How to overcome the top 7 problems when buying structural steel for buildings.

First of all let’s look at the type of buildings available and their advantages and
disadvantages. There are three basic types;

• Pre-fabricated buildings manufactured from lightweight cold formed

sections,

• Buildings constructed with hot rolled structural sections, and

• Hybrid steel and concrete buildings

Pre-fabricated buildings
There a number of manufacturers of the lightweight pre-fabricated buildings, all
of whom have their own niche markets and locality. These buildings feature cold
rolled C sections or Z sections as the main structural columns and rafters, clad in
corrugated steel sheeting, or similar profiles. They are a very cost effective
means of obtaining a weather proof enclosed space for the buildings contents.

These buildings can be purchased either in a kit form for the capable owners to
erect themselves, or fully erected by the building supplier. The building supplier
generally would not be involved in internal fitouts such as toilets, offices, etc.

There are many uses that are suitable for the lightweight buildings – garage,
storage, workshop, stable, greenhouse, etc.

The manufacturers have standard designs that are tailored to suit each
particular application and the clearspan between columns can be up to 40
metres. The buildings are commonly fabricated with modular bays of 4.5 metres
or 6 metres, depending on the local wind code classification.

The buildings are practical and fast to erect as the sections used are high tensile
galvanised steel and can be easily handled without the use of a crane. Also,
being galvanised there is no painting required unless for aesthetics. The building
kits are complete when they leave the factory and include the frame, the
sheeting, gutters, downpipes, flashings and the accessories required such as
roller doors, windows, etc.

ADVANTAGES OF LIGHTWEIGHT PRE-FABRICATED BUILDINGS

• Usually the cheapest of all building structures,

• Very easy to erect and assemble with all bolt holes pre-punched,

• Easy and inexpensive to transport,

• Easy to expand lengthwise,

• All clear span on the inside without interior support columns,

• Easy to disassemble and move – can be used as a temporary structure,

• Can usually be erected without cranes, heavy equipment or special tools,

 • Can be erected without special skills,

• Good choice for smaller size buildings, especially narrower widths up to 8

metres,

• Secure – hard to break into,

• Weatherproof,

• No painting required by using colorbond sheeting,

• Good choice for buildings with open sides or ends.

DISADVANTAGES

• Can be difficult and expensive to insulate effectively,

• Need to use other trades for other interior finishing,

• May encounter zoning restrictions,

• Limited to the standard designs or combinations thereof,

• Not very attractive or “conventional” for residential use,

• Not able to load the structure with other loads such as hoist, cranes, etc.

• It may be difficult to meet high snow or wind loads in certain locations.

Hot rolled section steel buildings

This is the most common type of construction for steel buildings, particularly for
buildings with higher imposed loads and uncommon shapes. The rigid frame is
usually manufactured from universal sections as the columns and the rafters are
also universal beams or trusses. The clear span between columns is similar to
the lightweight buildings, up to 40 metres, but the distance between each portal
frame can be 6 to 10 metres or more.

The cladding is usually attached to C section or Z section purlins and girts,

however there are a number of cladding options that incorporate insulation and
eliminate many of the girts required.

The structure is fabricated by specialist workshops employing qualified

tradesmen to perform the cutting and welding, and then erected with mobile
cranes and riggers. The universal sections are bare steel and need to have a
protective coating of paint or galvanising to avoid rust.

The buildings are usually custom designed and custom built to suit the client’s
application.

ADVANTAGES OF HOT ROLLED SECTION BUILDINGS

• Common type of building system, usually readily available,

• A familiar building system to most in the construction industry,

 • Rapid assembly and erection,

• Can incorporate hoists, cranes, mezzanine floors, etc.

• Wide variety of internal paint systems and colours available,

• Range of colorbond colours for the external sheeting,

• Few size limitations regarding width, length or height,

• Can be cost effective on large non insulated buildings,

• Can accommodate higher snow or wind loading,

• Long clear spans between columns available,

• Low profile with shallow roof slope,

• Does not require a slab floor – can be installed on foundation piers.

DISADVANTAGES

• May have interior condensation and dripping in colder environments,

• Often designed as simple rectangular shapes,

• May encounter zoning restrictions,

• Not very attractive or “conventional” for residential use,

• Requires specialist tradesmen to fabricate and erect,

• Requires cranage on site for erection,

• Not designed for self erection.

Hybrid steel and concrete buildings.

This style of building incorporates concrete panel walls and a steel frame system
to support the roof. The concrete panels are precast at a casting yard and
transported to the site individually. They are lifted from the truck with one or
two mobile cranes and placed onto prepared foundations. The panels are
supported by props until the interlinking panels and the roof structure is
installed. The concrete walls are load bearing and can support the roof structure
via cleats that are either welded onto cast in plates or bolted to cast in ferrules.

The concrete walls are joined together with plates or angles that are welded or
bolted to plates that are embedded in the panel. After the wall panels are in
place they are grouted to reinforcing bars protruding from the foundations, to
the gap between the wall panel and the foundation strip and to the gap between
each adjacent panel.

The roof members are either trusses or universal beams supporting C or Z

section purlins to which the roof sheeting is attached. The roof is commonly
sloped one way only and the gutter is inside the wall, which can cause awkward
flashings to make the building water tight.

These buildings are commonly used in commercial premises that require a

smoother aesthetic appearance both inside and out. The concrete wall does
need to be painted but they usually are to minimise damp and dusting from the
concrete surface.

ADVANTAGES OF HYBRID CONCRETE AND STEEL BUILDINGS

• The concrete panels provide the structural support as well as the cladding
for the building,

• The erection sequence can be rapid,

• Can be cost effective for certain applications,

• Excellent choice for interior fitout as offices, retail premises, commercial

applications, etc.

• Better insulating properties, slow thermal lag,

• More aesthetically acceptable for residential applications.

DISADVANTAGES

• Precasting of panels may be slow to achieve required cure time of

concrete,

• Need foundations along the entire wall to support the panels,

• Panel props interrupt access until roof structure is attached,

• Can have water proofing problems because of the differential expansion

between the steel and the concrete,

• Window and door openings cannot be added easily after erection,

• Not suited for small size buildings,

• Need specialist trades to manufacture panels and the roof structure,

• Need cranes and riggers to erect walls and roof,

• Panels are painted on site after erection,

That summarizes the basics of the three main types of building structure
available today. I am constantly amazed at some of the innovative ways that
certain companies have designed their building structures to achieve certain
advantages in fabrication or erection. In these days of a high emphasis on the
safety of the construction worker there are systems available that minimises the
risk of falling from heights and the other hazards that are evident on a
construction site. Now let us look at the problems that people can incur when
buying structural steel.
Given my experience of the past 40 years in the engineering industry I have
found that the top 7 problems when buying structural steel are:

1. Selecting the wrong type of building for your needs,

2. Not determining the total cost,

3. Trying to select on price alone,

4. Having inadequate engineering documentation,

5. Not checking references,

6. Lack of understanding of the building process, and

7. Having an inadequate project management system.

1. Selecting the wrong type of building for your needs,

Before you buy any building, you need to be able to answer some very basic
questions about how you plan to use your building. Many people forget that the
building is there to serve their needs and if you don’t define your needs, you
don’t really know what will work for you.

You can save a lot of time with the consultants and the manufacturers if you put
the effort into determining your needs. Changes in design after the building has
been commenced can be very costly. Some basics to consider;

• How is the building going to benefit me or my business?

• What is the building going to be used for? – storage, workshop, business,

garage, etc.

• What size of building is required? – it will never be big enough – just

remember that more size equates to more expense. The size includes the
floor space required and the head room required.

• What doors are required and where do we locate them? – do we need

truck access, high bay doors for forklifts, strategically placed man doors,
etc.

• Are we going to need an internal crane, or hoists, to handle the goods

inside the building?

• What are the weather extremes and do we need to insulate the building?

• Do we need a second floor?

• Are we going to want to expand in the future?

• What external aesthetics will blend in with external environment?

• And so the list goes on …….

 2. Not determining the total cost,
There are many aspects of buying a steel building that are hidden but cost a lot
of extra funds. Buying a steel building kit and erecting it yourself can save you a
heap of money. However the kit is just part of the total overall cost. Similarly, if
you are buying a building from hot rolled sections or a hybrid building, the all up
cost can be significantly more than the building fabric itself. You will have
additional costs for:

• Land,

• Land preparation,

• Permits – development, building, plumbing, etc.

