Aside from the standards, codes, and requirements, the owner is also in charge of defining the aesthetics, the materials, and the overall layout of the pre engineered metal building foundation. If you are one of the many who are misinformed, this article is meant to tell you that getting this information is not the responsibility of the supplier, but yours.
What is the foundation for? Basically, the foundation’s purpose is to provide a level base to which the pre-engineered metal building’s columns can be anchored – simply said, the foundation holds the entire structure together. If the foundation is properly designed, with the right dimensions, smooth surface, and stability, you can rest assured that the structural integrity of your pre-engineered metal building is at its peak.
Now, the importance of settling the foundation options and specifications beforehand is to allow the supplier to layout the anchor bold plans. This plan is included in the pre engineered metal building package and is initially shown to the owner to present the location, dimension, and projection of anchor bolts to which the actual pre-engineered metal building frame will be attached. This plan ultimately defines how the anchor bolts will actually be positioned and is to be followed strictly – this is why there ought to be no room left for errors.
While getting the foundation settled is the responsibility of the owner, it is not the same as saying the supplier will not be of help in this task at all. The supplier also has a part in this endeavour, that being, letting the owner know of the loads that the pre-engineered metal building will be handling and the implications of these loads on the design. The two parties actually have to work hand in hand to accomplish this task and get the right results.
Again, it is the task of the owner to know and acquire the appropriate provisions with respect to bolt embedment, bearing angles, and other components that will possibly be embedded onto the concrete foundation. The owner must also check the bearing capacity of the soil on which the foundation is laid on, as mentioned earlier in Part 1 of this article. Soil condition is a very crucial consideration not only during construction time but also for the entire service life of the building.
Now, when the foundation has been laid out, the only concern of the owner is ensuring proper ventilation and condensation within the pre-engineered metal building. While there are special components meant to perform these functions, the primary responsibility of the owner is to confer with the supplier in order to define the thermal and atmospheric requirements for the pre-engineered metal building. This largely depends on what the pre-engineered metal building is being constructed in the first place.
Once all these matters have been settled, the success of the metal building project is just an arm’s length away. The important thing is that all parties – the owner, supplier, and construction workforce – all do their part right and on time.