Residential Steel Structures 2

[MegaStructures]

I am in the market for a new home and, being a structural engineer, I’ve considered taking part in the design process of a custom home. My specialty is steel, so naturally I’m interested in designing/building a steel home, if the price is right.

I’m not planning on starting this effort in earnest right away, but it is a passion of mine and I plan on starting to kick around some concepts.

Has anyone here done or thought about something similar? If so, what were your findings?

Does anybody have some thoughts about the affordability, functionality, and durability of steel frame vs. CMU walls with wood trusses? I imagine the main concern would be the cladding material, you would probably still want a precast tilt up facade to attach to the steel superstructure, which might be cost limiting.

Anyways, I think it’s an interesting topic, so let me know what you think.

For design considerations: I am in the Tampa Bay, Florida area.

“The most successful people in life are the ones who ask questions. They’re always learning. They’re always growing. They’re always pushing.” Robert Kiyosaki

 

[Lomarandil]

XR250, no, they don't make any more sense here. Tropical and subtropical climates (most developing countries) are not a great place for big metal oven boxes without circulation, moisture proofing is a problem, and sealing against insects is of extra importance.

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just call me Lo.

 

[XR250]

Good to know. So, basically, they make no sense anywhere

 

[Brad805]

Mega, if you want to leave some room in the budget for details like this you may want to read the Not so Big House by Susan Susanka. She discusses creating plans for how you live and not falling into the common traps that most do. Good luck.