Using metal buiding as a house?

[Jared]

This is becoming pretty popular around here, using steel-trussed buildings instead of a standard stick frame. I know this probably doesn't belong on this forum, since my house won't be small, or a plan from this site, but I've got a question. Since the steel trusses will be 6-10 inches thick, how would I frame between them? Or would I just build a stick frame in front of the beams and nail it to the pad? Doing that would cause me to lose space between the back of the insulated wall and the outside wall of the metal building. Fitting a wall between the 8' space from truss to truss would cause the trusses to show. Does anybody see a better way that I can't see? I was quoted 12,500 for a 23x40 with a fiber-crete pad, two doors and I can't remember if there were any windows or not. Considering it might take me two years to complete this, which route would you take? Regular construction, knowing the wood will be in the weather til you can find the time and money to dry in, or do the metal building and know everything will be safe and out of the way?
Jared

[glenn-k]

This is pretty well a free for all area for anything of interest to country homes or living as long as I help John manage it, Jared, so please feel free to post your comments, ideas or questions.  As dubya says, "Bring 'em on."

In offices we just shot the bottom plate down to the floor with a nail gun -put a 2x4 studwall along the metal wall or built it just like a trussed house inside- nfree standing walls can be braced to building framing or each other - suspended ceiling or second floor joists for rooms above.  Just sheetrock around the frames using wood framing as desired.

[Jared]

So I'd basically lose the space from the inside of the steel i-beam truss (where my stud wall would be) to the outside wall? Man that sucks. I don't have the time to get anything dried in quickly, but I hate to pay for space I can't use. But on the other hand, I like drawing my own plans and hate to pay an artchitect to make sure the roof won't fall in on me. 6 of one, half a dozen of the other I guess.

[glenn-k]

You don't have to lose the space if you move your girt up high to clear the wall or if it is low and you don't want to move it you could box it in -frame above and below it -short stud wall below -cripples above if necessary.  Lots of ways to do it since it is non bearing - you can do what you want within reason.

[peg_688]

/quote]

 Could you elorabate on that Glenn ?  Reason ? Who's ? Yours? Mine ? Others?   What is" Within reason "   :-/ :'(

 Wide latitude could be expected on that :)PEG

[glenn-k]

Since the building would be a pre-engineered shell, then other issues to be considered would be, proper support and design of the second floor if used, bracing free standing walls, proper bracing of the house structure in the pre-engineered shell.  Also to be considered would be any issues that should run by the local building department or possibly a local professional if necessary.  Depending on where he is he may get by with drawing up a standard stick frame structure himself if he has the knowledge to do so.  Also to be considered would be how to frame around, under and over and connect to steel framing members that may interfere with the wood structure inside.

Other issues would be electric, mechanical and plumbing code issues - allowing for wood framing, sheetrock etc when layiing out plumbing - toilet offsets, locations etc.

Mostly standard stuff modified to go inside a steel shell.  The whole steel building can be insulated with vinyl covered insulation sandwiched  between the steel framing members and the sheeting before the living area is built.  Insulation can be added to the living area as desired or required.

By within reason I meant incorporating good building practices with the modifications necessary to construct a living space in a pre-engineered building and comply with any safety and code issues as necessary.

I'm afraid you caught me, PEG -- I meant to leave wide latitude because I'm working about 200 miles from home tonight and was feeling lazy --long day.

[stricsm]

Jared

I saw a show on HGTV many months (or maybe years) ago where a couple built a house using a steel building - sorry I can't remember what show it was on.   It was a single story.  I've searched on HGTV's website but couldn't find it.  Anyway, they did a very nice job.  

Mark

[travcojim]

There is a company that sells alot of metal garages pretty cheap and they have a vew cabin buildings they sell also.  I stopped in one day and was surprised and the price, somethink like a 20x24 for $3500, all you need is the foundation and they come out and assemble it on site for that price.  They seemed to be build pretty well, it came with one door and 3 windows and for a price of course, more could be added.    The one I went into was being used as a office and it was paneled with wafer board and turned out nice for a small price.  