• Consultants – architect, engineer, draftsman, project manager, etc.

• Access driveway,

• Storm water drainage and sewerage,

• Electrical supply and fit out,

• Heating and cooling,

• Freight,

• Concrete foundations, concrete slab,

• On site painting,

• Interior finishing,

• Insulation,

• Plus all the miscellaneous stuff that is always needed to finish the building
off.

Everyone’s situation and requirements are different and there is no end to the
additional expenses that can be incurred. If you want to determine these costs
yourself, don’t try and guesstimate them, because you will be wrong. Obtain the
latest construction cost information applicable for your area and type of building
required and determine your approximate costs. These publications will provide
the building costs in many different ways – cost per square metre, comparative
costs and detailed prices. Bear in mind that the data will have been gathered in
the previous year and hence is already out of date when published. Apart from
any adjustment in value due to the movement in the building price index, you
should add a further 10% for contingencies that may arise during construction.

Your budget will be especially important to determine the return on investment,

but also for cost control during the project. It is also important to obtain finance
from a bank or other lending authority.

During my time as a construction professional I have seen so many projects that

have been halted, delayed or reworked because the prices obtained from the
suppliers and manufacturers have exceeded the budget. When obtaining several
prices for the same item, all the contractors can’t be wrong to the same degree.
They are all trying to achieve a fair price for themselves as well as the client, and
it is usually the budget that needs to be revised and not the work. Remember
that if you put in the detail to determine your requirements, and those
requirements are what you really want or need, maybe the budget has not
allowed for those niceties that you would like but can’t really afford.

3. Trying to select on price alone,

When selecting the companies that you want to supply you with your building, do
not select them on price alone or you will be disappointed. Work out the
selection criteria that is important to you and rank each consultant,
manufacturer, tradesman, etc. on how they will meet your criteria. The price
that they offer is just one criteria to be considered, not the only criteria.

As an example, for the structural steel manufacturer - Does he employ qualified

tradesmen? Will he be able meet your timeframe? What is his safety record like?
Does he have the right equipment to perform the erection safely and timely? Is
his company financially secure or about to go belly up?

There is an old saying that you get what you pay for and if you pay peanuts you
will get monkeys? I have seen on an engineer’s wall a sign that said “Cheapest
price places the highest premium on incompetence.”

The famous economist John Ruskin once said, “Good things are seldom cheap,
and cheap things are seldom good. The common law of business balance
prevents you from paying a little and getting a lot.”

The determination of your requirements and budget should decide on the type of
building required and its approximate cost. If you obtain a quotation significantly
below your budgeted cost you should be asking why. Contractors are human
and can make mistakes in determining the price. If there is a price that is below
everybody else, the odds are that he may have miscalculated, or missed part of
the work to be done. Go back and make sure that the contractor has covered
every thing required and give them an opportunity to vary his price accordingly.

After you have examined how the contractors have met your criteria, you can
select the contractor that you will be comfortable working with. If there are two
contractors that are close in the criteria, you can then use price to separate the
two, because you will get the same result from each. The most important
criteria is value received and each criteria can help determine that value. You
are the only person who can determine that value for your project. It may be
more important to you to achieve a fast project because of a specific deadline
that you need to meet, and you may be prepared to pay more to achieve that
fast turn around.

A few more sayings;

GOOD – FAST – CHEAP

“We can deliver any two of the above, just tell us which two.”
“We have no argument with competitors who charge less – they
realise what their product and service is worth!”
 “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the
sweetness of low price is forgotten.”
4. Having inadequate engineering documentation,
In determining what you require in your building, put it down on paper so that
you can discuss it with the building designer. The building designer will prepare
documentation – drawings and specification – that can be provided to the local
council for permits, to the contractors so that they can determine their price and
more importantly for yourself so that you can be sure that what you require
within the building is expressed adequately to the contractors.

