If you are planning to buy steel buildings, you must be aware of the common mistakes that buyers make, so that you can avoid them. The most common blunder is ending up with the wrong type of steel building.
Imagine going through the process of designing and constructing your steel building, only to realize that it is not what you really want. To avoid this pitfall, you must first define your specific needs. Remember, the building is there to serve your needs.
Better yet, list down your answers to these questions:
1. What do you really want the building to do for you? This is not the same as knowing what the building is going to be used – workshop, storage, garage, office, church, etc. How will my life improve or how can I benefit from this building?
2. What are the dimensions of my steel building? What is the length? What is the width? How tall should it be?
3. Do I need doors? What door size do I need? How many doors do I need? Where should the doors be placed? Do I need an overhead type door or a sliding door?
4. Do I need windows? How many do I need? What is the size of my windows? Where should I place my windows?
5. Will my steel building need insulation?
6. Do I plan to expand my steel building in the future? If so, will I expand its length, its width or both?
7. Do I need a second floor?
8. What shape should my steel building have? Do I want a square building or a rectangular building? Should it have straight or curved walls?
9. Should the roof be flat or peaked?
10. What will I place inside the building?
11. Will I need a building permit for my building?
12. Do I plan to erect it myself?
13. Do I plan to build the foundation myself?
14. How much is my budget? Will I need financing?
15. What building codes apply to my steel building?
You will realize that after defining your needs, the rest of the questions can be answered with ease. If you cannot define your needs yet, postpone the purchase of your steel building, until the time you have done so.