A Basic Guide to Prefabricated Buildings

Prefabricated buildings are the ideal solution for individuals or organizations that need a sturdy, basic structure erected quickly and with as little hassle as possible. Also called modular buildings, these structures are easily transportable, can be erected in a relatively short period of time, and are essentially portable, meaning that they can travel with you if you choose or are required to switch locations.

A prefabricated building is one that is assembled and shipped by the manufacturer in sections. Once it is delivered to its destination, it is then assembled according to the directions of the manufacturer. These types of buildings come in every size, style, and material, and can be used to suit multiple needs. Some popular uses for prefabricated shelters include storage sheds or units, temporary retail stores, offices, or medical clinics, and temporary animal housing, among hundreds of other possibilities.

Prefabricated metal buildings are generally the most popular types on today's market. Depending on their intended function, they may be constructed of aluminum or steel. Other options would include buildings that are made of a combination of materials, including, but not limited to, wood and PVC plastic or vinyl. Prefabricated steel buildings are stronger and more durable than other options, due to the weight and mass of the material. Steel beams can provide excellent support to any structure, but are less easy to transport and dismantle. A steel structure is an ideal option for a building that is more permanent in its intended design and use.

A lighter prefabricated metal building, made with aluminum, or a combination of other metals, is ideal for a structure that might eventually need to be dismantled and stored. This type of building is particularly useful for seasonal structures, such as workshops or temporary retail locations, since the sections of the building, when dismantled, can be stacked and stored and out of the way when not in use.

Prefabricated buildings are a relatively inexpensive way of obtaining a semi-permanent structure that is sturdy and reliable. It is important however, to ensure that you are obtaining the best quality materials for your money, since the erection of any type of new structure is going to be a considerable investment of time, energy, and money. Before settling on a purchase, inquire with several manufacturers regarding their prices. Ask how they can guarantee the quality of the buildings that they are selling, to ensure that you will be entirely satisfied with your purchase, and that it will last as long as required.

Richard Sundberg writes about home improvement topics including prefabricated buildings and prefabricated building installation.

Copyright 2010 Richard Sundberg. All Rights Reserved.

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The Advantages of Prefabricated Steel Buildings

As individuals and businesses look for solutions to their growing space needs, more and more are looking toward prefabricated steel buildings as a viable option. One of the reasons for such consideration is that there are very clear advantages of these metal structures.

1. Strength and Durability. Steel is known for being incredibly durable and a strong building material. As such, steel has been steadily becoming increasing in popular for many building applications and structural designs.

2. Environmentally Sound. With the current trend toward more "greener" construction materials, steel has a clear benefit. As steel is recyclable, there is a trend toward reusing and reforming the metal into new materials. This clearly more desirable than the use of virgin timber as used in standard wood construction. It allows the cost of the materials to be more financially attractive, while using materials that would have occupied landfill space.

3. Variety of Options. When you choose to build with steel, there are a wide variety of options available to you. One of the most innovative designs that can be utilized is a pre-engineered steel building. These metal buildings are designed, pre-punched, pre-drilled, and pre-welded at the factory prior to shipment to your site. All that is left to do is the on-site assembly of the structure. These pre-engineered steel buildings are relatively easy to erect as they get bolted together. Usually, this is a quick process with a minimum of professional construction assistance needed. On some of the smaller structures, such as sheds and barns, you might be able to get by without professional help.

4. Ease of construction. The majority of the pre-engineered steel buildings are quick to put up, easy to assemble, and can save you up to half the cost of a similar sized conventional structure. You can have them designed to your exact specifications. Your site selection, other structures in the vicinity, proposed use of the building are all taken into account before the final design and construction of you structure is signed off on. This has led to increased popularity of pre-engineered steel buildings for use as churches, offices, schools, warehouses, and gymnasiums.

5. Versatility. If your building requires an obstacle-free interior environment of up to 300 feet in width, you can consider clear-span construction. This means that there are no interior support columns and maximize the useable floor space. Additionally, although the width cannot be changed once established, the length of the structure can be practically unlimited.

6. Use as home structure. Over the last few years, pre-engineered steel homes have also become extremely popular. These are more affordable than conventionally built homes. Moreover, these metal homes provide many other benefits. There are basically two styles of pre-engineered steel homes - modular or manufactured. The key area of difference is that manufactured homes do not have to be built subscribing to prevailing building codes, while modular homes must meet any local building code standards. For this reason alone modular homes are often considered to be more sturdy and reliable than manufactured homes.
A good next step would be to research these structures. You can receive detailed information from any credible steel building manufacturer or supplier at no charge before your planned purchase.

Plus, with the Internet, you will find a ton of useful information online.
Whatever your ultimate use of the facility you are considering, pre-engineered steel buildings are worth the time and effort of consideration. Whether you are interested in constructing a modular or manufactured home, a new office, barn, sports complex, or medical facility, pre-engineered steel buildings can offer you an increased amount of affordable and durable options.

Written by Jim 'G' Davidson - freelance writer for [http://www.recipes-cook-book.com]

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Prefabricated Home Packages

This is by no means an exhaustive list of what's available in the area of prefabricated homes and buildings. This article is to introduce you to the world prefab. If you're in the industry, you'll probably be cringing about now at the word "prefab". But, the word is one that has become synonymous with homes and buildings that have been partially or fully assembled in a factory setting.
I for one am excited to see the latest versions of modern prefabs emerging globally. They're well thought out, beautiful, and energy-efficient.

And to anyone who has any doubts about the quality of today's prefab homes, I'd ask, would you rather buy a house whose parts have all been crafted outdoors exposed to the elements -- by hand. Or, would you rather buy a house built in a factory setting to tight specs exceeding that of site-built homes. I say exceeding, because a normal site-built home doesn't have to endure the rigors of transportation.

For your review, here are quick descriptions of 10 of the many categories of prefab homes available for exploring at http://PrefabExpo.com - in no particular order:

1. Manufactured

Single-family residential dwellings consisting of one, two or more sectional units and constructed to Federal HUD code. Zoning regulations and ordinances of the local Municipality or County might not permit use of mobile and manufactured homes in all areas of their jurisdiction.

2. Modular

Modular refers to a method of building a home, rather than a type of home. A modular home can be built in a factory from a stock modular home plan or from a customized plan, to the state, local or regional codes of where the home will be set up. Modular homes have not typically experienced the zoning restrictions and discriminative ordinances applicable to manufactured and mobile homes.

3. Panelized

Panelized homes are factory-built homes in which panels -- whole walls with windows, doors, wiring, and outside siding -- are transported to the site and assembled. Panels are made from insulating foam sandwiched between two layers of structural material. The panels are lightweight and might already be filled with insulation when they arrive on the site. The homes must meet the state or local building codes of where they are sited.

4. Steel-frame

Steel framing is an equivalent to conventional stick frame or post & beam home design where the structural lumber is replaced by steel studs and trusses or steel posts and beams. Light-Gauge Framing System features screw-together, galvanized stud-and-truss, grid-type construction system built on 4-foot center.Red-Iron Metal Post & Beam Systems features bolt-together, pre-engineered post-and-beam-type framing system that uses the red-iron steel "C" beams on 8-foot center. The prefabricated home built with this method can be single-story, two-story, and even tri-level home.
Unlike conventional wood framed home that requires interior walls to support the roof, the higher strength-to-weight ratio of steel house allows to span greater distances with less material and fewer supports. The result is higher floor layout and interior design flexibility.

Unlike wood, steel won't shrink, rot, warp, buckle, split, or be attacked by insects. This results in greater durability, lower long-term maintenance, higher energy efficiency and overall greater quality of this prefabricated home.

5. Precut

This category includes wood-framed factory-built houses or cabins where building materials are factory-cut to design specifications and transported to the site to be assembled. PrefabExpo.com presents prefab building kits designed as wood-framed (also known as balloon-frame, 2 x 4, 2 x 6 or stick-built construction) as well as prefabricated home kit / cabin kit using post-frame method. The homes or cabins must meet local or state building codes of the area where they will be sited.

