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Does anyone have experience with metal frame/siding buildings to be used for residential homes?
I have been researching this for a while, but have a whole lot of questions before making any sort of decisions.With the interior being completely open, walls can be placed pretty much anywhere desired, but how to you tackle power/water lines etc. Must it all be pre-planned and in the design before starting – or is there a way to resolving running those lines once the frame is up and interior walls start to be added?
Then there is the insulation/dead space issues for reduced impact to both the interior temperatures and the back side of the metal exterior.
Any insight would be greatly appreciated. I am looking into this as the price on stick-frame residential buildings around here has gotten the upper side of crazy.
Stan
From the Northwest corner of Montana.Seeing a lot more of these types of homes in my area. As far as water and electric. It’s no different than putting a home on a slab. Drain lines have to be placed as well as some water lines. Electric that needs to come from the floor(Island cabinet power) will have to be done before the pour. But most everything else can come from above.
Ron
A Working Pro since 1994!
Member since March 26, 2014.
There used to be a company that advertised metal framed homes. It would not be a lot different from a post frame house (think Morton buildings) that we are seeing a lot now. In our area we call then Shouses (shed-house) or Barndominuns. I was just in one in the black hills that a friend of mine owns. from the inside you would never know the difference from a conventional frame house. There are a few telltale hints from the exterior however.
As for water and sewer, Ron is correct hat everything needs to be in-place underfloor during construction and island power needs to be covered also.
These can be very efficient as it is easy to get a lot of insulation in the walls and there is not a lot of thermal bridging that occurs over studs. An even greater upgrade is to cover that exterior with SIP panels that will prevent all thermal bridging. You would still have to deal with columns, but in a steel structure they can be spaced as far as 25′ so that would not be to difficult.
I see a lot of alternative structures being built as houses in the future as construction costs increase.
@kurtwelkerhomes-com, @kurtwelkerhomes-com, thanks for the info above. There is still a lot I am researching, but the more I look into this the more I like the idea.
The idea of radiant floor heat via an outdoor wood furnace (that could heat the house and a shop) would seem to be ideal for this setup.
Living in an area with a lot of forest fires, seems all metal exterior/roof would lessen insurance to some degree also.Stan
From the Northwest corner of Montana.we do a lot of in floor radiant heating , it works well in northern climates.
I can see the advantage of the steel roof in an area of forest fires. It should definitely save on the insurance.
If you have an available supply of wood, the outdoor boilers are a great option. I think you can couple them with a “boiler mate” and even heat your hot water with them. They work well and are a lot less expensive than individual units. I would think you would want some sort of electric or gas fired backup so you are covered if you are not home for a few days.
We typically have been using a combination boiler, tankless water heater in our homes we set up with in floor heat.
I am currently looking at the Central Boiler Titanium units. And yes, heating water for the home and shop is on the list of requirements. Gas backup is preferred here, much cheaper than electric.
Stan
From the Northwest corner of Montana.It will be interesting to follow your project. Please keep us updated on what you find out and do as it goes along.
Not quite a project yet, but hopefully before too long. Currently looking for land to build on. Will update with the research results as things go along though.
Stan
From the Northwest corner of Montana.These “Barndominuns” are pretty common here in greater houston area. I end up getting the call to install polished concrete so I see alot of them and work on many.
Plumbers rough in prior to slab like any home on a slab. I wouldn’t get into cutting the slab later as this is more work and has other issues. Especially if the floor will be the finished surface which is the trend right now.
THe concept is building a metal shell then building your rooms inside. Definately do the insulation.
More thoughts/questions, has anyone ever done a build of a barndominium with a full basement? What sort of challenges does that bring up?
Stan
From the Northwest corner of Montana.A full basement is a definite possibility with a post frame or metal frame structure.
You may need to pour some piers in the foundation for a metal frame or at least a little thicker wall. There are a lot of details to stand a post frame building on top of a poured wall, I have included a couple of post bases below.
Several years ago we remodel the old clubhouse of a golf course into a house. it had a basement where the cart and mower storage was and the upstairs was the actual clubhouse. The basement walls were poured concrete and the upper portion was a post frame building. They used the first type anchors shown below to fasten all their posts to the concrete walls. for the most part, you could not tell the building was a post frame with the exterior finishes they used on it.
The people we remodeled it for used the lower level for a garage 32 x 96 and another 32 x 32 for storage then had their home in the upper level that was almost 3800 SF. we had 3 bedrooms, an exercise room, an office, a theater room with a 110″ screen and tiered seating. They kept most of the deck and ended up with a 16 x 90 deck which was a great place for their grandchildren to play.
The course had gone bankrupt and was sold to the guy’s brother who leveled the greens and tee boxes and turned it back into cornfields.
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@kurtwelkerhomes-com, great info. Thanks much.
The research continues. 🙂Stan
From the Northwest corner of Montana.A full basement is a definite possibility with a post frame or metal frame structure.
Would you recommend ICF for a basement?
My You Tube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA5AretE3xPoVDV61AxUdUA
I don't do a fast job. I don't do a slow job. I do a half fast job.
I have never done an ICF foundation I would like to some time time but as I price them against other options I never seem to be able to get the numbers to work
Having a freestanding frame makes it rather fun play with Home Designer Architectural. Pretty much design the rooms as wanted, walls where ever needed.
Stan
From the Northwest corner of Montana.Having a freestanding frame makes it rather fun play with Home Designer Architectural. Pretty much design the rooms as wanted, walls where ever needed.
I had this conversation with a farmer friend of mine the other day. He was talking about a post frame house and how great it would be to put walls wherever you want them.
In reality, in my over 20 years of building houses, I have never had a bearing wall on the interior of a house, unless it was the first floor of a two story. The only interior bearing is typically the wall between the house and garage, and sometimes not even that. It all comes down to the designer and how and where they but bearing walls.
Anything that can be built as a shed house can be built as a conventional frame.
I personally would not go the route of a post frame home, I would at least want a frost footing. Having my shop and office in a post frame building, there are to many ways for critters to burrow under it and find their way into the interior. It is OK with a shop, but I would not want that in my house.
Please keep the ideas/suggestions/comments coming. Gives me a lot of food for thought going forward.
Stan
From the Northwest corner of Montana.That type of building has caught on here in a few areas . The Amish crews that build them do good work at crazy affordable prices . Also like mentioned above mechanical are placed in before concrete slab is poured . If your ever on YouTube search RR building he builds post frame pole building and some get finished on the inside . Great guy and shares the process .
Always willing to learn .
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