HOW MUCH DOES A PRE-ENGINEERED METAL BUILDING COST?

Wouldn't it be nice if a company could provide a single, roll forming machine solid figure for the total building cost? The reality is there is absolutely no way to do that because there are too many variables involved with any construction project - from design and change orders to weather delays and materials selection, to name a few.

PRE-ENGINEERED METAL BUILDINGS COST LESS IN THE LONG RUN
What is certain is that when planned and designed well, and when experienced metal building manufacturers and builders are used, the cost of a metal building is almost surprising. In some cases, the total costs for a pre-engineered building is upwards of 40% less than other types of construction, due to the ease and speed of construction, and that's without taking lifetime costs into consideration.

So, while providing an exact figure isn't possible, it is possible to outline factors that make steel buildings affordable in the big picture.

PRE-ENGINEERING REDUCES MATERIALS WASTE & CHANGE ORDERS
The pre-engineering process is a cost-saving technique. Your team will work closely with designers and the manufacturing company to create a building design that suits your needs and meets the building codes for your particular region, including the considerations required for things like excessive wind speeds, snow loads or seismic activity.

Once this design is complete, the building is engineered and its parts are fabricated to specific, quality-controlled dimensions. The result is a deconstructed metal building that is shipped to the building site, ready to be erected.

This process avoids:


Time spent measuring and Purlin Roll Forming Machine cutting materials to size on site Scrapping materials that are warped, overly knotted or malformed Human error that leads to wasted materials due to mis-measurment or poor cuts Change orders can be one of the most time-consuming and costly impacts on a construction project's timeline and budget. With a pre-engineered building, these changes are already worked out during the design phase so the team - including the building owner - is more committed to getting the building up and running.

SHORTER BUILD TIME MEANS LOWER LABOR COSTS
Labor costs are another driving force behind project budgets, so the sooner the building is complete, the better it is for those who funding the paychecks. Assuming site conditions are prime and weather is favorable, pre-fabricated metal buildings are much faster to construct than wood-framed buildings.

With an experienced crew, a metal building can be erected and closed-in within a matter of days or weeks, and the entire project can be completed within weeks or just a few months. This is more cost-efficient for everyone involved, especially those who live in more extreme climate zones with only have a short, dry season to pour a foundation and get the building closed in.

CHEAPER FUEL PRICES MEAN CHEAPER STEEL
If you follow the commodities market, you know that when oil prices go up, so does the price of steel. This is because - in addition to supply and demand - shipping costs are one of the most poignant factors that affect the steel pricing.

Some companies are willing lock in steel pricing for a set window, typically 90-days, which can help you avoid the stress of fluctuating prices as you work on finishing your building design.

DON'T FORGET THE IMPORTANCE OF LIFETIME COSTS
When analyzing a project's budget, it's equally or perhaps even more important to take lifetime costs into consideration. Depending on the size of a project, this can save a building owner thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of the building's lifetime. For example, insurance premiums for metal buildings are often notably less than those for traditionally-built structures.

Other factors to consider include:

Reduced maintenance costs. Because steel and metal are inherently durable and resistant to typical materials threats such as pests or fire damage, they require significantly less maintenance than most other building materials. Metal roofs and siding are often warranteed for 40-years, durable metal coatings and paint won't have to be re-done more than once ever ten years or more. This adds up to serious savings.
Fewer repairs and replacement. Along with reduced maintenance requirements is a lower number of large-scale repair and/or component replacement that will be required along the way. Again, consider the metal roofing system, which will often last for 50 or 60 years with a modicum of maintenance, with a traditional asphalt shingle roof that will need to be replaced every 15 to 20 years. Because steel and metal is more resistant to pests, rot, warping and general weathering, a pre-engineered metal building will require far fewer repairs and parts replacement to perform as designed.
Energy savings. The price of oil affects the price of steel, and it also affects the price of fuel used to power a building's energy systems. Cool metal roofs and reflective/emissive materials have been shown to reduce annual cooling costs by as much as 40%. Additionally, metal buildings retain a tightly sealed envelope and allow for extra insulation in the interior wall spaces, which further reduce heating and cooling costs. Finally, your metal building roof is a prime habitat for a solar power system, which will significantly reduce your need for electricity and gas.
There is no builder or building manufacturer that can tell you exactly how much a pre-engineered building will cost. What is clear though, is that a well-designed and expertly constructed metal building is a cost-efficient solution.