Key Advantages of Metal as a Building Material

For any kind of new building construction you’re considering, one of the first and most important elements to be thinking about is the primary material that will be used. And while there are numerous options here, including several modern materials that have been engineered for quality building needs, an old mainstay is still often the best choice in many settings: Metal.

At Redi, we’re here to offer comprehensive metal building construction services, handling everything from excavation and site setup to industrial insulation, electrical services and all of your painting needs. We’ll also happily educate prospective clients on why metal might be the ideal choice for their building needs — here are some of the most notable reasons why this is often the case.

Quality Control

Because most or sometimes all components of a given metal building are initially created in a factory environment, there’s a lot more opportunity for quality control during the building process. This is as opposed to, say, stick-built construction where a good portion of the work is done on-site by individual workers — even if those workers are highly skilled and experienced, it’s simply harder to maintain the same level of quality control throughout the process.

For instance, with a metal building, all of the framing elements can be put through extensive quality assurance testing before they ever leave the factory. This is much harder to do with stick-built construction methods.

Additionally, with metal buildings, you’ll have a lot more leeway in terms of choosing your building components. Because these are all manufactured off-site, you can pick and choose the very best materials for your needs rather than being limited to what’s available locally. This is a major advantage in terms of both quality and cost, as you’ll be able to get exactly what you need without overspending.

Faster Construction Times

It’s not uncommon for metal buildings to be completed in half the time it would take to construct a comparable stick-built structure. And while some of this is due to the fact that metal buildings can often be constructed using a smaller workforce, a lot of it also has to do with the fact that so much of the work is done in a factory setting.

With a stick-built building, the framing crew has to come in and do their work on-site. This includes not only putting up the actual framing, but also cutting and nailing all of the lumber to size — a process that can be both time-consuming and vulnerable to errors. With a metal building, on the other hand, the framing elements are all created in a factory setting and then shipped to the building site. This means that they’re all ready to be assembled with no cutting or nailing required, which can save a significant amount of time.

On top of this, because metal buildings are often put together using prefabricated components, it’s often possible to construct them in sections. This means that the building can be put up much faster, as each section can be worked on independently. Once all of the sections are complete, they can then be assembled together to create the final product.

Sustainability

Eco-friendliness is a topic that’s only growing in importance, and with good reason. As our planet becomes more populated and our resources more strained, it’s increasingly important to find ways to build sustainably. Fortunately, metal buildings offer a great solution here. Because metal is such a durable material, metal buildings are often able to last for decades or even centuries with proper care. This means that they have a much lower embodied energy than other types of buildings, as they don’t need to be replaced nearly as often.

Metal buildings can also often be recycled at the end of their lifespan, which further reduces their environmental impact. In fact, according to the Steel Recycling Institute, steel is the most recycled material in the world — more than paper, plastic, or aluminum.

Additionally, metal buildings can be designed to be highly energy-efficient. For instance, they can be outfitted with solar panels or other types of renewable energy systems. Alternatively, they can be designed to maximize passive heating and cooling, which can further reduce their energy needs.

Cost-Effectiveness

Speaking of the durability we talked about above, it also plays a big role in the cost-effectiveness of metal buildings. Because these structures are built to last, they often don’t need to be repaired or replaced as often as other types of buildings — meaning that you’ll save money in the long run.

On top of this, while the up-front cost of a metal building may be higher than that of a stick-built structure, it’s important to keep in mind that you’ll also save on construction costs. As we mentioned above, metal buildings can often be constructed much faster than other types of buildings, which can save you a significant amount of money on labor costs.

Further still, because metal buildings are often prefabricated, you may also be able to take advantage of lower shipping costs. This is due to the fact that prefabricated components are often much lighter than their stick-built counterparts, which makes them much cheaper to ship.

Aesthetics

Finally, it’s worth mentioning that metal buildings can be just as attractive as any other type of building. In fact, with the right design, metal buildings can actually be quite beautiful.

Of course, the aesthetic appeal of a metal building will depend on its intended use. For instance, if you’re planning to use your metal building as a storage shed, then you probably won’t need to worry too much about its appearance. However, if you’re planning to use it as a retail space or an office, then you’ll want to make sure that it’s designed in a way that’s pleasing to the eye.

As you can see, there are a number of reasons why metal makes for an excellent building material. If you’re planning a new construction project, be sure to keep these advantages in mind. For more on our high-quality metal building construction services, or to learn about our other industrial construction and related solutions, contact our team at Redi today.