6. Cedar

According to Katahdin Cedar Log Homes, cedar is aromatic to people, and problematic to insects: The heartwood of northern white cedar produces organic compounds called thujaplicins - which create that fresh, pleasant cedar aroma. But to insect pests, such as moths and termites, cedar just plain stinks. They'll avoid cedar homes and instead search out inviting, tasty pine structures.

Cedar home kits include everything you need to build the home, itself. That is to say, the walls, the floor, the ceiling, the windows and doors. But your foundation, plumbing and electrical system are not usually included in a kit.

7. Timberframe

Timber framing is a specific type of post and beam construction in which a frame is created from solid wood timbers that are then connected by any one of the following wooden joints: mortise and tenon, dovetails, or scarfs secured with hardwood pegs. The frame is covered with any one of a number of enclosure systems. Normally the timbers remain exposed to the interior of the building.

Timber frame structures exhibit a strength and aesthetic quality not found in conventionally framed houses. The timbers are pre-cut, shaped, and finished at the factory, then sent to the construction site, where they can be quickly assembled by a crew, routinely using cranes to lift the bents and beams into place. The use of quality wood, enhanced by joinery that compares with fine cabinet making, maximizes the strength of the timberframe structure. Joinery is the heart of the entire structure.

8. Log

Log homes provide their owners with a comforting and relaxing sense of informality and simplicity. The mass of logs produces heating and cooling benefits, and reduces noise transmission into and throughout the home. These are very attractive characteristics, but there are also challenges in construction and limitations in decorating. These aspects require special design considerations and have unusual maintenance requirements.
Basic Kits Are...

WALLS ONLY: The walls-only log home package includes all the logs for the outside walls, including fasteners. Roof beams and staircases may be added.

STRUCTURAL SHELL: Shell This package includes everything that's in the walls-only package, plus all components necessary to keep the weather out, such as exterior doors, windows, and the roofing system.

THE COMPLETE PACKAGE: Complete packages also includes interior components required to finish log homes. Such items include interior walls, stairs, closets, interior doors and trim.

9. Circular

The circle is the strongest geometrical shape we recognize, and this factor likely influenced builders of circular homes for thousands of years. Prefabricated circular buildings have been built as cabins, studios, homes, offices or community halls and convention centers.
Most of today's prefabricated circular homes and cabins offered across the country use conventional wood-frame or post & beam construction method. These homes and cabins are ideally suited to take the full advantage of locations offering exciting panoramic views, and to incorporate factor of the surroundings into the home design.

10. Dome

Geodesic Dome is using triangular networks forming hexagons and pentagons and creating a free-span, spacious environment of spherically shaped structure requiring no internal supports. This results in large flexibility for utilizing interior space to implement floor designs not limited by structural restrictions. Because of the structural strength of the shape, the domes have a far better record of withstanding tornados, hurricanes and earthquakes than cube-shaped structures of conventional homes.
Advantages...

MATERIAL COSTS: Geodesic domes provide the greatest amount of floor area with the least amount of surface area, reducing the quantity of needed building material by as much as 30-50%.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY: As a result of the shape, the dome has approximately 30-50% less roof and wall area than cube-shaped home of equal floor space. This results in lesser area being exposed to the elements, resulting in reduction in heating and cooling costs of dome shaped structures. Also, the spherical shape of the dome facilitates natural air flow yielding more even temperatures maximizing overall interior temperature comfort.

Disadvantages...

As a result of complicated angles, the interior and exterior finishing of the dome (after speedy assembly of the prefabricated shell) is significantly more labor intensive than finishing the conventional house. Also, the finishing work requires highly skilled or specialized tradesmen which might not be available at every location. These factors might present welcoming challenge for skilled handyman - homebuilder, but would create substantial cost outlay if the hired labor is considered.

This piece was originally submitted by Diane Takahashi,who can be reached at prefabexpo@yahoo.com, or visited on the web. Diane is co-creator of http://PrefabExpo.com a subscription-based online database of prefabricated homes, cabins and buildings and their vendors.

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Tips To Get Great Second Homes With Prefabricated Buildings

For most of us, having a place to call our own is that dream we carry with us until the dream becomes a reality. But for the lucky ones, having a second dwelling is definitely on the cards with a modular house. Modular homes are new buildings made up in prefabricated parts which are then literally screwed together on site. Because they start at a much lower cost than a traditional build, more and more people are using them for all kinds of different purposes.

