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Metal Building Manufacturers 1

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lahpe65

Structural
Jan 3, 2003
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I am trying to select a metal building manufacturer. Does anyone have any suggestions/input/advice/warnigs? My client solicited quotes from 3 that I have never dealt with before and I need to choose one. They are all comparable.

Thanks in advance
 
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In Canada (my area anyway) the big ones are Bulter, Steelway, and Robertson. The structures are all relatively the same. Make sure that you get a seamed standing seam roof. Butler AFAIK started this system many (30+) years ago. The process involves the panels overlapping and then getting rolled together like a soup can lid. The roof will never leak at the seams. Also look for stainless clips for the roof tie down system. If the clips rot off the roof is done. BTW my personal preference is Butler, which is pretty big in the US as well.

Stan
 
I would start one that is AISC certified and has "X" amount of years experience in metal buildings and "X" amount of years or projects done in the last "X" years similar to your project. Asking for references or previous projects that you could go look at might be a good idea as well. You fill in the "X"'s with what makes you feel comfortable with a manufacturer with whom you are not familiar.
 
The following is a copy of standard notes I use for system buildings; I edit it as required (for Canadian standards).

SYSTEM BUILDINGS

DESIGN STANDARDS FOR THE STEEL BUILDING SYSTEM ARE TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF PART 4 OF THE MANITOBA BUILDING CODE AND CSA S16.1-94 AND CSA S136-94.

ALL STRUCTURAL STEEL COMPONENTS, INCLUDING ABS SHALL BE CERTIFIED AS WELDABLE.

PREFABRICATED METAL BUILDING SUPPLIER SHALL SUPPLY ALL ABS, NUTS AND WASHERS TO SECURE THE BUILDING TO THE FOUNDATION. ABS ARE TO BE DESIGNED FOR ALL HORIZ AND VERT LOADS.

DESIGN OF THE BUILDING FRAME AND ALL COL MEMBERS SHALL ASSUME THAT ALL FRAME AND COL BPS ARE SUPPORTED ON 1" OF GROUT. ABS SHALL HAVE A MIN 3" PROJECTION ABOVE THE BP AND SHALL HAVE A MIN EMBEDMENT LENGTH AND CONFIGURATION TO RESIST ALL SHEAR AND UPLIFT FORCES.

FABRICATION IS TO BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH CSA S16.1-94 AND CSA S136-94, AS APPLICABLE. WELDING IS TO BE PERFORMED IN ACCORDANCE WITH CSA W59-M1989 AND CSA S136-94. MANUFACTURER TO BE APPROVED BY THE CANADIAN WELDING BUREAU, IN ACCORDANCE WITH CSA W47.1-92 FOR DIVISION 1 OR DIVISION 2.

THE BUILDING SHALL CARRY A 25 YEAR ROOF WARRANTY AND A 15 YEAR SIDING WARRANTY AGAINST DEFECTS IN MATERIALS AND SHALL CARRY A 5 YEAR WARRANTY AGAINST DEFECTS IN WORKMANSHIP.

MIN ROOF SLOPE SHALL BE 1/2:12.

THE BUILDING HAS SIGNIFICANT LARGE OPENINGS AND SHALL BE DESIGNED FOR INTERNAL PRESSURES STIPULATED IN THE WIND LOADING COMMENTARY ON PART 4 OF THE CURRENT NATIONAL BUILDING CODE OF CANADA CORRESPONDING TO CATEGORY 3.

THE BUILDING SHALL BE DESIGNED FOR THE FOLLOWING ADDN SUPERIMPOSED LOADS:
ROOF PURLINS: DEAD LOAD = 5 PSF UDL
LIVE LOAD = 5 PSF UDL AND POINT LOAD OF 250 LBS SUSPENDED FROM ANY LOCATION
BUILDING FRAME: DEAD LOAD = 1000 LBS SUSPENDED FROM ANY LOCATION
LIVE LOAD = 2000 LBS SUSPENDED FROM ANY LOCATION

PURLIN BRACES ARE TO BE PROVIDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH CSA S136-94, CLAUSE 8. IN PARTICULAR, FOR A STANDING SEAM ROOF SUPPORTED ON MOVABLE CLIPS, BRACES PROVIDING LATERAL SUPPORT TO BOTH TOP AND BOT PURLIN FLANGE ARE TO BE PROVIDED. THE NUMBER OF ROWS IS TO BE DETERMINED BY ANALYSIS BUT IN NO CASE TO BE LESS THAN 1 FOR SPANS UP TO 23 FT. OR LESS THAN 2 FOR SPANS GREATER THAN 23 FT.

ALL STRUCTURAL STEEL TO BE PRIME PAINTED. IF A PAINT TOP COAT IS REQUIRED, PRIMER SHALL BE COMPATIBLE WITH THE TOP COAT.

