metal church.info information

A pre-engineered metal building provides a sturdy, energy efficient, environmentally friendly solution, allowing any congregation to build a high quality custom designed structure at an affordable price. The building committee can work together with a steel building designer to produce a house of worship that is exactly right for their congregation. Church buildings constructed with steel frames are actually the first choice of the majority of new churches erected today.

Custom Design…

This is one of the most important benefits of a pre-engineered building. Spend as much time as necessary working with designers & engineers to make sure that your Church fits both the practical and the spiritual needs of your congregation.

Because of the up-to-the-minute computer engineering and technology employed, your pre-engineered steel church building can be unique in style, can accommodate all the features you desire, and still cost less. Steel building engineers can recommend ways to save money at various stages of the project. They are happy to consult with an architect if the church has hired one, and all communication can be done via telephone, fax, and e-mail—an important factor in keeping costs under control.

Beautiful, innovative materials for custom finishing the outsides of the building are now available- they look just like traditional stucco, brick or stone, but are easier to install and much less expensive. Glass and wood paneling are also possible. By the time some churches get finished, you can''t see a single piece of steel inside or out. Beams can be sheet rocked, and interior and exterior walls can be finished as they would be in a traditional building. To see the finished product, no one would ever believe it was a metal structure.

Shorter Construction Time…

Because all the components are “pre-engineered” to fit together exactly, and are cut, sealed, painted, pre-punched, and pre-welded in the factory, the erection time is significantly faster. This means, of course, that you will have the use of your new church that much sooner.

Lower Purchase Price and Lower Construction Costs…

Some churches have saved as much as 60% on both construction and material costs. A prefab church will definitely be less expensive to purchase, but substantial savings can also come from erecting the building using members of the congregation as the labor force, as opposed to hiring a professional erector/contractor. Is this really possible? That will depend on how large and how complex the building is, and the willingness and expertise within the congregation itself.

Inexpensive and Easy to Expand…

The flexibility of modern computer designed steel construction means you can add new wings to your church as needed, easily and relatively inexpensively.

Sturdy, Durable & Weather Resistant…

Steel buildings have performed admirably in every type of extreme weather conditions, including hurricanes and earthquakes. Steel is a fire resistant material.

Energy Efficient…

With the proper insulation, heating and cooling costs are greatly reduced. Click here for more info about insulation a steel building.

Insurance Advantages…

Because of the durability and fire resistance of steel, you can save up to 40% on insurance premiums. Check with your insurance provider.

Minimal Maintenance…

The finish on a steel building is guaranteed for as much as 20 years, very little upkeep is required. In fact, the entire structure should be guaranteed for at least fifty years.

Your steel church building will look new without any maintenance at all for a long time, and continue to save you money on both maintenance and energy costs.

Environmentally Friendly…

Steel is the perfect choice for sustainability. Did you know that steel is now the most recycled material on the planet? When you choose a steel building system, you can feel confident that you have made an environmentally responsible choice, and are building for a sustainable tomorrow.

• Steel is 100% recyclable, and all new North American steel currently being forged contains recycled steel.
• Every ton of steel that is recycled saves approx. 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal and 120 pounds of limestone.
• Both air and water emissions from steel production are a whopping 90% lower today than just 10 years ago.
• Almost all the hazardous waste once generated by the steel industry is now being recycled for beneficial use.
• The reflective properties of steel roofs provide significant savings in energy consumption.
• Heat and cooling loss, especially around doors, windows, foundation, and roofing, are significantly lower than other types of construction.

Three things you definitely will want from your metal building supplier are quality, competitive price, and excellent service and support. Out of the hundreds of companies advertising on the Internet, how do you pick one?

Here are some suggestions:

1. Choose an experienced supplier, who is knowledgeable about all the details of the project from design to erection.
2. High quality steel building companies provide expert technical support and will assign an individual to work with you as a project consultant, to help with the design of your building
3. Get references from previous customers.
4. Use a supplier who engineers, details and manufactures 100% of the standard steel building components required for their buildings.
5. Choose a supplier who can help you with building code requirements, and manufactures the building above minimum code requirements.
6. Check prices with several manufacturers, but, make sure you’re comparing buildings with the exact same specifications. Take detailed notes while doing your price comparisons.
7. There are dramatic differences in the costs of what “seem” to be similar buildings. Some suppliers might give a cheaper estimate, but they might not be offering all the same features and quality materials.

A high quality steel building should include these ten features:

1. structural warranty- minimum 50 years
2. paint warranty – at least 20 years, with minimal maintenance
3. 26 gauge 80,000 psi. strength sheeting is high quality construction, 29 gauge is flimsy
4. pre-welded clips for ease of erection
5. girts and purlins should overlap, for additional structural integrity
6. C-section jambs and headers for easy installation of over-head doors
7. fully trimmed at gable, corners and eaves for a finished look and protection from dust and wind seepage
8. all necessary columns, beams, rafters, girts, purling, sheeting, nuts and bolts
9. approval drawings and building plans stamped by an engineer certified for your state, if necessary
10. solid I- beam construction for columns used in sidewalls and roof rafters, minimum 50,000 and 36,000 psi. (35,000 psi. is not as high quality)

The Importance of a Building Committee…

There is a wide array of things to be considered in the building of a new temple or church. So many in fact, that most churches appoint a building committee to oversee the various areas that need to be addressed, before, during and after erecting a new building. Any one person would be overwhelmed with all the different aspects of the project.

The building committee is ideally between seven and ten people. (More than ten will actually make it harder to get anything done efficiently.) The people on the building committee should be detail oriented, flexible, able to work as a team, and be able to put the needs of the congregation ahead of their own egos.

It is not necessary for the committee to be made up of people with construction or engineering experience; rather, they should be leaders who can represent the entire congregation.

