Can your industrial facility weather long Canadian winters?
In Saskatchewan and Alberta, six different styles of building are commonly used. At The Reinhart Property Management, we generally stick with steel when building heavy industrial structures, thanks to features you don’t get with other materials.
Some of those attributes are::
- Longevity: Typically steel will offer a longer life than wood. We recently worked with an international company considering a wood, steel, or tent structure. They ultimately decided to go with the steel because it would still be standing years down the road. Minor insulation or replacement work might be required down the road, however the advantage of steel is that it is easy to clad over. Steel can be strapped and insulated and new cladding put on top, resulting in a building that looks brand new after 40 years.
- Higher rated load capacity: Pre-engineered Steel structures don’t generally weaken with heavy snow loads as they are designed to handle wind and snow load factors for the area in which they are built. In fact we usually find steel to be a little over-built, so the collapsing problem that often accompanies wood is avoided.
- Flexible crane integration: With wood structures, a crane system is limited. Side walls must be higher to accommodate a crane, and therefore a self-standing support crane is generally the only option. Steel structures, on the other hand, allow you to build a crane right into the side walls. Even if a crane isn’t engineered into a steel building initially, the sides of the building can usually be beefed-up later to accommodate a crane.
- Prolonged building value: Wood structures can be more or less expensive, depending on the price of lumber. With steel structures, it is important to look at appraised value over the next 20 years rather than just upfront cost. Thanks to a longer lifespan and easier maintenance, steel buildings frequently get a higher future valuation.
- Less expensive insurance premiums: Replacing an entire wood structure after a fire is expensive. When a steel building catches fire, generally only part of the building needs replacement. This makes a huge difference in replacement cost for the insurance company—a savings that often makes its way back to the client.
- Faster build times: Steel buildings can often be erected in just two to four weeks. Wood structures, by contrast, can take anywhere from three to five months. Since there are more options when it comes to foundation, steel structures allow a company to be up and running much more quickly. This shorter construction time can result in an ROI advantage.
We prefer steel design for the majority of our heavy industrial projects. They last longer and handle more weight, which is especially important when you’re dealing with Canadian weather conditions. Side walls can be built higher with longer spans without the need for additional posts and custom crane systems can easily be accommodated. They keep their value over time, insurance bills are less expensive and build time is much shorter.
Before you begin any steel structure, be sure to consider warranties. If bolts don’t get tightened or steel isn’t trimmed properly, leaks can be an ongoing problem. It is important to work with a builder who has a reputation for high-quality workmanship and offers warranties for their service.