Misleading Information - Deceptive Practices

The standards and values of our industry are regularly masked by the deceptive practices of the unprincipled few. These companies deliberately mislead people hoping to increase their chances of a sale. At Metal Building Depot we know that the more you understand about the product you are buying, the more confidant you will be at purchase time.

Arm yourself with information - No manufacturer keeps an inventory of buildings "ready to ship." Without exception, steel buildings are made specifically to order. A building should be designed to meet your needs and more importantly - your building code. Some companies create "general" price lists for common sizes, but the selection is very limited to a geographic area with limited variance in design.

Beware of companies implying they keep an existing inventory of buildings. To find out whether a "clearance" or "cancelled order" really exists inquire on the earliest ship date. You should be able to take immediate delivery on a building "ready to ship."

There is no such thing as making simple structural changes on a pre-designed building. Moving or adding a door opening on an existing or "ready to ship" building - could require the use of a wind column or portal frame. This could change the rigid frame design and render the existing design useless. Additionally, changing the wind or snow load could require the girt and purlin spacing to change and the location of connection plates along columns and rafters may not be located properly. The bottom line is that a structural change most likely requires a new building design. The moral of this story is: If a seller claims to have a building "ready to ship" make sure it will meet or exceed you local building codes and loads and more importantly - your needs.

Proposal or Propose "ALL" - We want to help you eliminate the "gray areas" in a typical building quote. The items listed on your contract should be made clear as to exactly what is being promised. Our itemized contracts are detailed and specific and you'll never see "included" in one price (without a description). All your accessories and options are listed as separate line items. With our online quote you will always know exactly what you're paying for.

Secondary Framing

Secondary framing is created from rolled steel coated with a red-oxide primer finish in gages from 12 to 16 to provide an extremely rigid, and corrosion resistant structure. The following elements are formed as secondary framing:

Girts (walls) & Purlins (roof): These members run the length of the building providing rigidity, and a sturdy skeleton to attach the sheeting. They are rolled from steel coils 12,14 or 16-gauge steel, or thicker if needed. All girts and purlins are pre-punched for ease of assembly.

Eave Struts: This is a rolled member formed into a "C" to match the pitch of the roof. The eave strut is also made of 12, 14, or 16-gauge steel.

Steel Frame

Metal buildings are strong. It is the nature of their design. Because they are built to survive the harshest conditions, you can rest assured that you investment will last for years to come. The basic design provides great structural stability, even in an earthquake or windstorm. The rigid steel frame reinforces the secondary structural framing system. Any building is only as good as its foundation. A steel frame is the ultimate starting point for your building.

The last thing you need to worry about is the structural integrity of your office, shop or storage buildings. An advantage with pre-engineered buildings is there are no roof shingles for you to worry about replacing later. A smart investment is one that requires the least amount of cost now and in the future. Steel frame buildings are just such an investment.

If you have questions about steel frame buildings, just turn to an expert. There are many qualified steel building manufacturers to answer any question that you may have.

Foundations

Do I need a foundation for my metal building? - Some people choose to pour a full slab foundation, however if you're planning on leaving the floor in a dirt or gravel condition, concrete piers will do the job just fine. Please contact a customer service representative if you don't plan to pour a full slab foundation.

Can you provide an engineer stamped foundation layout? - Yes, but in some cases your soil conditions play a major role in the type of foundation you can use. Contact our special sales department for more information. If using a local engineer, we will provide anchor bolt plans to aid your engineer in designing the foundation.

Do you supply the hardware to attach the frame to foundation? - No, the anchor bolts are usually supplied by a concrete contractor and placed when the foundation is poured.

Structural Framing

All frames are welded on a state-of-the-art computerized submerged welding system. We are capable of producing structural members up to 72" in depth, which gives us the ability to manufacture clear-span buildings up to 150 feet wide! A factory primer coating is applied to protect the beams during shipping and erection.

All framing members shall be shop fabricated for field bolted assembly unless otherwise noted on plans and specifications. All building parts shall carry an identifying mark for easy field identification. Structural framing shall include tapered beam frames, tapered rigid frames, modular beam and columns, lean-to rafters and columns, canopy beams, intermediate columns bearing end frames and end wall columns. Steel used in the fabrication of built-up primary structural members shall have a minimum yield of 50 KSI. Hot rolled primary structural members shall have a minimum yield of 50 KSI. Cold rolled structural members shall have a minimum yield of 55 KSI. Primary framing shall be shop fabricated and include all holes required for attachment of secondary members and bracing. A continuous arc-welding process shall join flanges and webs of built-up welded members. End wall columns and rafters shall be "hot-rolled" built-up "I" or standard "cee" sections.

Connections - All field connections shall be bolted. All primary bolted connections shall be furnished with high strength bolts conforming to A.S.T.M. A-325. All secondary bolted connections shall be furnished with machine bolts conforming to A.S.T.M.-A307.