Why Pre-Engineered Steel Buildings Are Better Than Conventional Construction

Steel Buildings > Stick-Builds

If you’ve been following our blogs at all, you’ve learned by now that steel buildings are far superior to stick-builds or wooden structures for many reasons. We’ve documented this many times, but here are just a couple of our more recent blogs that speak to this subject:

• https://www.carportcentral.com/blog/steel-carports-the-safest-most-cost-effective-way-to-protect-your-ride
• https://www.carportcentral.com/blog/why-you-should-order-metal-building-now

All across the country, you see more and more folks using metal buildings for everything from residential to commercial to industrial to agricultural purposes. When compared with stick-builds or buildings made from other materials, steel structures are more cost-effective, durable, customizable, pest and fire resistant, and are also usually cheaper to insure.

Which Type of Steel Building is Right for You?

So you’ve considered all the building material options, and you’ve decided that steel is indeed the best way to go. But which type of steel structure will best suit your needs, a pre-engineered building or a conventional construction? Let’s begin by defining what we mean by each term.

Conventional construction

(also known as traditional construction) refers to the onsite construction of a building from scratch, from commonly-used materials including wood, masonry, concrete, red iron, or – in the case of our conversation – steel. Conventional construction can produce some very complex buildings, but it is also a slower, more expensive, more time-intensive process.

Pre-engineered steel buildings

are different in that the individual building elements are precision-engineered, measured, pre-fabricated, and tested in an offsite manufacturing facility before being delivered to the job site. In other words, pre-engineered metal buildings (or PEMBs) aren’t built-from-scratch onsite; they are assembled on site.

Advantages of PEMBs over Conventional Construction

While both PEMBs and conventional construction both use design, foundation, framing, and finishing work to deliver a steel building, they take fundamentally different paths to get there. Let’s look a few reasons why pre-engineered metal buildings are a better choice to consider:?

• Streamlined Design Process

  Because PEMBs are built from well-established design templates that are also easily customizable, the design process is typically much faster and less costly. Buildings are also designed with local and state building codes and requirements in mind, so they can usually be permitted with less red tape.

• Better Quality Control

  Since every aspect of a PEMB is designed and fabricated by a single manufacturer with components from a single steel source, there are fewer unknowns or variables to contend with. Each component is precision-engineered, crafted, measured, and tested for quality and fit before it ever leaves the manufacturing facility. In the case of conventional construction, there can be any number of material sources or subcontractors involved in the equation.

• Lighter Building Weight

  Because of the streamlined design and fabrication process, PEMB framing and sheeting are produced in a manner that requires less bulky materials and produces almost no waste. The result is a steel building that’s around 30% lighter than that produced by conventional construction, while still being incredibly sturdy and durable.

• Simpler Foundation Requirements

  Lighter buildings require lighter, less-complicated foundations. Conventional steel buildings often require extensive foundation preparation, while PEMBs can be installed on a much simpler foundation pour. In fact, depending on how you intend to use your structure, a PEMB can be installed on pretty much any level surface – concrete, asphalt, gravel, or even level ground!

• Better Earthquake Resistance

  The more a building can flex or bend without breaking, the better it can endure seismic activity. Conventional steel buildings are heavier and more rigid, meaning they simply can’t perform as well as pre-engineered buildings in the face of rolling earthquake waves. It also bears stating that no manmade building is completely earthquake-proof, but PEMBs have been demonstrated to be more earthquake-resistant than conventional steel buildings.

• Easier to Expand and Adapt

  – No matter how well you try to plan and map out the intended use of your residential, commercial, industrial, or farm building, your needs and applications may change over time. Pre-engineered metal buildings are designed with easy options for future expansion and adaptation in mind. On the other hand, if you ever need to adapt or expand a conventional steel construction, it’s sure to take a good bit more time, effort, and money on your part.

• Faster Install Time

  If you need your building now, or just don’t want to have to wait for months on end to get your building up, then there is a decided advantage to choosing a pre-engineered steel building. From the time of your initial order, a PEMB can usually be custom-fabricated and installed on your site in a matter of just weeks. By comparison, conventional steel construction can take anywhere from 6-9 months, or longer!

• Lower Cost Per Square Foot

  Let’s face it. Choosing to purchase a steel building is no small investment. You want a building that’s durable, reliable, functional, and attractive, but at the end of the day we know that price still matters too. Thanks to needing no independent architect, less building material, less labor, and simpler foundation requirements, you can expect to pay much less for a PEMB than you would for a comparable conventional steel building.

Why You Should Choose Carport Central for Your Pre-Engineered Steel Building

For starters, Carport Central actually CARES about each and every one of our customers. We’re serious about providing the best customer experience and giving you the excellent customer service in the metal buildings industry, and we deliver on that promise every single day. We work hard to make sure you get the perfect building to meet all your needs, as well as your budget.

Here are a few more distinctives that set Carport Central apart from everyone else:

• Carport Central is the nation’s largest online provider of metal structures
• We partner with only the best local manufacturers and installers across the country to provide quality structures with the shortest lead times
• Our signature 3D Building Designer enables you to easily customize and price your ideal metal structure, all from the comfort of your couch
• When you’re ready to talk, our friendly and knowledgeable building specialists will actually LISTEN, and we can walk you through every step of the process
• Delivery and installation is INCLUDED with purchase, at no extra cost to you!
• Great warranties for metal framing, sheeting, and workmanship
• Attractive financing and rent-to-own options available, too!

At Carport Central, we’re about much more than just selling you a pre-engineered steel carport, garage, barn, workshop, warehouse, or other structure – We Provide Shelter for Your Way of Life.  Check us out online or give us a call today at (980) 321-9898, and see the Carport Central difference for yourself!