Residential Steel Structures 2

A lot of steel framed houses are being built where I am, but they are just using light gauge steel walls and roof trusses rather than wood. Selling points are termite resistance and lack of availability of wood.

Hokie66, I’ve also seen that Barndominiums are all the rage, but yea light frame steel construction isn’t what I’m going for.

“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

I heard about the steel-framed houses, and was envisioning using C4x5.4 instead of 2x4's, and that sounded pretty nifty. Then saw the actual product and it's a step above tin-can material.
That said, I can see corrosion eventually being a concern in humid climates.

I think you need to decide the premium you are prepared to pay for steel. If you are willing to spend 20-40% more for the superstructure, sure, there are other options. At some point you need studs of some sort for the drywall, so LSF will be needed. Last year we changed from wood to ICF for a few projects, but that was due to supply issues and the topic of cost did not come up.

Case study from Bailey for residential: Bailey Case Study

I am not sure the market in Florida, but residential jobs are terrible for precast or tilt. Generally the sites are too small, and getting clients to make decisions is far too tedious for the few pieces the projects need.

JStephen:

Being in Florida, in a coastal environment, corrosion is my main concern. My thought was that the superstructure would be enclosed in a weather barrier and not at risk for corrosion. That's also why my main concern is the cladding type, normally I would think corrugated steel would be the cheapest option, but I imagine that would end up just being an expensive corrosion control job every 5-years or so.

I have been in commercial buildings that use the "tin-can" members you are referring to, not a fan! I want to leave the superstructure exposed on the inside, on the walls and the ceiling, I'm really going for the industrial look





Brad805:

I am not willing to spend 20-40% more, I am hoping to design something as, or more, cost-efficient than CMU, maybe that is just wishful thinnking . About the studs for drywall, sure, I can put up 2x4 walls for bathrooms/bedrooms where desired, just want the industrial look in the common areas



“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

Both your pictures are very high end homes. If you are aiming for that level of finish your structure is a rounding error as far as the budget is concerned. I would start with the basic plans and see what makes sense. Form follows function.

Usually people squawk when you try to add a steel beam in a home. It's another couple of parties to involve in the labour (fabricator + ironworkers). So cost will definitely be the driving point. Good luck.
Have you looked at Bone Structure ( I think it is the CFS-style framing, but maybe pre-eng'd in a way to be cost effective. This is the only way I could picture an entirely steel residential structure being affordable to build.
If you are going for the industrial steel, exposed look, you might try to refurbish an old building and use what's already there. At least that's what all the UK architecture shows seem to glamourize.

MegaStructures - no, it's not going to be more cost effective for a house unless you're dead set on massive clear spaces or unlimited remodeling options with no structural impacts. I'm sure you know that's why it's so prevalent in low rise commercial - large spans means more open space for lease and more flexibility to accommodate high dollar tenants. Low rise residential...well the economy doesn't add up. Especially right now. Steel is very expensive - to the point that many mid and high rise projects are being redesigned for reinforced concrete.

If you don't mind my asking - what part of Tampa Bay? I'm a St. Pete native myself, though I haven't lived there in a couple decades.

Personally I have always been interested in building an elaborate steel shipping container home. Something tall and stack the containers with open areas and cantilevers. Maybe that is something to consider? As a steel guy you could come up with a pretty crazy design. You would probably need to be your own GC to make it work.

Sea cans are probably the only way to make a steel SFH even more expensive... no worse building material.

canwesteng - not so bad if you don't mind all of your rooms being 8'x40' and a super industrial look. Pour footings, bolt them down, use a torch to cut some doors and windows, frame them out, run PME (E in conduits), and you're done. Maybe add a membrane roof for longevity.

Anything more refined, and I have to agree with you. There's a very good reason they haven't taken off as the next big thing in construction (except in some micro apartment projects with modular unit designs that fit inside a single container).

I have done one home using structural insulated panels for walls & roof + steelwork as needed. Not sure how costs stack up though, can't imagine well since it hasn't been widely adopted here.

The thing is, if you go with larger steel members than cold formed or very light rolled sections then you're going to have big spans and you're going to need a bunch of secondary members. The secondary members are all going to be cold formed or light rolled sections. They're going to be there anyway, so you might as well use them structurally.

It's either that, or you're in pre-engineered building types of territory.

If you want to get an idea for cost, call a pre-engineered building vendor for a quote. Then recognize that all you've done is replace the structural part of the house. You still need to do all the finishing you'd otherwise need. It's likely more expensive that normal residential finishing, though, because the residential contractors won't know how to do the co-ordination with the steel structure. You'll likely be using higher priced commercial targeted subs.

Maybe use the chance to learn how to do the wood stuff instead? Or pick a highlight are to do in steel that'll be visible. Maybe exterior canopies, or an exposed ceiling in a high visibility area, or latticed roof trusses of some sort? You're going to have fire rating issues to deal with, though, remember.

Even if all you do to a sea can is add some doors and sea can, by the time you have a structure you sign off on and the AHJ signs off on, you could have done it cheaper with wood. Sea cans are great for storage, but even the modular guys around here have given up on using them for buildings (think site trailers, e-houses, etc)

canwesteng - maybe a regional thing. I live close to one of the largest US ports on the East Coast (up until a few years ago I could literally throw a stone from my house and hit the trains running into the port), so we can still get used containers relatively cheap. We still have Mobile Mini yards and architects who want to put them to use in 'affordable housing' projects...and some who are more realistically looking at putting them in upscale art district developments.

Its not the cost of the container that is the issue. It is the fact that it costs more to upfit it than it would if you started from scratch. And you are stuck with weird mobile home shapes.
They make a lot of sense in developing nations where there are minimal codes and possibly no need to insulate or condition the air.

By using shipping containers I am thinking in terms of something like this.

Link

Of course you could frame something like that in steel with conventional cladding but I kind of like the industrial look. From a cost and efficiency perspective it wouldn't make any sense but if you are looking to design and build something unique it would be one option to consider.

XR - for typical projects I agree - that's why I mentioned the upscale art district projects. They are willing to pay for the expression of the container and the costs of making it work. For "affordable housing" projects they don't typically work out. For temporary building applications like site offices where you aren't really doing anything but running a light and a few outlets, installing a small A/C unit, and setting a porta-potty outside, I would argue that the cost of the container is a major factor. These are really popular in the shipyard, and a few contractors use them, too. Though the traditional trailer is more common, some compromise and rent the mobile minis, which are half length containers finished out to be a site office. I see them pop up on a lot of sites, so they must not be doing too badly here.

Ideem - that looks neat, and you can't do that with wood, but then it also costs a whole lot of money.

But we digress. Megastructures - if you want the heavy industrial look without faking it, you'll have to pay heavy industrial construction pricing. No real way around it. Structural steel just isn't efficient for residential applications.

I have been convinced that building the entire structure with steel likely isn't going to be an option, but I do want the industrial look. I think I can build with CMU on three walls and then frame the back wall with steel and glass panels.

That shipping container home that Ideem posted is quite cool. I have always liked those designs, but I also understand the valid criticism many have of them.

“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