There is nothing so frustrating to a contractor than having inadequate

information on what he needs to supply. You cannot assume that the contractor
can read your mind or the mind of the building designer. This is a great area of
disappointment and angst when you think you are getting a particular feature,
but it doesn’t happen because it was vague, ambiguous or non-existent in the
documentation. A simple example of this could be finish painting. Most steel
manufacturers will provide their steel cleaned and primed only, ready for a
painter to apply the final coats on site. For a very tall building this may require
extensive scaffolding or an elevated working platform to provide the painter with
access. This can be expensive and incur time delays for the project.

Inadequate engineering documentation will also give a wide variation in prices

from the contractors as they try and interpret the requirements. Some
contractors will estimate only on what they see and is specifically detailed, and
then make up the difference via variations to the contract. The final price can
then be greater than a contractor who had interpreted the documentation as it
had been intended and submitted a price that covered more work.

A good test is to look at the drawings and determine if you can find enough
information to manufacture the structural steel and erect it yourself. If there are
details missing such as the length of a certain member, or what is the connection
between two members, then the fabricator will struggle to determine it as well
and will go back to the structural engineer with a request for information. The
more RFI’s on a job indicates the inadequacy of the documentation in the first
place.

Another example of inadequate documentation is the detailing of balustrades. If

there is just a note on the drawing that balustrades are to comply to the latest
code, then the design of the balustrade and the price will vary widely. The
building designer needs to be very specific about what is required and to ensure
that the design that they put on the drawing meets the latest code.

Remember that the building designer, consultant engineer, contractor, etc. are
all working for you and you need to be sure that the documentation is clear and
concise to avoid variations on the job. Poor documentation will cost you more in
the long run.

5. Not checking references,

When you are selecting the building designers, structural engineers, contractors,
etc. make sure that you have checked out their previous work and spoken to
previous customers. It is a bit of time up front to avoid problems and
disappointment part way through the project that will cause delays and
additional costs. Don’t be bedazzled by their flashy brochures and dubious sales
tactics and spiel.

I have had a number of people tell me about their experiences with an attractive
sales person that closed a sale without checking out the substance behind the
spin.

The sort of questions that you need to ask and check are:

• How long have they been in business?

• Do they have any industry affiliations or references?

• Do they belong to the local industry association?

• Do they have any type of independent certification?

• What is the guarantee?

• Do they have a list of recent customers?

• Do they have any photographs of recent work?

After you get the information from the prospective company, talk to the previous
customers and find out their experience with the company involved. Go and
have a look at some of their recent work and ascertain for yourself if the finished
job is something that you would be satisfied with. You don’t need to be pioneers
in using the company in your area, previous customers are almost always happy
to relay their experiences. They too wanted a quality product, supplied at a fair
price, backed up with reasonable customer service.

Be cautious with looking at a display model – the company will have taken extra
care to ensure that it was perfect in every way and staffed by expert sales
personnel. Similarly, the company will not supply a reference that would give a
bad impression about its own product. Apart from the references that the
company provides, do a bit more homework and find out other customers that
have used the company and talk to them as well. Even talk to people that have
used other companies and ask why they didn’t use the company that you are
checking out.

The checking of references is an important step that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Since it is your time and eventually your money that you are investing in this
research, get all your basic questions answered first. Make sure that you like the
building style and the companies that can deliver to your requirements before
you actually look at any product. You need to be fair to yourself and be serious
about making the purchasing decision because the building will last for a very
long time and you don’t want to regret not putting the effort in up front.
 6. Lack of understanding of the building process,

Most of the steel building kit packages are designed for the ‘do-it-yourself’
market and even complete novices shouldn’t have too much difficulty in the
erection. However, as the building gets up in size the difficulties increase
beyond the abilities of the regular handyman. The weight of the components
increase, the equipment required for access and lifting increase and also the
need to have certain qualifications and certificates. Similarly, if you have an
unusual configuration, you will need the ability to read drawings and sort out the
components for each location.

To erect a kit building, ensure that you receive from the company instructions of
how to put it together and in what order. The company should also give you a
complete Bill of Materials of the components supplied that you can check off
upon delivery before you start erection. There is nothing so frustrating as to be
part way through the erection process and find that a vital component has not
been sent with the kit. This can happen when there are multiples of the same
component and there is 1 or more short. The building kit companies do not
manufacture everything in there own workshop. They will outsource
components such as doors, windows, hardware for doors, fasteners, etc. and any
of these items can be easily missed in the package. Most of the kits are
assembled with bolts and screws but you should check if there are any specialist
skills or tools needed to complete the erection such as welding or crimping.

