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Insulation or No

It’s no secret that steel buildings have natural insulation that make it a superior materials in a lot of ways. Thanks to this natural insulation, prefab steel structures are a lot more environmentally friendly and energy efficient than tons of other building materials. This natural insulation allows these structures to absorb and bounce off much more reasonable amounts of both heat and cold – something that will in turn keep the interior temperature much more regulated and prevent your cooling and heating appliances from having to work overtime to keep it that way. In the long run, you’ll end up saving money on your utility bills. Adding more insulation, however, is a great way to amplify these benefits even more. Thankfully, prefab steel structures have a deeper space between the exterior and interior walls giving you a bit more space to add in insulation regardless of what method you choose. Here are some reasons why you should add insulation to your steel structure.

Energy

As mentioned, insulation is a great way to help your building be much more energy efficient than before. Bare steel buildings have certain levels of insulation on their own, but adding more makes it a lot more effective in the long run. Adding in this insulation dramatically increases just how efficiently your structure handles energy, absorbing and retaining much more heating in the winter months while also keeping out cold air much more effectively, and also acting as a shield from the warm air in the summer months in order to keep the building much cooler on average. This will put much less stress and pressure on your heating and cooling devices so your utility bills will be a lot lower.

 

Helps With Sound Pollution

Let’s face it, the world can be a loud place. If your steel structure is located in a particularly busy area, it will be susceptible to all types of sound pollution that steel can’t really block out that much. Adding insulation acts as a “buffer” between you and the sounds from outside – and the ones inside too. It prevents a lot of the echo that can plague spaces that are large or have high ceilings if your steel structure happens to have those things. This is important for buildings that are used as any type of office or workspace. For factories or other spaces with loud machinery, the same insulation can help muffle some of the sounds coming from your building to the outside world as well.

Helps With Mold

Adding insulation to your structure is important but you have to ensure that it’s the right type, and that it’s installed correctly. If not, it can cause moisture and eventually mold to build up in between the space and the interior of your structure due to condensation. Insulation acts as a barrier between the exterior walls and the internal framing of the structure.

Increase Your Building’s Lifespan

Having the right insulation for your structure can do plenty to extend the life of your structure. If you chose a steel building, chances are that you want it to last for a very long time and each and every part of your structure and other add-ons will be better served having the right insulation as a part of it.

For more information on our steel buildings, call us at 1-888- 449-7756

 

How to Stay on Budget

When it comes to steel building projects, or any building project, there is always the possibility to go over budget in many ways. It’s important to know exactly how the project is going to look before, during and after the whole construction process in order to keep track of any money going out. You might hire a general contractor or construction team to take the reigns of the project, but it’s important to stay involved and close to the project to ensure it all stays on track!

There are a few ways the prices might change along the way. Something like a “change order”, when something in the design is switched around due to circumstance, can dramatically change the cost of the project. This is something you need to be fully aware of at all times. This is also why it’s important to get all the correct details of the desired project finalized beforehand to ensure that there’s no errors in the original design or contract that have to be changed later to incur more costs.

Going over your budget by about 15% is quite common, but can still be avoided. They come from things like time delays as well as change orders, weather, conditions of the job site, last minute project changes and so much more. Of course, these are all things that can largely be prepared for or discussed beforehand.

There are many negative impacts that this can have on the project as well as the owner of the building in question: Increased final costs, lower return on investment, completion date delays, potentially damaged relationship with the contractor involved, extra pressure if money was borrowed and ensuing financial difficulties.

One of the first ways to avoid many of these issues is by going with a general contractor who is very experienced that will know how to respond to and get around some of these common issues. They should be discussed long before the project even starts, so you can both decide on the best solutions and times when putting the extra money behind something is worth is and when it isn’t. An experienced contractor will always know where to find the most affordable additional required materials, tools, items and more.

You might be much better off looking for a more multifaceted team that can do the project from beginning to end depending on what you’re looking for. The designer and builder will work much more closely together to create your desired final project in a way that is both considerate of time as well as considerate of your budget in every way. If this isn’t possible, be sure to keep the lines of communication open and flowing between your designers and builders so that everything works perfectly together.

Staying under budget is extremely imperative since sometimes, these surprise costs can change the course of your entire project. It’s important to discuss with your contractor what other options you might have to get around some of the issues that pop up, if there’s a way to still be under your budget. If it will compromise the integrity of your end goal, then it might be a better idea to simply add a bit to the budget.

