Steel is known to be used in commercial buildings, but steel framed homes are increasingly in demand. When most consumers think of steel homes, roofing is the first thing that comes to mind. Most builders, too, still consider wood the first choice in home building material. Steel homes development basics may give you a different perspective and new product to offer your customers.

A steel frame home is built much in the same way a wood home is built except that steel beams are used for floor joints, wall studs and trusses in place of wood. Beams are pieced together on site but material quality is consistent and pieces come precut to the right size so it does not take as much time as preparing supplies a wood build. Other benefits of steel framed homes for the builder include:

1. Price stability means easier pricing and better profit for the steel home builder.

2. Building steel homes uses recycled materials, leaving less waste and the waste is all recyclable.

3. Steel beams offer better product quality and performance that does not expand or contract, rot, split or warp in comparison to wood.

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Consider benefits of steel framed homes for your customers

Consumers who are unfamiliar with the steel home market will want to know why they should build a steel frame home instead of a wood home. Presenting them with benefits of steel building provides a strong sales pitch. The strength of steel against wind sparked the steel frame home market, but the benefits of using steel are plenty, which makes the product universally marketable, not just in areas where hurricanes and tornadoes frequent.

I recommend: At Custom Steel Structures you can get a list of benefits to using steel in home building. Comparing and contrasting wood and steel home buildings also brings to light other benefits that will assist some consumers in making educated decisions in their home building choices. IQ-Home provides a brief analysis of the two styles.

View product potential from suppliers and steel home builders

Getting to know more about available products will make you feel more comfortable about offering them to your customers. Once you have decided to add steel homes to your revenue stream, you can choose to offer steel home kits or custom steel homes. Viewing what other builders are succeeding with can help you decide what to offer.

I recommend: For the highest quality references, e-construct.net manually approves companies listed on their website. Find potential suppliers here as well as view what other builders are doing. Go to Reed Construction Data for a list of manufacturers of steel home building products. For a comprehensive list of other expert resources, see an industry leader, the Steel Framing Alliance.

Understand the process of steel framed home building

A builder already knows the basic concept of constructing homes. The only thing that changes when building a steel home is the medium. With little training, a builder can easily understand how steel home development works.

I recommend: For a start to finish overview of the steel building process, including information on offering prefabricated steel homes, go to BuyerZone. Kodiak Steel Homes will walk you through step by step of decision making to finished product of one of their pre-engineered homes.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Partner with a financial institution to offering financing for your custom steel homes or steel homes for sale for a seamless building process.

Steel framed homes use steel rather than traditional wood framing in the construction process, providing a stronger structure that has a variety of other benefits including fire resistance and termite resistance. Steel home builders often used recycled steel to further save on costs and save the environment, making steel a safe and environmentally-friendly option.

Prefabricated steel homes offer you all of the opportunities to protect the environment while saving additional funds by cutting down on the building expenses. Prefabricated steel homes offer you the opportunity to build the home yourself rather than hiring a sub-contractor. Most companies will train you on the construction methods should you choose this option.

1. Consider the strength of the products provided by a steel homes development company.

2. Explore the option of a steel home kit.

3. Find steel home builders who focus on protecting the environment during the building process.

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Look for safety in your steel framed homes

Steel homes are typically safer than a traditional wood framed home simply because steel is able to withstand more than wood. If you're building in an area with specific strength needs such as in an earthquake zone or a coastal location prone to hurricanes, steel framed construction will typically meet those more stringent building codes while keeping your home safer than the same home build with wood framing.

I recommend: Coastal Steel Homes boasts construction techniques that exceed the strict building codes for coastal construction. Alford Steel Homebuilders explains the benefits of using their recycled steel is stronger than wood, weighs less than wood and lasts longer than wood making it safer and a better choice in home construction.

Consider a steel home builder that can provide you with a kit

Choosing a steel home kit doesn't limit your options. You can design a custom steel home or choose from luxury steel homes kits in a traditional style or a contemporary style. The steel home kit developers will help you choose the best style and size home for your building lot and you can view photos and floor plans of the homes you're considering.

I recommend: Rhino Steel Building Systems has a wide variety of steel home kits for you to consider. Along with the photographs of the various homes, you can also view the floor plans for each home. Tri-Steel Homes offers the same features as Rhino Steel Building Systems and you can even download full blueprints once you've made a purchase.

Find steel homes development options that save the environment

Ask specifically if the steel used in the construction process is recycled. Recycling the steel is a great way to help protect the environment. Talk to the steel home providers you're considering to find out the specifics of how they protect the environment in all phases of their business practices including the final construction of a steel frame home.

I recommend: GreenSteel Homes and Dream Green Homes both offer steel home construction with a focus on being environmentally friendly. Both say their steel homes create less waste during the building process, lower utility bills and will even lower your home owners insurance costs.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Review the specific building codes for your area to insure you meet them all. Not all steel home kits are suitable for every location.