For the custom designed buildings there are a number of skills required and it
would be very difficult to fabricate them for self erection. The buildings need to
be engineered from the ground up and standard designs do not always suit the
particular site locations and configurations. Once you have determined your
requirements regarding building type, size, layout, functionality, etc. you will
need to give this information to a building designer. These are licensed
professionals who are experienced in building design and can provide some
great advice on aspects of the building that you probably haven’t considered.
They will provide a set of drawings that show the building fabric, amenity and
features that you have stipulated in the requirements. At this point you have got
your ideas, essential needs and wants down on paper that you can thrash around
to achieve the building that will work for you. Don’t hesitate to change things –
move a door, relocate the toilet, make the building a different size, etc – because
changes at this point are easy to accommodate and cheap. The further you get
into the project the ability to change becomes more difficult and more
expensive. Be careful of the building designer trying to put his flair onto the
building. Many of the designers have an artistic aspect of their makeup and they
will want the building to look distinctive. Artistic, distinctive flair costs money as
the buildings are more difficult to build and you will pay a premium for the
construction. You probably don’t want square boxes either so allow the
designer to put some flair into the building fabric but don’t give them carte
blanche and go overboard.
The next profession required is the structural engineer who will design the
foundations and the steel structure to support the building fabric determined by
the designer. The engineer will need to conduct soil tests to design the footings,
and the local council will need to see evidence of the soil tests during the
building application. Engineers can be very conservative in their design as they
need to consider the extremes of the loading factors to ensure the structure will
not fail under all circumstances. Eg. What happens if the crane is lifting its
maximum load and is driven into the end stops at the same time the wind load is
at its maximum? The most critical area of design is at the connections between
the different members. Any loads induced in each member needs to be
transmitted to the adjoining member through the connections. It was
determined that the reason that the World Trade Centre collapsed is because the
internal connections failed under the extreme stresses and conditions imposed
on them. The structural engineer will also provide drawings showing the
structural members required, the connections and the foundations.

There are other aspects of the building that need to be engineered that I am not
considering in this report such as electrical, heating and ventilation, plumbing,
communications, etc. and these have to be considered in conjunction with the
building designer and the structural engineer. Are there access platforms
required? Do you need a plant room? Etc. Make sure that the engineer has
included all structural requirements on their drawings so that subsequent
contractors don’t miss them out of their quotations.

All drawings, specifications, tests, critical dates, etc need to be included in one
document package for quotation by a construction firm. The construction firms
will call for tenders from sub-contractors to supply their individual aspects of the
building – excavation, concreting, structural steel, painting, carpentry, joinery,
floor coverings, windows and doors, air conditioning, plumbing, electrical, etc.
The construction firms will usually be expert in one or more aspects of the
building and will estimate that value themselves, add the best value quotations
from the sub-contractors and assemble a tender for presentation to you the
owner. Note that I indicated they use the best value quotations rather than
cheapest price – refer back to point 3. The construction firms will usually have
worked with the sub-contractors in the past and be satisfied that they will give a
quality job at a fair price. I would avoid the construction firms that have selected
their sub-contractors on cheapest price alone because you will end up
disappointed.

The structural steel contractor will need to prepare their own ‘detail drawings’
that interprets the information from the building design and the structural
drawings into the individual components that need to be manufactured and
erected. This is the process where the draftsman needs to be very thorough and
get the detail onto paper ready for the fabricator to manufacture the
components. From this point in the building process, any changes become very
expensive as they may involve needing to purchase other product and involve
significant manhours to achieve the change.
The manufacture of the structural steel components may involve all manual
labour processes or utilize the latest technology in CNC processing of cleats,
base plates, cutting, drilling, welding and painting. The key to efficient
production is to minimise non-productive movement of components and to
reduce the labour component with mechanized processing.

