Steel Costs Compared to Wood

Steel framing is an upgrade from wood. Steel is comparable in price to wood. However, a steel framing package will have a little more cost which is attributed to engineering, fabricating and shipping. Steel requires screws instead of cheaper nails. These combined factors contribute an estimated 3% to 5% cost increase compared to wood in overall building cost on a typical residential project. Labor costs on steel projects are slightly more than carpenter labor. This is due to screws being used instead of cheaper and faster nails. Cutting steel is more complex than cutting wood. All other building costs are about the same. The frame of a house, whether wood or steel is only a small part of the overall building cost.

Pre-engineering - Inspectors often require pre-engineered sealed plans before building permits are issued due to steels relatively new entry into the residential market. Pre-engineering provides reassurance that a steel house will be built to last.

Shipping - Few building supply companies stock the variety of steel gauges and dimensions required for a total steel frame project. Steel supplied by pre-engineered manufactures is mostly pre-cut at the factory. This reduces shipping weight and the amount of on-site waste. All the steel framing material required for your home is shipped in one truck to your site. A fork lift or other lifting device is required for efficient off loading.

DanHafle.com