A steel building that’s been pre-engineered has become a go-to for many companies who don’t want to spend excessively on more custom structures. When investing in these standard steel buildings, there’s no more affordable than the basic box shape. A vast majority of industrial, aviation, agricultural businesses purchasing a metal building find that the prefabricated, “no-frills” structure is both economical and practical for their particular business and budgeting needs.
However, it’s not always a clear decision since many commercial clients require something more aesthetic and upscale. After all, their building’s appearance says a lot about their business overall. A company’s physical store has to mesh with surrounding homes and businesses while simultaneously attracting potential clients from the street. While many of these buyers acknowledge the advantages of a steel building, they’re under the impression that this option greatly impedes their choices for exterior design.
Although it’s understandable how someone could come to this conclusion, you’ll be happy to know that they’re REALLY wrong.
In this article we will discuss:
- A Steel Building Has A Lot Of Versatility, Adaptability, And Design Flexibility.
- Increasing Metal Building Roof Pitch
- Hip Rooflines Vs. Gable Rooflines
- How Roofline Extensions Can Boost Pre-Engineered Building Appeal
- Optimizing Your Investment In A Metal Building
A Steel Building Has A Lot Of Versatility, Adaptability, And Design Flexibility.
In this article, we’ll discuss some various design modifications that can be used to add some bespoke style and uniqueness to any metal building. Let’s start with something classic, simple, and practical – a metal roof pitch modification.
Increasing Metal Building Roof Pitch
Pitch is just a fancy term used to describe a roof’s slope. Specific and common pitches will typically be referred to in ratio form, like a 4:12 metal roof pitch. This ratio expresses the amount of rise the roof’s slope has for each foot that it lies horizontally. Per the example, a roof with 4:12 pitch rises 4-feet for each 12-feet it runs parallel with the ground.
Boosting a metal building roof pitch is one of the most affordable and simple ways to dramatically change its look. Companies can go from having the inexpensive “box” look to something that looks more traditional and appealing.
Whether you require some extra clearance above your eaves or simply want more space to store your belongings, a higher metal roof pitch might just be the best solution.
There are also some practical benefits to having a higher slope on your metal building roof. These steeper angles shed snow and water with greater efficiency than a flat roof, minimizing your chances of incurring leakage and roof damage. When you’re running an AC, a higher roof also allows more space for heat to rise and heat the entire area. This can result in decreased utility costs.
A higher-pitched metal building roof also fits in better with surrounding structures. For instance, temples and churches are often designed with incredibly high-pitched roofs. This creates enough space inside for tall, hollow ceilings. This is where steel buildings can constantly rise to the required occasion. Structures that are pre-engineered can also offer spans with no obstruction and greater eave heights which aren’t possible with some other standard systems.
Hip Rooflines Vs. Gable Rooflines
A standard package for metal buildings will come stock with a low-pitched roofline with a gable frame style. Normally, commercial buyers choose between 1:12 and 4:12 ratios when choosing the pitch of their roofline. This makes gable roofs with low pitches the most affordable choice.
It’s also possible to get hip roofs with pre-engineered buildings. When areas are full of buildings with hip roofs, a steel building with the same style blends in quite well.
If someone is hoping to construct a medical clinic in an area already dominated by medical complexes that have hip rooflines, it’s probably a good idea to follow suit and conform to the standard design. On the other hand, if you’d like to have your business stand out from the crowd, you should opt for a hip roof building in an area with primarily gable style roofs. This distinction can do a lot for attracting people to your business.
How Roofline Extensions Can Boost Pre-Engineered Building Appeal
While the first portion of this piece focused on the various roof pitches and rooflines associated with pre-built construction, this last half will focus on different ways that you can “dress up” these buildings with canopies or eave overhangs. It’s only a matter of finding what works for you and your building, depending on the area and the type of business.
The roofline of a typical pre-engineered steel building ends up being flush with the sidewalls. This style is more than adequate for most applications when the “boxy” style of these buildings don’t impact the success or function of the business. For instance, these standard constructions are both practical and economical for industrial barns or agricultural warehouses.
However, businesses that deal with customers on a daily basis and have a public presence, it might be more ideal to customize a pre-engineered building to steer clear of the standard “boxy” look. These commercial enterprises have to brainstorm different ways to make their building stand out amongst the crowd while remaining semi-discrete and stylish. Sticking out like a sore thumb isn’t the goal. Rather, it’s about striking the perfect balance between appeal and function. Adding canopies or eave overhangs to these structures can help business owners achieve their target goals for their place of business.
Optimizing Your Investment In A Metal Building
Canopies and metal overhangs on buildings help to change the performance and profile of the structure. Steel buildings can receive an instant boost in aesthetics when these attractive and practical eave overhangs are added. Let’s take a look at some specific advantages of canopies, eave overhangs, and other similar extensions.
Shelter: Ideally, you’ll have clients constantly coming in and out of your place of business. Eave overhangs and canopies can help protect these patrons from inclement weather when strategically hung from doorways.
Value: When building a commercial property, business owners are should always look for ways to improve the value of the structure. This can greatly increase the selling price of the building should you ever decide to sell. Eave overhangs and canopies can easily boost a building’s curb appeal while boosting its resale value. These advantages are especially important for property owners who are hoping to attract more renters to their apartments.
Shade: Nobody likes it when places of business become too stuffy and hot. Employees can become disgruntled and patrons end up spending less time inside. Metal overhangs on buildings help to keep these structures cooler by providing additional shade from the sun. Windows, doors, and other areas where heat used to shine through can be blocked with ease. This is a big deal in areas throughout the country that have hotter climates.
Protection: All forms of precipitation pose a potential threat to the structural integrity of pre-engineered buildings. Installing canopies and overhangs can greatly decrease the possibility of incurring any damage from snow, ice, or rain as these additions help to remove precipitation quickly. This is important for buildings that don’t have downspouts or gutters.
Allied Steel Buildings offers clients the option of having eave overhangs to cover nearby sidewalks. You can choose from a range of eave overhang sizes in between 2-feet and 10-feet deep. We include a soffit for securing the eave.
We also offer a wide selection of wall canopies to our clients. You’ll be happy to know that these canopies are all self-supporting. There’s no need to use eternal posts or columns. There are also smaller kits available for doors that are 60″, 40″ and 30″ wide.