In order to save on costs, you may consider performing some of the work
yourself. If you have the expertise and equipment, that’s fine, but it may cloud
the relationship between the construction firm and yourself. If the construction
firm handles all the site work, they have complete control over their subbies and
can co-ordinate their work. Also, you are the construction firm’s client and hold
the purse strings. ‘Whoever pays the piper calls the tune.’ However, if you
decide to perform an aspect of the work, say painting, then because the
construction firm are not paying you to do the work, they have no control over
the output. You could end up causing delays, friction in the relationship with the
construction firm and claims for increased costs. Hence be careful of offering to
perform part of the work. The construction firm would prefer if they completed
their aspect of the work before you commence so as to avoid any friction.

Similarly if you want to be loyal to a trusted colleague and you suggest to the
construction firm to use a particular sub-contractor. The construction firm will
insist on having control over the nominated sub-contractor so that they can
maintain their schedule and deliver the completed building to you on time.

7. Having an inadequate project management system.

The question of who project manages the building from day 1 to its completion
has been contentious throughout the years. In the case of a small pre-fabricated
building the steps are fairly simple and there are few of them. Although it would
be better to have a schedule down on paper, this type of building is normally
managed in the owners head. They have control of what they want in the
building, when they want to purchase the building, when they want it erected
and when they want to use it. The pre-fab building companies will be able to
supply most of the documentation required for the development and building
permits and the rest should be provided by yourself. So what if the building is
erected next weekend rather than this weekend! You are in control and you
experience the consequences if you are late.

However, the bigger custom designed buildings need much better project
management to ensure that all aspects of the building is being done and at the
right time. If you have the skills to do it yourself, this is an aspect of the building
project where you can have great effect. You can control the timing of the
output of all other stakeholders and match it to your cost control systems.

If you decide to use some one else to perform the project management function,
then you have a choice between the building designer, the structural engineer,
the construction firm or a completely separate independent person who can
administer all of the others. The sub-contractors are almost always managed by
the construction firm. It would be better to use an independent person to be
your representative rather than any of the other stakeholders. The other
companies involved in the project will always ‘favour’ their own work within the
schedule to the detriment of the other companies. A recent schedule that was
given to me allowed 4 days to complete work that should take 4 weeks. This
indicated that the person preparing the schedule did not fully understand the
manufacturing process. Similarly, I have seen whole processes missed out such
as preparation of shop detail drawings and their approval, or allowing cure time
for epoxy paint.

A project schedule has 4 distinct phases – initiation, planning, execution and

closure. The initiation phase involves developing your requirements,
determining likely consultants and contractors and your own team to progress
the project. A number of plans need to be prepared, depending on the
complexity of the project. These should address the project schedule, resources,
finances, quality, risk, communications, procurement and suppliers. The
execution phase covers the main manufacture and erection of the footings,
structural steel, cladding, electrics, plumbing and mechanical services. All this
should be finalised with a closure phase to wrap the project up.

Each phase has different man power requirements and unless it is carefully
managed, the labour component can blow out quite easily. At the end of the
execution phase it is too easy to hang onto staff to tidy up the miscellaneous
items that are required to finish the project off. At this stage it is better to
reduce the project team significantly and have only one person doing the tidy up
– usually yourself.

So there you have the top 7 problems when buying structural steel for buildings
and the means to overcome them. They are all resolved by hard work and
paying attention to all the details and the means to control them is in your
hands. In summary the problems and the solutions are:

1. Selecting the wrong type of building for your needs,

- Pay attention to getting the requirements right and determining

the sort of building that will satisfy those requirements better.

2. Not determining the total cost,

- Consider all aspects including land, civil works, structural

support, cladding, electrics, plumbing, etc. and use the latest
construction cost guide for your area.

3. Trying to select on price alone,

- Look for best value in the quotations received and balance

quality against price.

4. Having inadequate engineering documentation,

- Make sure the building designers and structural engineers have

covered everything with clear and concise drawings and
specifications.

5. Not checking references,

 - Check with previous customers and look at their recent work to
make sure you are comfortable working with the companies
selected.

6. Lack of understanding of the building process,

- Talk to the companies involved as to what they need to do allow

for all aspects.

7. Having an inadequate project management system.

- Prepare an activity schedule and a cost control plan and monitor

it on a regular basis. If needed use an independent project
manager who can monitor all stakeholders objectively.