Steel home kit

moorethemerrier · #1 02/15/13, 06:19 PM

Just researching our home options. Anyone buy and put together a steel home kit?

jcatblum · #2 02/15/13, 07:28 PM

We are meeting with our potential builder tomorrow. After much shopping around they seem to be able to put the shell up for almost the same price I can buy the DIY kit. Prices were all over the place for kits & for places that offered to construct metal buildings. We are looking around $12sq ft.

kudzuvine · #3 02/16/13, 01:39 AM

my parents built one several years ago. utilities are extremely low. What they also did is framed the inside with wood instead about 4" or so from wall beams. Wall beams, I believe, were 12" deep, so there is actually about 16" of insulation. Also if house should move due to tornadoes, earthquakes, etc the inside walls may not be so damaged. Make sense? Make sure there are cables in attic space securing roof beams. very sound proof, basically no maintenance and they love it.

po boy · #4 02/16/13, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcatblum

We are meeting with our potential builder tomorrow. After much shopping around they seem to be able to put the shell up for almost the same price I can buy the DIY kit. Prices were all over the place for kits & for places that offered to construct metal buildings. We are looking around $12sq ft.

Can you share your builder's info?

solidwoods · #5 02/16/13, 08:29 AM

Be careful about the interior. It needs to be moisture barrierd properly.
I'd guess the manufacture would have specs.
Friend of mine has one and had a conventional construction interior installed and the metal would sweat bad and run water into the home. Sometimes it was raining in his attic.
Then the lightning hit.
jim

cornbread · #6 02/16/13, 08:47 AM

My wife and I are thanking about a steel home also.

I hop you will keep us updated on your home project and share with us the builder and other information.

Thank
John

fantasymaker · #7 02/16/13, 09:28 AM

I think a key to a metal house is sprayed on foam insulation. you want to have the dew point occur INSIDE the foam so theres no condensation....I hate it when it rains inside the house!

FarmboyBill · #8 02/16/13, 09:37 AM

How do lenders feel about loaning on metal fab houses. I went and looked at what Im almost sure is one last night. Couldnt get in. Its been through 2 sherirffs sales. 10 acres, 5 open, rest on a hill with trees/brush. Big house attached garage, also big, poured floor in house and front portch 8 X 40. Garage is around 24 X 32, not poured floor, 2 buildings, all bright metal. House is red. Looks like a Morton Co bldg.
Fraid, if its been through 2 sheriffs sales, that it might not assess at $50 min. Thats the lowest banks will go here.
Think the reason it hasnt been bought is cause I think the front floods. Fancy neighbors on 3 sides. Think one of them would have snapped it up IF there was nothing wrong with it.

manfred · #9 02/16/13, 10:08 AM

I've lived in a metal constructed home for 15 years now. 1 foot of insulation in the walls. Never had any moisture problems no trouble from lightning at all, the entire house is grounded.
Kind of unconventional though as I built it myself.

jcatblum · #10 02/16/13, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by po boy

Can you share your builder's info?

The builder we are using is a contractor for bargainbarnsusa.com. They cover OK AR KS TX & MO. Our building is 2400sq ft a smaller building would have higher cost per sq ft.
We are doing the interior work ourselves & hope to be close to $50 sq ft finished.

ET1 SS · #11 02/16/13, 04:15 PM

I bought a pre-engineered steel building. 40' X 60' with 12' eaves and 14' peak.

I sprayed foam on the ceiling and walls 2" thick than 9" of fiberglass batting, before hanging wood paneling.

We like it.

moorethemerrier · #12 02/21/13, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manfred

I've lived in a metal constructed home for 15 years now. 1 foot of insulation in the walls. Never had any moisture problems no trouble from lightning at all, the entire house is grounded.
Kind of unconventional though as I built it myself.

We are hoping to build our own, as well. How long did it take you to get it together? No frills, just the basics.

Was the cost less/equal to/more than a conventional home? The kits we're looking at are around $40K, so we're just wondering what the total cost will be.

Thank you!

gobug · #13 02/22/13, 11:51 AM

ET1 SS,
Hi. I recall reading about your metal house years ago and was wondering how it went.

I just searched for steel building kits and saw many bargains for the moment. One thought I just had was to get a much larger steel shell and then make separate "rooms" inside. The "rooms" would not require exterior siding and snow load roofing because they would be inside the metal structure. They would be separately insulated instead of insulating the whole metal box.

I saw some very basic large structures (like 4000 sq ft +) for ~$15K. So "rooms" which comprise 2 bedrooms, kitchen, living, family room and bathroom that add up to ~1000 sq ft would leave room for a courtyard, deck, car and tractor parking, support systems (like furnace, water etc) and storage.

It would look like a warehouse, but just on the outside.

Hmmmm. Is that a dumb idea?
Gary

ET1 SS · #14 02/22/13, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gobug

ET1 SS,
Hi. I recall reading about your metal house years ago and was wondering how it went.

We are happy with it.

Quote:

... I just searched for steel building kits and saw many bargains for the moment. One thought I just had was to get a much larger steel shell and then make separate "rooms" inside. The "rooms" would not require exterior siding and snow load roofing because they would be inside the metal structure. They would be separately insulated instead of insulating the whole metal box.

I saw some very basic large structures (like 4000 sq ft +) for ~$15K. So "rooms" which comprise 2 bedrooms, kitchen, living, family room and bathroom that add up to ~1000 sq ft would leave room for a courtyard, deck, car and tractor parking, support systems (like furnace, water etc) and storage.

It would look like a warehouse, but just on the outside.

Hmmmm. Is that a dumb idea?
Gary

If you draw it and you decide that you like it, then sounds like a good idea to me.

blufford · #15 02/23/13, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gobug

ET1 SS,
Hi. I recall reading about your metal house years ago and was wondering how it went.

I just searched for steel building kits and saw many bargains for the moment. One thought I just had was to get a much larger steel shell and then make separate "rooms" inside. The "rooms" would not require exterior siding and snow load roofing because they would be inside the metal structure. They would be separately insulated instead of insulating the whole metal box.

I saw some very basic large structures (like 4000 sq ft +) for ~$15K. So "rooms" which comprise 2 bedrooms, kitchen, living, family room and bathroom that add up to ~1000 sq ft would leave room for a courtyard, deck, car and tractor parking, support systems (like furnace, water etc) and storage.

It would look like a warehouse, but just on the outside.

Hmmmm. Is that a dumb idea?
Gary

You could park a Winnebago inside and live in it.

TxMex · #16 02/23/13, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcatblum

The builder we are using is a contractor for bargainbarnsusa.com. They cover OK AR KS TX & MO. Our building is 2400sq ft a smaller building would have higher cost per sq ft.
We are doing the interior work ourselves & hope to be close to $50 sq ft finished.

Unfortunately these folks only cover about half of Texas. So you need to contact them rather than going by what their website says. It is a lovely idea as long as you live close to one of their dealers.