Before any definite decisions are made, the first thing to do when acquiring this type of building is to decide what purpose it is to be used for. It may be a rather elaborate play den for the children in the back yard, or it could be used as a holiday place set somewhere in a scenic place so that the family can get away to it at weekends and holidays. Some people use them as extra office space or as rooms for visiting personnel so it is easy to see what range these great buildings have.

Of course, there are many different designs on the market and the manufacturers are able to modify these designs so that they fit in to exactly what the buyer wants. Once they are made up, they are literally delivered like flat pack furniture where the buyer can either put it together himself, or get in a contractor to do the work on his behalf. All it needs is the foundation to be set up first and then the rest is very easy.

It is also easy to get loans for this style of building too since lenders can see what a good investment they are. The building can also be used to generate income as a holiday place or rented out as extra office space to those who need it. Some buyers start up their own businesses from their backyards too using these buildings so the scope for them is virtually endless.

For those who wish to go 'green', these buildings have some great features too. There is thermal protection which saves on all the energy costs, and this also makes it a wonderful way to stop using up too many resources. Anyone who knows that energy efficiency goes a long way to saving the planet will appreciate the building for sure and they can usually make some money from them too.

Finally, no matter where this building is erected and no matter what use it is put to, having a second place to visit away from the homestead is a great way of leaving all the worries of the world behind. Although most of us live rather frenetic lives these days, having a bolt hole like this must be like heaven to those people who never seem to have a minute to spare. Indeed, putting up one in the garden and turning it into a spa may be just the ticket for a tired mom or dad where they can soak in a hot tub out of sight of the kids!

Connor R. Sullivan has noticed an increase of modular homes being built because of their low cost. He and his wife are considering purchasing a modular house to use as a vacation home.

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Prefabricated Buildings Are an Essential for the Building and Construction Industry

Consider the average building or construction, or even a road or bridge maintenance project. The site has been established but ground has yet to be broken. There is going to be a procession of diggers, concrete mixers, steel people, electricians, plumbers, scaffolding builders and other services coming and going. All will have plans and all will have different jobs to do, at different times.

A site manager is going to be required to co ordinate this lot, he is going to need to be supported by planning and project management staff who all have functions supervising the work being done and seeing that completion is as per schedule and up to standard.

Any construction site, bigger than a single dwelling unit, needs an office on site, if for nothing else than a place to store the plans and to keep the project schedule. This is may be no bigger than a caravan, which in many small jobs is the case, but in a reasonable to big site an office complex with a minimum of 3 rooms is required, One for the plans and the projects schedule, one for the site or project manager to meet the site staff and the various contractors, to check wage records and the third one for the various contractors on site to locate themselves while on site.

Obviously it is also going to need a secure storage area because maybe construction materials such as bricks and cement may be kept in a yard there will still be a lot of items such as nuts, Bolts, Glass, tools and the like which will grow legs if not locked away.

In addition after the project advances it may become desirable to move the office from one location to another and, as the project winds up, to remove it completely and leave no trace of it ever having been there.

These are the ideal uses for transportable buildings which can be rented, which is flexible in size, of robust construction and may be located and the removed as and when desired. Renting is one option but if the contractor likes he can buy the units as the people who rent the units have a Portable Building Sales team handy to assist the firms design and purchase units which will suit their needs.

But although this business thrives on renting transportable buildings to the construction industry they have been found to have many further and widespread uses. Portable building sales have installed buildings as classrooms, club house, change rooms and even accommodation units for big sporting events, such as the Olympics.

The advantage of using these type of buildings is that they are designed with the clients requirements in mind but are preassembled in the factory so are delivered virtually complete. All that needs to be done is to hook up the services such as power and plumbing and all is set.

Many of these temporary transportable prefabricated buildings are attractive and in fact look permanent and stay in place for years.

Construction sites and other place really need transportable buildings which are often rented. Portable Building Sales are an arm of that business which installs prefabricated units in a myriad of places.

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