Steel buildings may be most popular for storage space, but they also make durable and affordable houses, as well. The following steps will help you convert a standard steel building into a comfortable home for you and your family.
Step One: Find an Expert
Steel buildings are not designed with the initial intention of being lived in. For this reason, a contractor or architect with experience in converting steel buildings into residences should be consulted throughout the project. The small cost of hiring a qualified expert is well worth avoiding the headache of future construction issues with your steel home.
Step Two: The Layout
After you have an expert on hand, you should finalize the layout that you want for your steel home. The materials will most likely be prefabricated, so you need to make solid decisions on the layout of the steel building before construction begins. Utilize the expertise of the architect or contractor that you hired to ensure proper support placements and structural elements. Just like homes built from other materials, steel buildings can be customized to fit your lifestyle.
Step Three: Insulation, Walls & Roof
Steel buildings that are meant for storage and other industrial purposes are usually not insulated. In order to provide controllable and comfortable indoor temperatures, you have to incorporate insulation such as foam or batting into the design and construction of your steel home. Once properly insulated, a steel building is often the most energy-efficient kind of home to heat and cool.
The choice of walls and the roof for your steel home can also play a large part in temperature regulation. Decorated or sculpted steel may be aesthetically pleasing, but they cannot reflect and disperse sunlight as efficiently as finished smooth steel. When sunlight isn’t reflected off of a steel building effectively, the temperature inside will rise, which makes the home more expensive to cool.
Step Four: Finishing Touches
Once your steel home is fully built, it is time to add the finishing touches of décor. The most popular interior design style for a steel building is a clean and sleek modern look. Modern design takes full advantage of the industrial feel of steel, while still making the living space comfortable. Steel buildings, however, can be customized to reflect any personal styles through deft décor choices.
Steel buildings can be easily converted into comfortable, affordable and durable homes. Attention to layout and insulation can make a once stark industrial steel building into a dream home.
Jim often writes articles on the benefits of using steel over other materials. His company, Whirlwind Steel, manufactures steel residential buildings.
Converting A Steel Building Into A Home
