Hi there people,
Has anyone built a house with a steel frame ? Is it cheaper than the traditional timber frame ? Ive heard tradies tell me that they are a much straghter frame which might give me straighter plasted walls. If you have had any expierience with them id like to hear from you .
“It’s not how much money you make, It’s how you spend it that matters.”
Aspiring property developer
Giulio Taranto
majority of properties in WA’s N-West and into the NT are built with steel frames..
Galvernising can still rust and any hole drilled into it braks the coating..if putting onto a concrete slab ensure you coat the base in a tar like product as the lime from the concrete can eat into it..
have you “googled” steel frames or building with them?
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Count The Currency With This Online Positive Cashflow Calculatornope havent thought about doing that to be honest, wanted to see what you lot knew about it first.
“It’s not how much money you make, It’s how you spend it that matters.”
Aspiring property developer
Giulio Taranto
G’day PP,
I have had a lot of experience with building in steel frame both wall frames and steel roof trusses. In my experience there is no down side to this product although, as a carpenter i still like working with timber. Most steel frames are made from zincalume steel these days rather then galvanised steel. As such the issue of rusting edges where holes have been cut is significantly reduced as is the need for protection from the concrete. That is not to say you should not apply this protection but the Building Code of Australia (building bible) does not specify that this be done.
Another plus is that the structural elements of the building if built in steel are fully protected from termite attack whereas this may not be the case with timber frame. It is true that steel frames are usually straighter than timber frames although timber frames are usually constructed within tolerances and do not cause a problem.
I would have no hesitation in building my PPOR using steel frame. It is a very good building product. Incidentally, I now work as a building quality control manager and have found no major problems with steel frames.
Feel free to ask more questions as you desire.
Pudmight be an obvious question but is it more cost effective ?
“It’s not how much money you make, It’s how you spend it that matters.”
Aspiring property developer
Giulio Taranto
If the question is “Is it cheaper?”. The short answer is no! The long answer is it depends on what you are comparing it with ie. Treated pine frame without other termite treatment. Standard pine frame with other termite treatment. Treated pine with other termite treatment. If you compare treated pine with steel and no extra treatment my considered opinion would be that it is cheaper. I would suggest trying to get an opinion from the area in which you are looking to build. I’m in WA
Just as a matter of interest I could never understand why they don’t take off in a big way and I asked my son (who is a builder/carpenter) and he said – I just prefer working with wood.
Fern
its a shame because its seems to be, from what i know a great product. The only downside is the whole noise factor. The climate in Melbourne is all over the place, so the steel would contract and expand often, this might be a problem.
“It’s not how much money you make, It’s how you spend it that matters.”
Aspiring property developer
Giulio Taranto
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