[Dustin]

I'm thinking about one of those in country barn red for our garage. They don't look too tough to put up, either.
I'll need lots and lots of storage, space for cars, a actual workshop....I can't wait!
Probably do a 30'x40'.

[ailsaek]

There is a company that sells alot of metal garages pretty cheap and they have a vew cabin buildings they sell also.  I stopped in one day and was surprised and the price, somethink like a 20x24 for $3500, all you need is the foundation and they come out and assemble it on site for that price.

Is there a URL for them?  That sounds interesting.

[travcojim]

I don't have their website, or even know if there is one. but if you would like I could get the number, if you want to email me I will get it for you.
 

[Jared]

A friend at work has just finished one. He got a 40x60 "red iron" shop and enclosed 1600 sq ft of it for a house. All total, with septic, pad and completed interior was 50K. The support structres for these buildings is steel I-beams that run vertically and connect at the top of the vertical member, and then run over the center of the building to become trusses for the roof. Vertical purlins are what the bubble insulation and steel siding are screwed to. I'm pretty sure my friend said he lost 8" on each wall due to the thickness of the I-beams. One big problem I have is this: there are no overhangs off of the roof to protect windows. But the great thing is someone like me can do it because of the lack of bearing walls inside. The other thing I'm looking at is Sutherland's home packages. http://www.sutherlandlumber.com/scotty.asp?time=3214
Grand total for materials is under 15K. Of course, I'd have to add a master bedroom and bath on the far side and move the untility room into the master bath, but that's not bad for materials is it? I've got a real jones to do almost all of it myself, just because I harbor this silly dream of being debt free relatively early in life so I can quit my shift work and take a lesser paying job someplace like the city, where I work days and am off nights and weekends. Me working evenigns and my wife working graveyard is killing our new family. Talk about motivation, I've got it!
Jared

[spinnm]

We're doing it Jared.  Having the same issues as you.  Can't decide whether to leave the bents exposed for interest or cover them up.  Himself doesn't want any metal building details inside...surprise...ie, this is a metal building?   Whereas, I, would like to go for the industrial loft look.  Winner undetermined at this point.

Will tell you that we've been told, haven't seen, that some people turn the 2x4's sideways to reduce the depth.  Like Glenn said the frame walls are not structural, not holding up the roof as in conventional framing.  Guess you could use 2x2s....thinking out loud here...depends upon how much extra insulation you want.

You could just size the building somewhat larger to allow for the loss of sf.  Not much difference in price.

Talked to the plan check guy.  We have to get a new permit for the interior.  Shell permit has been finaled and closed out.  Said that with the kind of insulation that we're talking about if we included a wall section detail in our plans he would forgo the requirement of heat-loss calcs.  Yeah!

We just poured the slab yesterday for the house....which will also be metal.  Got so intrigued with the method that we scrapped our adobe house plans and scrounged one that we thought would look good in metal.  So, we'll be doing this twice.  I'll be an expert by spring. 8-)

[Tim(Guest)]

Folks

I wanted a low cost way of having a small weekender home built on some property I own in East Texas. At the time there were several builders that would build for $50 sq/ft. These were turn key solutions for low end stick built homes. While they were not too bad, I needed a lower cost solution. So, I did some research into steel buildings for homes. I wanted a small (24' x 30') turn key solution that would be energy efficient, somewhat fire resistant, secure, and would require little maintenance. Also, I didn't want to spend an arm and a leg. I contacted several Steel building manufactures.

The web sites are as follows:
http://www.tri-steel.com/
http://www.heritagebuildings.com/

The above sites will provide a good cross section of what's available in the way of steel homes. The problem that I had was the cost of finishing out the interior. The cost of the shell with slab foundation (at the time) was around $11 sp/ft. I dropt the project because of the economic down turn in 2000.  :'(

I hope this info will be of use.

Just my 2 cents.