For more information on our steel buildings, call us at 1-888- 449-7756

Our Building is Up Now What?

Nearly every commercial building is built for the purpose of creating income in some way, shape or form; to offset the costs it takes to keep it maintained. Whether it’s a retail location to serve clients or a head office to run your business, you still have to pay for things like lighting, heating and much more. It’s important to keep this as balanced as possible, and cut corners when you can in ways that won’t threaten the integrity of the building in any way. There are tons of ways you can lower the costs and save yourself money after a commercial building has been completed. Here are just a few.

Programmable Heating

Using a programmable thermostat is a great way to save money since you won’t need to have the temperature the same all day. You can set timers to change the room’s temperature at different times of the day, depending on whether or not people will be there or not. You can set it to lower during the nighttime for example, since nobody will be in the building to know the different. Heating and cooling are the biggest chunk of any type of energy used in your steel building, and programming the rise and fall throughout the day and night can reduce your bill by up to 10%.

Insulate!

Insulation is extremely important for your steel structure, and there are plenty of types that work for every kind of budget. Focus on how resistant the type that you’re looking is to heat transfer – or how air from getting out and cold air from getting inside the building. This is called the “R-Value” and every kind of insulation has a different level of it. It will be important for you to do just a little bit of research as well as looking around in order to find the kind that works best for you and your steel building.

Sensitive Lighting

Lights are another thing that eats up tons of energy, and the fact of the matter is that they don’t need to be on all the time. If nobody is in the space, it’s much better if the lights or off for obvious reasons. However, even the function of turning the lights on and off manually might cause you to waste energy. The reality is, it’s easy to forget things like that and you might not end up with any savings at all. Installing motion sensors that turn the lights off or on depending on if someone walks in is crucial. Any space that is only used sometimes during the day – like bathrooms, conferences rooms and more – work to save you plenty of money on your electricity bill.

Minimize The Work

The heating and cooling systems inside your steel building can’t be doing all the work, so it’s important that you find ways to minimize the workload of these appliances. Things like weather stripping your doors and windows to prevent air leakage and cold air from getting into your structure. Choose energy efficient windows and doors to make it a bit easier, and during the construction process pay attention to where you put certain features like windows. South-facing windows will allow much more natural light and heat into your space, taking some extra pressure off your heater.

For more information on our steel buildings, call us at 1-888- 449-7756

waiting for a plane

Helping the Travel Industry One Building at a Time

When we think of prefab steel buildings, we don’t often think of the ways it could help an industry like travel and tourism. Depending on where you’re looking to building, putting up a new hotel can seem like a long shot, but why not try with prefab steel structures? Steel buildings are much more than industrial structures suited for factories, and here’s just a few reasons why.

Thanks to a handful of factors, prefab steel structures can save you plenty of money in both upfront and long term costs. This does wonders for the cost of ownership. For starters, the building will require a smaller and simpler foundations than would normally be required with other more traditional building methods. Because all the parts of your structure are put together elsewhere, the project can start to come together right away as soon as the pieces arrive to your build site. This prevents what might be expensive construction delays that would prevent you from starting your business sooner and getting a return on your investment.

Steel buildings are also extremely energy efficient, with natural insulation that helps keep the temperature inside regulated. Including extra insulation to your structure is a simple process no matter what method you choose. This will ensure the comfort of your guests without costing you tons of money in utility bills. Also, thanks to the lack of required maintenance, you’ll also save plenty of money due to the fact that the hotel won’t be undergoing constant costly repairs.

Contrary to popular belief, steel buildings are extremely customizable, able to look like a structure built of more traditional materials like wood or concrete. People tend to shy away from steel because they assume it will have a box, industrial appearance but this isn’t the case at all. There are plenty of styles, paints, finishes and detailing available to make your structure exactly how you want it. No matter your target market, you can make sure your hotel look just how you need it to look. You’ll also be able to accommodate the amount of guests that works best for you, since steel structures come in an array of sizes and layouts that can be changed in any number of ways before, during and after the construction has been completed.

The most important feature of steel structures is how durable they are. If you’re building a hotel, particularly a large one, it’s safe to assume that this is a structure you will want to operate for a long time. Steel buildings give you the type of structural stability that can last for decades against everything from heavy rain, high winds, fire, pests, moisture damage and so much more as long as the structure has the right paints and protective coatings in addition to the natural strength of the material.

