Cold-formed steel buildings are lighter than traditional red-oxide steel buildings and are typically designed with a single-pour thickened edge slab foundation and post-installed anchors. Even when cold-formed and red oxide steel buildings are the same size, cold-formed buildings do not require as much concrete for their foundations. Foundation costs for a rigid-frame steel building may eat up a large amount of a buyer’s budget, but foundations for cold-formed steel buildings use about 30% less concrete than alternatives, reducing foundation costs by as much as 25%.

Foundations for cold-formed steel buildings are also easier to construct than those needed for red oxide buildings because they require one pour, rather than two. Red oxide building foundations also require additional excavation and reinforcement of the footings, which comes at an additional expense. However, this is not the case with cold-formed buildings. Pouring foundation only once also helps reduce scheduling issues or conflicts and the amount of time your foundation contractor winds up spending onsite, resulting in additional savings.

Foundation plans also come standard with a cold-formed steel building, but this is not the case with a rigid-frame steel structure. This means cold-formed steel building buyers can skip the expense of hiring a foundation engineer. Foundations for cold-formed steel buildings are also easier to construct than those needed for red oxide buildings because they require one pour, rather than two. Red oxide building foundations also require additional excavation and reinforcement of the footings, which comes at an additional expense. However, this is not the case with cold-formed buildings. Pouring foundation only once also helps reduce scheduling issues or conflicts and the amount of time your foundation contractor winds up spending onsite, resulting in additional savings.

Anchor bolts also come standard with cold-formed metal buildings, but not with rigid-frame buildings, saving you substantial money on accessories.

Cold-formed metal buildings have also come a long way in terms of design capabilities. When they first came onto the scene, most cold-formed steel buildings were relatively basic with minimal design options. Nowadays, cold-formed steel building buyers have many options for customizations. From architectural and aesthetic enhancements like standing-seam or gambrel roofs to mezzanines, monitors and lean-tos, cold-formed steel buildings have become easy to tailor to a buyer’s distinct needs and offer near-endless opportunities for customization.

Today’s cold-formed steel buildings are lighter, cheaper, and easier to work with than rigid-frame steel buildings, and they also help buyers avoid the delays and hardships associated with pandemic-era construction. Contact Metal Building Outlet to learn more about cold-formed steel construction and the many advantages that come with it.