Metal Buildings: Customized for You, Part I
Once upon time, metal buildings conjured up images of a grey steel box, maybe with a big commercial garage door, a flat roof and, if you were lucky – a window to let in a little light. But times have changed.
Metal buildings are becoming more and more flexible as far as the style and design of the structures for which they are being used. For example, these types of prefabricated buildings can built with a second floor, customized exteriors, or with steeper roofs that are more aesthetically pleasing to the metal buildings of the past. These days, churches, schools, municipal buildings, arenas, and more are commonly constructed from metal – and with the availability of custom design and finishes, sometimes these buildings cannot be distinguished from traditional types of construction.
If it’s a second floor that you need – a metal structure can be fabricated for you. It will cost more money, obviously, and require more complex engineering in order to handle the load of the second story, but it is a manageable project in today’s metal buildings market.
If the last thing you want is a dull grey box like metal buildings of the past – you are in for a treat. A wide variety of colors are available in both sidewall and trim, and most companies offer long-term warranties on these finishes. Roofing materials also offer other designs options that will help to customize your metal building. Gabled roofs with steeper pitches emulate the look of more traditional architecture, and can turn a blah exterior into an eye-catching structure. The colors available in roofing materials for metal buildings also allow for splashes of color that will brighten up the exterior.
A metal building just may be in your future as a home or business owner. With the limited amount of both non-renewable and renewable resources on the planet, you might not have ever considered a metal building. They have a stereotype of being boxy, practical and utilitarian-in short, kind of unattractive.
One of the main reasons that the metal building construction field is growing is that steel is a durable, easy to produce and inexpensive product. It is stronger than any other building product pound for pound. Much of the steel used in any given metal building you might see today is made from recycled material-and over 50 percent of it can be recycled again for use in another building. Therefore, metal is a “green” building material-a concept that is increasing in popularity with both builders and consumers. It has the ability to withstand some of the most damaging weather conditions as well as being fire resistant-insurance companies typically love it.
Comment by Sarika — December 4, 2007 @ 4:37 am