For more information on our steel buildings, call us at 1-888- 449-7756

buildings that can survive harsh weather

Buildings That will Hold up to Any Season

Prefab steel structures are known for the their strength and durability, especially when it comes to standing up to the elements. One of the things about building in Canada is that you have to consider so many different types of weather throughout the year’s seasons that the structure has to be able to stand up to. Regardless of the size or what you’ll be using it for, it’s imperative that prefab steel structures be strong and able to withstand many different types of weather and elements so that the building can remain in good shape and working order for years to come.

High Winds

Steel structures stand up well to strong winds of up to 120 mph, often much better than buildings made from more traditional materials like wood. In highly windy areas, this is important so the building doesn’t sustain punctures and other types of damage that can be caused by high winds, especially if the items you’re storing inside are valuable in any way. This is also where the natural insulation of steel structures and the inclusions of additional insulation comes into play, since it  essentially adds an extra layer of protection from the elements so the inside of your building remains safe at all times.

Rain & Snow

Moisture is a big deal with it comes to steel structures, and ensuring that your building can stand up to it is important. With more traditional building materials like wood, water and ice damage can have serious impact on the integrity of the building. With prefab steel structures, the appropriate coatings and protective paints keep moisture from having an affect on the exterior or interior of the structure. Also, the specially engineered nature of the building means each and every part of the structure is made to fit perfectly with all of the other parts. This leaves very little room for cracks and spaces for moisture to get into the building and damage anything you might have inside.

Heat & Cold

Natural insulation is your best defense against the heat and cold of the changing seasons in Canada, in addition to including more insulation via a handful of different methods. No matter what you choose to do, steel’s natural insulation helps absorb and keep warm air inside the structure while keeping cold air at bay during the winter months. Conversely, the siding and roof panels are great at bouncing off excessive heat and keeping the building’s interior at a much more reasonable temperature. This also helps with the costs of keeping your building up, since any heating & cooling appliances you have inside will use much less energy in order to keep the building at a reasonable temperature. This will save you money on utility bills since the appliances will be doing much less overtime work in order to keep your building’s temperature regulated.

For more information on our steel buildings, call us at 1-888- 449-7756

Making Sure your Project is Successful

With any construction project, there are a handful of procedures you should get through in order to make sure it ends successfully. Though cost-effective, it’s still a pretty big investment, so making sure it goes well every step of the way is imperative to ensuring you get the desired end result. Here are a few things you should start off with to make sure your steel building project is successful

Make A Budget.

The first thing you need to do is set a comprehensive budget for your project. Also, consider where these finances might come from.  It’s important to set a realistic budget for your project so that you’re able to stay within that budget and not have any surprises. Setting a budget will give you a good idea of what you can and cannot do with your structure.  Particularly if this is your first steel building project, it will be important to keep everything in line so last minute cost don’t affect your project.

Make Plans

Once you have a comprehensive budget, it’s imperative that you have plans for how you want your building to look. When choosing a steel building kit, you can choose one that’s closest to what you want it to look like, but also keep in mind you have nearly endless customization options to bring your vision to life. It’s important that you keep function in mind as well, since a building is much more than the way it looks. Our prefab steel buildings are designed by engineers with years of experience and use the best quality steel, so take advantage of this and combine it with your own ideas for your future space.

Make A Schedule

One of the best things about steel buildings is how quickly the structures can be put together. Even so, it’s important to set a time frame for your project, particularly if you plan on adding plenty of customization or other extras. What may have taken just a few days might have to turn into a week or two of constant work depending on what your end goal is, so do keep that in mind before you begin. It’s important to consider whether or not the time frame is realistic, and any delays that might stop the process and make it all even longer than you previously anticipated. If you have a particular deadline, as is often the case for commercial spaces, consider the possibility of hiring extra labour in order to get everything done even more quickly.

Ask Questions

One mistake people often make during the construction process is not asking enough questions until it’s too late. Get as much information as you can before you begin so you know exactly what’s going on; especially if this is your first project. Not sure what all the addons will cost? Ask! Wondering what tools you’ll need to have on hand on your job site? Be sure to get that information so you’re prepared. The most important part of this process is having open communication and understanding between everyone involved.

