Metal buildings are getting more popular as homeowners explore ways of building affordable and durable structures without exhausting their life savings. If it is your first time building a metal building, do everything right to maximise your investment. This article explores some best practices to remember before starting your metal building project. We will also share floor plan trends to bring out your building’s full potential.
Best Practices And Trends In Metal Building Floor Plans
Maximise Your Building
You won’t be building a new structure every year, so why not make the most out of your building? Building a multi-purpose structure is one of the best ways to do this. Instead of a purely residential structure, build one with space for a home office or gym. Build one with a huge garage, so there’s no need to build a detached garage. You can also build a house that combines a house’s living quarters and a workshop’s commercial space.
Make Your Building Smart
Smart technology has been a trend for a few years now, and it’s time for you to catch up. A smart home is convenient because you can manage it using one device. Smart technology has remote control functionality to control your thermostat, oven, stove, lights, and others using your mobile device so your house is ready when you get home.
Smart technology can help keep your property secure. You can install a doorbell camera or a CCTV system to keep an eye on your property while away. You can install smart door locks that use passwords or fingerprints instead of keys. If you have a shipping container home Airbnb, a smart lock is convenient because you can generate a temporary access code for renters and reset it for new renters.
Mix Building Materials
Yes, metal buildings are mostly made of metal, but you can mix in other materials if you want to.
For example, you can use stones to decorate the exterior of your barndominium. Covering the lower half of your barndominium with stone accents improves curb appeal and gives the structure personality. You can also cover the lower third of porch columns with stones to protect them from dirt while making them look more appealing.
When building a shipping container home, consider using wood panels as exterior cladding. Wood panels give shipping container homes a more natural and rustic look. You can even transform a shipping container home into a log cabin by using logs as exterior cladding.
Be Creative With Designs
While most metal buildings retain their industrial look, there is no limit to the designs and styles you can adapt. Work with a fantastic designer to develop a custom floor plan that brings your vision to life.
Create a pole barn cabin that blends nicely with your fantastic natural environment. You can also start with a classic barndominium floor plan and pull off a surprise by designing a modern interior that looks like it belongs to a suburban home or a high-rise condominium.
Make It Future-Proof
Future-proofing a metal building is one way of investing wisely. This means making sure that you can easily remodel or upgrade a structure.
For example, if you are starting a family and working on a limited budget, start with something small, say a two-bedroom metal building home. It is best to leave provisions for adding a bedroom or two as your family grows. This is easy to do with a metal structure because most have non-fixed internal walls that you can move if you want to add a bedroom or resize a living area, like the living room or dining room.
Weatherproof Your Building
One of the downsides of building a metal structure is that it is prone to rusting or corrosion. You can protect your structure from rusting by painting it with anti-rust paint. This can help extend the life of your barndo and help you avoid costly repairs.
You can also add accessories to your barndominium to extend its life. Aside from barndominium plans and prices, most suppliers provide information about the upgrades and accessories they offer. For example, you can add gutters to your roof. Gutters can help direct rainwater away from the base of your barndominium. This can help prevent the accumulation of rainwater in your barndo’s base, which can lead to rusting.
If you live in an area prone to heavy snowfall, be sure to check the snow load of the kit you are ordering. This will ensure that the roof system can handle the average snowfall in your area and prevent accidental collapses.
Follow Your Manuals Religiously
If you are going the DIY route, make sure that you thoroughly read the manual that comes with your metal building kit. Refer to it frequently to make sure you don’t skip steps. Following the instruction manual can help ensure that you have a well-built structure. It will also help prevent mistakes that might compromise the structural integrity of your barndominium or pole barn home.
Hire A Special Crew
Erecting metal buildings is a specialised task that requires a unique set of skills, so be sure to hire a competent contractor. Ensure that the contractor has extensive experience in constructing metal buildings. An inexperienced contractor might make mistakes that require expensive repairs.
When looking for a contractor, ask for credentials and proof of their previous work with metal buildings. If you are building a shipping container garage, ask for samples of shipping container garages they’ve done for previous customers. This will allow you to assess the quality of work they can deliver.
If possible, ask your supplier if they have a list of partner builders near you. Don’t be afraid to interview several contractors to compare credentials and prices. Compare contracts to know what their scope of work and responsibilities entail. Show them your floor plan to know if they can execute it properly.
Conclusion
The art of building a metal building evolves constantly, and keeping up with the latest trends can help ensure that your design and floor plan is not outdated. You must also keep in mind some best practices while building your structure to ensure efficiency and great workmanship. With the help of the best practices and trends mentioned above, you can ensure you have an excellent floor plan and a finished structure that exceeds your expectations.