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Industrial Pre Engineered Metal Buildings: 3 Things You Need to Know

Industrial Pre Engineered Metal Buildings: 3 Things You Need to Know

Understanding some of the factors that go into planning pre engineered metal buildings will help you coordinate a project that goes smoothly.

From the initial design to the final completion of pre-engineered metal buildings, there’s a lot that goes into the process. To make sure you receive the best product possible, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with how the procedure unfolds.

There are a number of outfits on the market that provide prefab buildings, and some are more reputable than others. Many offer different levels of service, including: 

Design only: The firm provides the plans and materials, and you assemble it yourself.

Design and erect: The company creates the design and provides field crews to erect the building. Foundation and finishing work need to be arranged.

Turnkey services: Handles all aspects of the designing, general contracting, erecting and finishing of pre-engineered metal buildings. 

Each service has its advantages. For instance, if you have a construction background and available manpower, you might be able to work with a company that provides the plans and materials. For an added-value service, design-and-erect companies are a good fit for many projects because you can usually source local contractors to provide the foundation and finishing work.

No matter which service you choose, there are a number of aspects of pre-engineered metal buildings that you should familiarize yourself with before you get started.

1. Local Building Codes

When designing steel buildings, it’s important to ensure your project adheres to local building code. Most provinces adopt their own variation of the National Building Code of Canada. Also, most municipalities have their own bylaws and regulations stipulating the minimum requirements buildings they must meet. Some of the core considerations include:

  • Fire protection
  • Structural design
  • Heating and ventilation
  • Plumbing
  • Safety

When dealing with a steel building company, it’s important to discuss where the building is going to be erected and how it will be used. 

2. Warranties

When built correctly, not much can really go wrong with pre-engineered metal buildings. They’re designed to provide years of worry-free (and virtually maintenance-free) use. However, buildings do fail from time to time.

Whether it’s faulty materials or an error in workmanship, it’s comforting to work with a company that stands by its product. The standard warranty for steel buildings is typically one year. However, companies like Metal Structure Concepts go well beyond that by offering an industry-leading three-year in-house guarantee on all work they do.

3. Shipping Considerations

There are a number of steel building manufacturers across North America. As you can probably guess, the further away a manufacturer is from where your building is being erected, the more it will cost in shipping. 

No matter which type of metal building company you decide to work with, make sure your quote includes a breakdown of shipping arrangements. If the total seems high, get a second opinion. 

For more information on the cost of metal buildings, read our post: Industrial Steel Building Prices: 5 Factors that Affect Cost Planning.

Do you need help with designing an industrial building? Call the experts at Metal Structure Concepts. We operate all across Western Canada, offering complete design-and-erect services for pre-engineered metal buildings of all sizes.