For more information on our steel buildings, call us at 1-888- 449-7756

Work Work Work Workshop

it comes to workshops, there are plenty of options for building one that works for you. Whether it’s an add-on to your home’s property as a place to fix your personal vehicles or store your hobbies, or a large commercial establishment, many people still use traditional building methods like wood, concrete and even specialized plastics. With all its benefits, it’s easy to see that steel structures are the clear winners when it comes to materials that are the best fit. Not only does it make perfect sense aesthetically, as steel’s generally industrial look is a perfect fit for the types of spaces that auto and mechanical workshops tend to be. Here are just a few reasons why you should consider steel buildings for your next workshop!

Strength & Durability

Steel’s strength lies in just how durable it is, able to withstand all types of weather and impact to stay in good shape for years of use. Not only that, but it’s also 100% recyclable, meaning this strength will get used again and again in the event that you ever take down and discard of your structure. With all the different types of work that goes on in a workshop, having a building that can stand up to the challenge is extremely important.

Easy Installation Process

What might be the most attractive feature about steel buildings is how easy it is to put together seeing as all the parts of your steel building kit is specifically engineered to fit your project. Every piece of your project comes directly to your build site, from the walls and roof to the screws that hold it all together. This makes it simple enough for you to do on your own, or get it done by hiring general contractors. Rather than waiting a few weeks for a new structure, it can be done in a few days.

Maintenance-free

Another great feature of steel buildings is that you don’t need regular repairs or maintenance to keep it in good shape. With all the fixing and repair that goes in inside the workshop, it’s good to not neccesarily have to worry about it for the actual structure itself. Steel is a material that can stand up to many kinds of conditions for long periods of time without damage, especially if the right kind of protective coatings and paints are on it! Wood strcutures for example are susceptible to moisture damage and pests like termites, things that can do plenty of damage in a short amount of time. Steel structures are immune to both these things and much more, which means your building is in it for the long haul and you don’t have to worry about your workshop being compromised.

Customizable

As perfect as the look of steel structures tends to be for workshops, some still worry about the ability to make additions (and subtractions) to the general layout of the place. We’re much more accustomed to structures built in more traditional ways and the ways we can have them look exactly the way we want them to. For a large warehouse with different areas, this is still very much a possibility with steel buildings. From adding heating & cool, extra insulation and changes to the layout, the possibilities are endless.

For more information on our steel buildings, call us at 1-888- 449-7756

Cut out Pollution!

It’s no secret that there’s always noise all around us, so much so that we almost barely notice any longer. Still, there are plenty of health effects that can arise from this constant bombardment of noises from all different places and in different spaces. They take a toll on us whether we realize it or not and result in everything from stress to lowered concentration. This is most applicable to business, industrial and commercial areas where the flow of noise is constant whether it be passing cars, ongoing construction or  the hum of appliances.

Steel buildings greatly cuts down on all types of noise pollution, both from the outside as well as from the inside. Thanks to steel’s natural insulation, it’s much easier in steel structures to keep outside sounds from constantly bleeding into the structures. You can also add a bit more insulation and even go so far as soundproofing to help out. These are great add-ons to combine with the existing noise-cutting capabilities of steel. If your steel structure is being used for an office space, it will be important to cut down on many types of outside noise for obvious reasons: they create distractions and make it difficult to work. Noise pollution can make employees less productive as well as contribute to them being sick more often. This has negative effects on businesses, as their workforce is negatively impacted by all of the noise. High noise levels also plays a part in workplace accidents, where employees can become easily distracted or prevent them from hearing important instructions that might have helped avoid said accident. Noise pollution can also affect hearing, cause sleeping problems, anxiety and so much more.

This is why it’s particularly important for steel buildings being used as offices, factories, retail locations or any other spaces where people have to be on the building’s interior for long periods of time to be outfitted with even more noise pollution-cutting add-ons like extra insulation. If your steel structure houses children at any point, be it a daycare centre or recreation space, high levels of noise can have effects on their ability to learn, pay attention and control aggressive behaviours.

Thankfully, having your structure made of steel is already a good place to start when it comes to protecting yourself and the building’s occupants from noise pollution. In addition to its natural insulation of the materials, steel buildings also have deeper wall cavities than more traditionally built structures. This allows much more space between the interior and exterior walls so that you can fil the space with additional, noise-cancelling insulation. This is one of the reasons why steel buildings are perfect for spaces like churches, offices and school structures. These are all spaces where quiet and concentration are important to the way they function.