A typical committee consists of a chairman, secretary, and any number of program leaders and sub-committee members. The chairman should be a key church leader, not necessarily the pastor, but one who can work well with a diverse group of people, and who will guide them both organizationally and spiritually. The chairman must look at the "big picture" and be willing to leave the details to others.

To an inexperienced building committee, the task of building a new church building may seem daunting at first. (Faith comes in handy here!) It’s hard even to know where to start.

Here are some questions to consider…

What are the Building committees’ responsibilities?

How much can the church afford?

What financing is available for the building project

Will fund raising within the congregation be required? (If so, consider the benefits of hiring a professional fund raiser.)

What overall size building is required?

Can the current church be expanded, or another building added to the same site?

What size Sanctuary (auditorium)?

Do you need classrooms, kitchen facilities, offices, nursery, education building, or daycare facilities?

What size fellowship areas?

How much parking space/ handicapped parking?

What construction costs are local to your area? (building permits, etc)

What are the construction options?

Relying on the help of professionals is invaluable through all stages of the project. An experienced steel building supplier can suggest all sorts of ways to bring the project in on budget, and avoid any pitfalls.

How do you go about determining the overall cost of the project, and how much to budget for each different expense? The cost of purchasing and erecting the building is always the largest single expense, but there are others which are essential and should not be underestimated.

LAND COST…

Purchasing property is one of the first major expenses you will have. Of course, this is not always necessary as your church might already own land. Anytime a church is considering a new property purchase, it should be reviewed by local civil engineers to determine the feasibility of the site for church use.

The following is a short list of issues:

Zoning: Is the current zoning appropriate for building a church? If not, what are the requirements for rezoning?

Purchase Price: Take the total acreage; subtract the setbacks, easements, road improvements, floodplains and any other restrictions to the site. What remains is the usable area. Calculate the usable area of the land to determine the actual cost per acre.

A church will need approximately one usable acre for every 100 people in attendance.

Topography: If the site is too hilly, then a large amount of earth must be moved to flatten it. This extra expense might make the site cost prohibitive.
If any of the land is in a Federal Wetland or flood plain, it will not be allowed to be disturbed at all. This reduces the usable acreage of the site.

Utilities: How close is it to the nearest sewer line? On which side of the road are the underground utilities? It is more costly to either bore under the road or cut the pavement and patch? Is the nearest water line enough to serve the property? Are electricity, natural gas and telephone already available to the site?

Subsurface: If the site has exposed rock or was a fill site, this can be an added expensed. It is always advisable to have subsurface borings made before the purchase of property, to determine the structural qualities of the ground on which the building will sit.

Local Area: Does the area match your own church demographics and is the site located near the geographic center of the congregation? Thoroughly investigate a piece of property before purchasing it. Use expert advice to help you evaluate the feasibility of the property.

To estimate this, get the advice of your architect, steel building supplier or contractor. Every site is different. Local codes vary for storm drainage, paving, curbs, and grading. The construction cost is the hardest item to estimate until you have the engineering drawings. Landscaping is usually considered a part of site construction cost.

Some church congregations have elected to construct the building themselves. Sometimes a general contractor is hired to oversee the operation. This is not only a huge savings in costs; it also provides a way for church members to give service to the congregation. Building the church gives the congregation a chance to serve together as a team.

DESIGN COST-

The engineering for a steel building is included in the price. If you decide to hire an architect, that can be an expensive additional expense.

SITE SURVEY, SUBSURFACE INVESTIGATION, ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEY

A professional land surveyor must do a complete site conditions survey, including boundary and topography. Subsurface Investigations are usually recommended by the architect or structural engineer.

FURNITURE, FIXTURES, AND EQUIPMENT

Rely on the advice of your architect and interior designer when budgeting for furniture, fixtures and equipment.

FINANCING AND FUND RAISING If you will be using bank financing, the cost and interest should be calculated into the overall long term cost of the job. Ask about closing costs and fees. The expert assistance of a professional, outside fund raiser can significantly increase the amount of money that congregation members pledge to the building fund.

These are the basic steps in the construction of a steel building…

1. Before the building is delivered, have the foundation poured and fully cured, the access to the building site cleared, and any building permits in hand. (Even if you are erecting the building yourself, it is strongly advised to have a professional lay the foundation.)
2. Have the proper tools and equipment, professional grade, and know the safety regulations of a construction site. You will probably need a crane or forklift for both the unloading of the building and the erection itself.
3. Unload the building components off the truck, checking that you have all the necessary parts and there are no damages.
4. Lay the building components out as near as possible to where they will be installed, to save the time and effort of moving them twice.
5. Follow the “erection manual” provided by the building manufacturer, it contains step-by-step illustrations and directions.
6. Erect the primary framing, consisting of I-beams. These are the first components that you will bolt together and fasten to the anchor bolts already in your foundation.
7. As soon as some of your primary frames are in place, you can start to bolt the secondary framing, comprised of girts and purlins. Running horizontally the length of the building, they provide support for the wall and roof sheeting.
8. The wall and roof panels attach via the use of self drilling fasteners.
9. Weather stripping is installed with the wall and roof panels to keep the building from leaking.
10. Trim finishes off the building both in appearance and weather proofing.
11. Accessories, such as doors, windows, vents and gutters are the last step!

References:

Metal Building Manufacturers Association, www.mbma.com

The Steel Recycling Institute, http://www.sustainable-steel.org/, http://www.recycle-steel.org/buyrecycled.html

The Metal Initiative, http://www.themetalinitiative.com/content/building_with_metal/benefits/sustainability/s_sustainability.cfm

Christianity Today, Inc./Your Church magazine. http://www.christianitytoday.com/yc/2005/002/11.13.html