JimBowie1958
Old Fogey
- Sep 25, 2011
- 63,590
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Planning for a home in the mountains, so a steel frame house being a heat sink is a bad thing, but as it is also a retirement house, and people might start living to 200+ years old in the near future, I want it to last forever.
Cost comparison
Steel vs. Wood Cost Comparison: Beaufort Demonstration Homes
So far the advantages of steel I have found are:
1) Re-usable versus one-time construct.
2) Straight versus warped, bended. - years from now a steel building will be as straight, as sturdy, and as beautiful as the day you moved in.
3) Safe from termites, rot and mold, and drying out - it wont shrink, warp or swell.
4) Light weight versus heavy weight.
5) Office-wall/partition removable/movable versus residential/fixed code compliance
6) Sturdy and durable - free of high maintenance costs. Walls stay straight, floors are flat, doors and windows do not stick.
7) Steel is one of the strongest building materials available, many times stronger than wood.
8) Steel is non-flammable - it will actually contain a fire and keep it from spreading. Wood framing is one of the biggest hazards in a fire.
9) Steel has a long lifespan, long warranties on the structure, roof and painted exterior finish (a metal roof lasts 2-3 times longer than an asphalt shingle roof)
10) Steel is the most recycled material on earth- all new steel is currently produced with recycled steel
11) Steel buildings are pre-engineered for cost efficiency as well as ease and speed of construction. Steel studs and joists are pre-punched with holes to allow the passage of electrical, telephone, TV cables, etc.,- a huge time and money saver when erecting the building.
12) Steel buildings have a better track record in both earthquakes and hurricanes.
Advantages of wood frame:
1) Natural insulator and so is more energy efficient without coating, etc.
2) Cheap labor works with wood (not sure this is necessarily a good thing)
3) Lower material costs by about 5 - 10%.
But does anyone here have real world experience with steel framing that might add anything to this list?
Cost comparison
Steel vs. Wood Cost Comparison: Beaufort Demonstration Homes
So far the advantages of steel I have found are:
1) Re-usable versus one-time construct.
2) Straight versus warped, bended. - years from now a steel building will be as straight, as sturdy, and as beautiful as the day you moved in.
3) Safe from termites, rot and mold, and drying out - it wont shrink, warp or swell.
4) Light weight versus heavy weight.
5) Office-wall/partition removable/movable versus residential/fixed code compliance
6) Sturdy and durable - free of high maintenance costs. Walls stay straight, floors are flat, doors and windows do not stick.
7) Steel is one of the strongest building materials available, many times stronger than wood.
8) Steel is non-flammable - it will actually contain a fire and keep it from spreading. Wood framing is one of the biggest hazards in a fire.
9) Steel has a long lifespan, long warranties on the structure, roof and painted exterior finish (a metal roof lasts 2-3 times longer than an asphalt shingle roof)
10) Steel is the most recycled material on earth- all new steel is currently produced with recycled steel
11) Steel buildings are pre-engineered for cost efficiency as well as ease and speed of construction. Steel studs and joists are pre-punched with holes to allow the passage of electrical, telephone, TV cables, etc.,- a huge time and money saver when erecting the building.
12) Steel buildings have a better track record in both earthquakes and hurricanes.
Advantages of wood frame:
1) Natural insulator and so is more energy efficient without coating, etc.
2) Cheap labor works with wood (not sure this is necessarily a good thing)
3) Lower material costs by about 5 - 10%.
But does anyone here have real world experience with steel framing that might add anything to this list?