Luxury steel homes are more economical, ecologically friendly, and much safer than traditional wood frame construction. Steel is stronger, it is fire safe, and you can use recycled steel, so it even helps the environment. Builders can learn how to build a steel frame home with the help of steel homes development education and training. You can purchase steel home kits, prefabricated steel homes, and even design your own contemporary steel homes. Add steel homes development to your current list of available construction projects.

Whether you're a commercial or residential builder, you can find information on steel homes development from a variety of sources. Try:

1. Steel home builders' associations and organizations.

2. A steel home builder or prefabricated steel homes manufacturer.

3. Technical schools and colleges offering steel homes framing and building education.

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Go to steel home builders' associations for guidance in building luxury steel homes

If you've never worked with steel framing and construction, you need to train so you know how to do it right. There may be alternative building codes for steel frame buildings in your community, so you need to learn more about those codes, too. Many steel building associations offer seminars and information to help you get started building steel homes.

I recommend: The Steel Framing Alliance offers training white papers and documents on how to build steel homes for sale. The Metal Construction Association offers a wealth of publications and training resources on all aspects of steel home building, including information on building codes. The Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry offers information on upcoming steel building seminars, both onsite and self-study, around the country.

Build on information from builders and manufacturers who specialize in steel framed homes

Manufacturers of custom steel homes want you to use their products when you begin building steel frame structures, so it makes sense that they offer training seminars to introduce you to building techniques. People who offer licensing and other services also offer information. Take advantage of these seminars, either online or in your area, along with texts and other information, to tune up your steel building skills.

I recommend: Contractors Licensing Services offers a comprehensive manual that offers step-by-step instruction on how to tap into the lucrative custom steel home market. Boss International, an engineering firm, offers seminars around the country on how to design and renovate steel framed buildings.

Scour the Internet for schools and technical institutes that offer steel framed home instruction

Most steel framing courses need to take place onsite, but you can find short courses at schools and institutions around the country that offer comprehensive training for the steel frame home or commercial building.

I recommend: Ivy Tech Community College offers a construction technology course including steel framing for steel homes and commercial buildings. The Carpenters Training Committee for Northern California (CTCNC) offers courses in commercial steel framing.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Check with your local contractors board or construction industry organization to see if they are offering local training and education in steel buildings. With the growing popularity of energy-efficient construction, it seems these buildings will continue to grow in popularity, so jump on the bandwagon and create a new niche for yourself in building contemporary steel homes.

Steel homes development pricing and costs may be divided into labor and material costs. The cost of steel has remained relatively constant with the rate of inflation whereas the cost of wood is generally increasing. The material costs of a steel building is generally related directly to its size, so builders should first determine the most important dimensions of the building. These typically include factors such as eave height, length, width and roof slope. Prospective home buyers should also be aware of any unusual interior dimensions in the design as major changes are expensive once the drawings have been issued.

The costs of steel home kits may be generally grouped into the following three sources:

1. Prices from steel home builders. These companies typically provide the materials for a specific model at a set price.
2. Prices of a custom steel home, as opposed to homes made of wood. Home buyers will wish to compare the costs and benefits of the various common building materials.
3. Prices on pre-fabricated steel buildings. These buildings are usually sold by the square foot and may be designed for the do-it-yourselfer.
   

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Find the prices on specific steel framed homes

Companies that sell steel homes normally provide prices on fixed costs, such as the materials. Many of the other costs, such as foundation and site work, are highly dependent on the specific site.

I recommend: Kodiak Steel Homes bases its prices on the material costs at its Houston plant. GreenSteel Homes provides set prices on models that do not include taxes, labor and other costs.

Compare the cost of a steel frame home with a wood home

Prospective buyers of steel homes frequently wish to know how the cost of steel compares with that of wood. Common factors include the cost of the raw materials, insulation and termites.

I recommend: KingFisher Steel Homes answers common questions on steel homes, including pricing factors. California Steel Frame Homes provides a FAQ that compares the prices of steel with wood homes.

Examine the prices of pre-fabricated steel framed homes

The prices on pre-fabricated steel homes usually cover only the cost of the materials. Manufacturers typically price these types of steel buildings according to the total area of the pieces.

I recommend: Metal Building Depot provides prices based on the volume of the building and also offers online quotes. American Steel Buildings offers buildings in a range of sizes and also has an overview on the costs of a steel building.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  It is essential to understand that the interior dimensions of custom steel homes are restricted by the exterior dimensions. For example, the interior clearance of the house must be less than the height of the eaves above the ground, also known as the eave height. The interior design can also be affected if the customer wishes to apply some material other than steel to the exterior of the house. Prospective buyers can assist the buyer in visualizing a desired design with even a basic sketch.