ALL ROOF PURLINS AND WALL GIRTS TO HAVE A 'GALVA-LUME' COATING CONFORMING TO ???. COLOUR SHALL BE SELECTED BY THE ARCH FROM THE MANUFACTURER'S LIST OF STANDARD COLOURS.

ALL ROOF CLADDING SHALL HAVE A ??? COATING CONFORMING TO ???. COLOUR SHALL BE SELECTED BY THE ARCH FROM THE MANUFACTURER'S LIST OF STANDARD COLOURS.

ALL WALL CLADDING SHALL HAVE A ??? COATING CONFORMING TO ???. COLOUR SHALL BE SELECTED BY THE ARCH FROM THE MANUFACTURER'S LIST OF STANDARD COLOURS.

ALL LINER PANELLING SHALL HAVE A ??? COATING CONFORMING TO ???. COLOUR SHALL BE SELECTED BY THE ARCH FROM THE MANUFACTURER'S LIST OF STANDARD COLOURS.

COLOUR OF TRIM, RAKE, EAVESTROUGHING AND DOWNSPOUTS SHALL BE SELECTED BY THE ARCH FROM THE MANUFACTURER'S LIST OF STANDARD COLOURS.

THE BUILDING SHALL BE INSULATED AND THE PREFABRICATED METAL BUILDING SUPPLIER SHALL SUPPLY ALL NECESSARY THERMAL BLOCKS. INSULATION IS TO BE PROVIDED BY ???.

DEFLECTION OF WALL AND ROOF CLADDING SHALL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF CSA S136-94.

DEFLECTION OF WALL GIRTS AND ROOF PURLINS SHALL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF CSA S16.1-94. IN ANY EVENT, LIVE LOAD DEFLECTION SHALL NOT EXCEED L/240. THE PREFABRICATED BUILDING SUPPLIER SHALL PROVIDE FOR SUPPORT OF ANCILLARY STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS WHERE NOTED ON THE DWGS. THE METAL BUILDING SUPPLIER SHALL PROVIDE FOR REDUCED DEFLECTIONS LIMITATIONS AS REQUIRED.

SHOP AND ERECTION DWGS BEARING THE STAMP OF A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER REGISTERED IN MANITOBA OF THE BUILDING SYSTEM ARE TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE CONSULTANT FOR REVIEW PRIOR TO THE PLACEMENT OF FOUNDATIONS. SHOP DWGS ARE TO PROVIDE LOCATION OF GRID LINES, AB CLUSTERS, AND SIZES. AB AND BP DESIGN SHALL ASSUME THAT BPS ARE SUPPORTED ON 1" GROUT.

A SHOP DWG SHOWING THE AB SETTING LOCATIONS FOR THE PREFABRICATED BUILDING MUST BE PROVIDED. THIS DWG SHALL SHOW:
-AB LOCATIONS, TYPE, DIA, PROJECTION AND LENGTH.
-MAX AND MIN REACTIONS BASED ON THE LOAD COMBINATIONS STIPULATED IN THE MANITOBA BUILDING CODE SHALL BE PROVIDED FOR ALL SUPPORTS. A TABULAR FORM SHOWING LOADING REACTIONS FOR VARIOUS LOAD CASES IN NOT ACCEPTABLE.

THE BUILDING SHALL BE COMPLIANT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF ASHRAE 90.1.

THE BUILDING SHALL BE COMPLIANT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FM GLOBAL FOR AN I-60 ( I-90) RATING.

THE STEEL BUILDING MANUFACTURER IS TO SUBMIT THE CSSBI CERTIFICATE OF DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING CONFORMANCE TO THE CONSULTANT PRIOR TO SHIPMENT OF THE PREFABRICATED BUILDING TO SITE.

Dik
 
dik,

"THE BUILDING SHALL BE DESIGNED FOR THE FOLLOWING ADDN SUPERIMPOSED LOADS:
ROOF PURLINS: DEAD LOAD = 5 PSF UDL
LIVE LOAD = 5 PSF UDL AND POINT LOAD OF 250 LBS SUSPENDED FROM ANY LOCATION
BUILDING FRAME: DEAD LOAD = 1000 LBS SUSPENDED FROM ANY LOCATION
LIVE LOAD = 2000 LBS SUSPENDED FROM ANY LOCATION"

Have you ever had a contractor ask if they could simply design the purlins for the "actual" load rather than the 5 psf DL? I am assuming that the 5 psk DL is a "collateral" load.
 
vooter:
It's a superimposed load over and above the stipulated design loads included in General Notes - Design Loads.

It's to accommodate industrial buildings where 'strange things are often done...' Because there's a cost implication for additional loads, the owner should be consulted... in particular, to determine if superimposed loadings are enough. One of the problems I've encountered with pre-eng buildings is that the manufacturer is loathe to get involved after the building has been sold and up, and often owners want to modify the building.

Dik
 
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