.

Because metal home building kits are very versatile steel building kits, they can be cost-effectively designed to fit any need.

Advantages of Metal Barndominiums

Whether you want a Barndominium or an outright steel home that’s made from metal, you are bound to enjoy some advantages because of steel frame construction. Here are a few of those advantages:

Steel Is Very Durable

Steel construction is a very durable material. A custom metal barn can withstand winds of up to 150 miles per hour without getting destroyed. How strong is that? It’s enough to withstand an F1 tornado or even a Category 2 hurricane. Do you see a wooden structure being able to withstand wind as strong as that?

Steel structures are also seismically stable and can withstand up to zone 4 of seismic activity, which is the highest level of seismic activity. Because your steel home is durable that means it will last longer.

It’s a Good Investment for Your Money

We have already mentioned that steel homes are very durable and cost-effective. They will last longer when compared to homes that are made from other building materials. That means the money you spend on the construction process of erecting your metal home will be worth it.

Metal home-building kits can be a great investment because they will last so long. And when you decide that you want to upgrade and build a new house, the steel home itself can be sold for scrap and you can get a substantial part of your investment back. The price of scrap metal fluctuates but you can always get a substantial amount back.

Steel Is Flame Retardant

While a steel building can resist very strong winds, it also has another crucial quality, that of being flame retardant. That means it would not burn down on its own. It will only melt at extremely high temperatures. Just think about what would happen to a house that’s made from wood that catches fire.

Minimal Maintenance

Another advantage presented by steel buildings is that they require very little maintenance, especially when compared to other types of buildings. For example, a metal home building package can come pre-painted and it will not require a new coat as often as a wooden building.

Steel structures are also not affected by termites and other pests, so you don’t have to worry about that. Maintaining structures can be a very costly undertaking and it’s even more crucial if you will be using them for your living space.

Fast Building Time

A prefabricated steel building is only created once a plan has been finalized. All the parts and components will be made in a factory and then will be shipped on site. Once on the site, all that’s needed will be to assemble the steel structure and maybe a little work on the foundation.

The assembly of the metal home will take a very short time when all the parts and components are ready. You don’t have to spend a long time waiting for your building to be erected.

Remember, fast metal home construction time means lower cost.

Safety and Sustainability

The steel frame is made from iron mixed with carbon. That means there are dangerous chemicals involved in making it.

Also, steel is recyclable. We have already mentioned how you can sell scrap steel once you are done with the steel building materials. That means steel is a far more sustainable option. Steel can be used over and over so in a way you are helping the environment when you choose metal prefabricated structures.

 Expandable

One reason why metal structures are so popular is that these types of building project structures are easily expandable. It does not matter what type of design your steel building has; you can easily expand it and make additions to it.

If you have a growing family, being able to add more rooms and more square foot space is always a good thing. You can add more rooms with ease. It’s easier to expand when compared to a traditional home.

Energy Efficiency

Steel buildings can also have high energy efficiency. That might seem a little hard to believe since steel is a very good conductor but with the help of modern insulation, steel homes can be made into energy-efficient structures.

This is because there is enough space between the metal frames to accommodate the insulation. With the right amount of insulation, a steel-construction building can be made comfortable.

Customization

Finally, the last benefit of this kind of building kit is that it gives you plenty of room for customization. You can outfit it to match the needs of you and your family. It does not matter how you want the building to look, it can be fabricated to match your needs. More importantly, related buildings come in different square foot sizes.

The most common metal home kits sizes are as follows:

  • 20 x 35
  • 30 x 30
  • 30 x 40
  • 30 x 50
  • 30 x 60
  • 30 x 80
  • 80 x 90
  • 40 x 60
  • 40 x 75
  • 60 x 60
  • 60 x 70

Steel buildings with living quarters are not that common yet but they can be made. With the right company, you will be able to get the building that you need. It might cost you a bit more but you can work with them to match your very own designs.

Quonset Hut Kits Cost Effective Alternative

A Quonset hut is a building made of corrugated steel that was popularized during World War II. These buildings were used as storage sheds, offices, and even homes for servicemen and their families. Quonset huts are known for their fast construction.

What are steel buildings?

Metal Home kits can be metal-framed buildings, metal roofing systems, metal trusses supported on metal wall framing. Metal homes have been around for a long time but they have recently become more popular. 

There are many different types of steel buildings that people use to build a home or a business and some metal prefabricated structures homes even have living quarters built in the lower level. They are termed Barndominiums if they have living quarters built in them.

If you’re considering metal house plans, there’s no doubt that oftentimes it is less costly and more cost-effective than other construction types like frame and masonry (brick and block). Metal is also very durable and low maintenance; it will last longer than any other type of material. 

What are metal roofing systems?

Metal roofing systems are metal options for the roofing materials on metal building style homes. There are many types of metal roofs to choose from including metal shingle, metal tile, standing seam metal roofs, and more. One cool thing about metal is that it can be painted in almost any color, so you can match your metal house plans with your home decor or your personal preference. 

There are also metal wall panels available for residential metal home use if you want to build a custom-looking metal home. Some people like to mix and match materials; they might use masonry for the first floor of their metal house plans but then use metal for the second floor or higher.

The metal roofing system is not only very durable and resistant to fire, but it will also keep your steel building home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Some metal roofs are even energy-efficient and cost-effective; you can choose metal shingle roofs that come with reflective coatings or metal tile roofs that come with high solar reflectivity (Low-E).

What are metal trusses?

Metal Trusses are manufactured steel beams that allow for open spans of storage space under them. They’re usually available in metal roofing systems or metal homes. They come in different shapes and sizes so you can use them for almost any metal garage plan. 

In Conclusion

Metal residential building homes are a sensible choice because they offer so many benefits to homeowners, but if you need more reasons to be convinced then, by all means, contact residential metal home builders in your area for additional information and the construction process about how residential a metal home kit can enhance the value of your residential property.

There are many benefits to steel buildings or metal home plans, including lower maintenance, durability, energy efficiency, and more. Metal building homes are becoming very popular because they’re less expensive than traditional building materials, but they also have a high resale value if metal is your preference for the exterior of your metal roofing system.

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