[foxbody82]

Any good info on who to buy from? Looking at a beginner home for myself, around 1000 sq. ft. about to start figuring out what to build and what style, just know i want a steel building, fairly open floor plan, and a big garage of course.

 

[foxbody82]

No good companies out there, or ideas??

 

[05cesrt]

Shipping containers. Cheap and strong

 

[cat-can-do]

look more toward S.I.P'S panel homes. Strong and beyond efficient.

 

[Big Trev]

can't help you with the name of a builder, but we built a steel framed house in 1995, best damn thing we did, we have real issues with white ants (termites) in our area and they cause us no grief, but give out neighbours buggery.

Steel frames will always remain square providing the concrete slab stays stable, a bit harder to put a picture nail in a stud but there are ways around it.

 

[flyingdutchmanfc]

Just curious as to why, unless there is an issue with termites as BigTrev mentioned. They have built wood framed houses as long as they have been building houses. Then you want 1000 sq ft on top of that. The key is to build 50% bigger then what you think you need, you will see why.

 

[99PanozAIV]

I've been looking at that for a while and it is hard to find companies that specialize in it. Depends on the type as well. If you're looking for conventional,architecture but using steel framing instead of lumber, that's not too hard to find. I was looking for completely maintenance free materials everywhere, steel, stone, concrete...no painting, no insect problems, fire proof, etc. I also wanted steel beam superstructure, very open with limited interior walls.

Here's one place.

http://www.ecosteel.com/steel-homes

 

[taxman]

Plan on plenty of grief with the building inspector if he is clueless.

 

[Jrzy Boy Troy]

Plan on spending a lot more to build out of steel

 

[oneperfectrun]

I'm getting ready to build a metal home/shop as soon as the weather breaks. Bought some land and got started then the rain set in and hasn't been dry enough the last several weeks to do anything.

Here's a few pics of a metal home near me. It's really nice. If you drive by and weren't paying attention you wouldn't notice it a metal building.

 

[Big Trev]

Out here steel frames make up probably 20% of all new houses built, we have heaps of builders who specialise in them.

The building inspectors love 'em, less faults than in timber

Steel framed houses are the same price as timber here and look the same.

Nearly all homes are brick veneer in Aussie so from the outside or from the inside for the matter they all look the same.

 

[TwoTon]

You should recieve a good discount on fire and homeowners insurance also. Been thinking of doing one for the last 10 years .........never got to it though.

 

[Outlaw 275]

I'm getting ready to build a metal home/shop as soon as the weather breaks. Bought some land and got started then the rain set in and hasn't been dry enough the last several weeks to do anything.

Here's a few pics of a metal home near me. It's really nice. If you drive by and weren't paying attention you wouldn't notice it a metal building.

Very nice Jeff!

 

[Inbredjedd]

You wont have bug problems so much. I like the idea you could make a nice shop and a nice loft setup in the living area. The potential is endless. The slab will cost a bit more because it has to be engeneered to hold the large main support structure but it will also be strong as all hell. As far as cargo containers I have one on my property I use to keep all the crap you would normally put in your garage ( My garage is a small welding shop) and it would be a bit confined unless you welded a couple together and opened them up. They aren't real wide it would be like living in a semi trailer.

 

[Ingram78]

What ever you do, make sure you poor a footer cause in some states it's not considered a dwelling/house if you don't and if you have a fire or whatnot insurance may not pay. Or later if you decide to sell you won't be able to legally list it as a home.

 

[Inbredjedd]

What ever you do, make sure you poor a footer cause in some states it's not considered a dwelling/house if you don't and if you have a fire or whatnot insurance may not pay. Or later if you decide to sell you won't be able to legally list it as a home.

That woud be in the engineering of the slab. Some are done with separate footer pads and some are done with a monolithic slab which means the footers are incorporated in the slab.

 

[JAX04]

Ive have been looking at this same idea for the last 2 or 3 years. Like has been said, the possibilities are endless. I particularly like the large open formats myself.

Im in for details and pics as well.

 

[turbonos56vw]

They are great if you live in an area with tall pine or redwood trees too because there is much less chance of them catching fire. We had a house in the Los Gatos mountains surrounded by redwoods, one year many homes burned down after a wild fire and the only homes left were steel.



.

 

[14943]

one day i want to build a 60x100 steel building with 18ft ceilings , and take a 40x40 section and make it living area , and the rest a shop , i already have the land to do it , i just need to pull it off ....

 

[Ingram78]

That woud be in the engineering of the slab. Some are done with separate footer pads and some are done with a monolithic slab which means the footers are incorporated in the slab.

Nonetheless some type of footer is required in KY for a dwelling.