Noise pollution can work the opposite way, as well. A large factory might have tons of noise going on inside that they might have the proper equipment and headgear to deal with, but the noise still bleeds outside and might find their way into nearby buildings as well. Having steel structures with both natural and additional insulation prevents too much noise from bleeding out of particularly loud buildings as well.

For more information on our steel buildings, call us at 1-888- 449-7756

Did you know Steel Buildings can Help The Travel Industry?

When we think of prefab steel buildings, we don’t often think of the ways it could help an industry like travel and tourism. Depending on where you’re looking to building, putting up a new hotel can seem like a long shot, but why not try with prefab steel structures? Steel buildings are much more than industrial structures suited for factories, and here’s just a few reasons why.

Thanks to a handful of factors, prefab steel structures can save you plenty of money in both upfront and long term costs. This does wonders for the cost of ownership. For starters, the building will require a smaller and simpler foundations than would normally be required with other more traditional building methods. Because all the parts of your structure are put together elsewhere, the project can start to come together right away as soon as the pieces arrive to your build site. This prevents what might be expensive construction delays that would prevent you from starting your business sooner and getting a return on your investment.

Steel buildings are also extremely energy efficient, with natural insulation that helps keep the temperature inside regulated. Including extra insulation to your structure is a simple process no matter what method you choose. This will ensure the comfort of your guests without costing you tons of money in utility bills. Also, thanks to the lack of required maintenance, you’ll also save plenty of money due to the fact that the hotel won’t be undergoing constant costly repairs.

Contrary to popular belief, steel buildings are extremely customizable, able to look like a structure built of more traditional materials like wood or concrete. People tend to shy away from steel because they assume it will have a box, industrial appearance but this isn’t the case at all. There are plenty of styles, paints, finishes and detailing available to make your structure exactly how you want it. No matter your target market, you can make sure your hotel look just how you need it to look. You’ll also be able to accommodate the amount of guests that works best for you, since steel structures come in an array of sizes and layouts that can be changed in any number of ways before, during and after the construction has been completed.

The most important feature of steel structures is how durable they are. If you’re building a hotel, particularly a large one, it’s safe to assume that this is a structure you will want to operate for a long time. Steel buildings give you the type of structural stability that can last for decades against everything from heavy rain, high winds, fire, pests, moisture damage and so much more as long as the structure has the right paints and protective coatings in addition to the natural strength of the material.

For more information on our steel buildings, call us at 1-888- 449-7756

Need a Building that can stand through it all?

Prefab steel structures are known for the their strength and durability, especially when it comes to standing up to the elements. One of the things about building in Canada is that you have to consider so many different types of weather throughout the year’s seasons that the structure has to be able to stand up to. Regardless of the size or what you’ll be using it for, it’s imperative that prefab steel structures be strong and able to withstand many different types of weather and elements so that the building can remain in good shape and working order for years to come.

High Winds

Steel structures stand up well to strong winds of up to 120 mph, often much better than buildings made from more traditional materials like wood. In highly windy areas, this is important so the building doesn’t sustain punctures and other types of damage that can be caused by high winds, especially if the items you’re storing inside are valuable in any way. This is also where the natural insulation of steel structures and the inclusions of additional insulation comes into play, since it  essentially adds an extra layer of protection from the elements so the inside of your building remains safe at all times.

 

Rain & Snow

Moisture is a big deal with it comes to steel structures, and ensuring that your building can stand up to it is important. With more traditional building materials like wood, water and ice damage can have serious impact on the integrity of the building. With prefab steel structures, the appropriate coatings and protective paints keep moisture from having an affect on the exterior or interior of the structure. Also, the specially engineered nature of the building means each and every part of the structure is made to fit perfectly with all of the other parts. This leaves very little room for cracks and spaces for moisture to get into the building and damage anything you might have inside.

Heat & Cold

Natural insulation is your best defense against the heat and cold of the changing seasons in Canada, in addition to including more insulation via a handful of different methods. No matter what you choose to do, steel’s natural insulation helps absorb and keep warm air inside the structure while keeping cold air at bay during the winter months. Conversely, the siding and roof panels are great at bouncing off excessive heat and keeping the building’s interior at a much more reasonable temperature. This also helps with the costs of keeping your building up, since any heating & cooling appliances you have inside will use much less energy in order to keep the building at a reasonable temperature. This will save you money on utility bills since the appliances will be doing much less overtime work in order to keep your building’s temperature regulated.

 

For more information on our steel buildings, call us at 1-888- 449-7756