Dear Tim,
My husband and I are planning to build a new home, and we were wondering what you think of using metal as the frame. Would it save money, as opposed to using wood, and is it safe and lasting? Also, could we save a bundle of money by having each job contracted out to the lowest bidder? Could we go by their floorplans, or would we still need detailed blueprints? Thank you.
Terri
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Terri,
This is a tangled question to say the least. The answers are very complicated and entire books have been written about the topics. For starters, there are many pluses to using steel. It doesn't rot, it is often perfectly straight, and it is fireproof. The material itself can sometimes cost less than wood framing.
But steel can be more expensive to work with as not all carpenters are trained how to efficiently install it. You must screw *everything* to steel studs. Can you imagine how much time that takes?
There are heat conductivity issues as well. Steel conducts heat very well. Wood does not. I actually feel the best home has a combination of wood and steel. The next house I build will have steel wall studs in every wall where cabinets, wall tile, etc. will be installed. Steel wall studs installed professionally make a perfectly flat wall. Finish carpenters and tile setters dream of these conditions. I might consider steel floor joists or at the very least engineered floor joists / trusses on all floor where I would have cabinets, hardwood flooring or any tile or slate. Once again, you want the floor to be in the same plane.
Have you ever wondered why a low bid is low? Let's see, could the contractor or sub-contractor have forgotten items, could they use the poorest quality materials, could they work without insurance, could they? I could go on for hours. If you want a great home you need superb plans and specifications and you need my New Home Construction Bid Sheet. Both are non-negotiable in your situation.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB