Building a Home

[samh004]

Great stuff! Steel frame is a great result.

Seems to be a real annoyance if we want to hang anything heavy off the walls, with dedicated TV mounts needing to be installed (less studs?) but otherwise seems to have more benefits... so I'm told. Once the walls go up I wont know

 

[love_the_life]

Exciting times - looking great. Do you have an estimated completion date/timeframe?

 

[samh004]

Exciting times - looking great. Do you have an estimated completion date/timeframe?

Was suggested the 'average' completion timeframe of our 'model' is 20 weeks, not including holidays – and of course we have Christmas right in the middle. I therefore expect the first quarter of next year, so if anyone is getting sick of my posts already, best to ignore me now!

 

[love_the_life]

Was suggested the 'average' completion timeframe of our 'model' is 20 weeks, not including holidays – and of course we have Christmas right in the middle. I therefore expect the first quarter of next year, so if anyone is getting sick of my posts already, best to ignore me now!

Will be following right along - it's very exciting.

 

[RooFlyer]

Apologies if you've mentioned it up-thread, but what are the pros & cons of steel Vs wood framing? I guess it goes up faster. Maybe there wasn't a choice in your package?

 

[samh004]

Apologies if you've mentioned it up-thread, but what are the pros & cons of steel Vs wood framing? I guess it goes up faster. Maybe there wasn't a choice in your package?

Didn't mention it earlier, but I believe it was the standard option offered and I could switch to wood framing instead. I didn't look into it at the time. I do recall they said I couldn't have roof tiles if I chose a steel frame, but I'm actually looking forward to having a colorbond roof anyway.

Certainly no termite issues with steel, stronger than wood, resistant to fire; supposedly lower insurance premiums because of the termite/fire properties. I'm not a builder, but perhaps someone with a little more knowledge than I could dig up on Google could share beyond that. Naturally their press material will give them a positive spin, but I noticed one thing they mentioned is that the "strength-to-weight ratio allows for wider spans". I'm not sure I have any of them, but caught my eye.

TRUECORE® steel - The Inner Strength | TRUECORE® steel

truecore.com.au

 

[TheRealTMA]

Didn't mention it earlier, but I believe it was the standard option offered and I could switch to wood framing instead. I didn't look into it at the time. I do recall they said I couldn't have roof tiles if I chose a steel frame, but I'm actually looking forward to having a colorbond roof anyway.

Certainly no termite issues with steel, stronger than wood, resistant to fire; supposedly lower insurance premiums because of the termite/fire properties. I'm not a builder, but perhaps someone with a little more knowledge than I could dig up on Google could share beyond that. Naturally their press material will give them a positive spin, but I noticed one thing they mentioned is that the "strength-to-weight ratio allows for wider spans". I'm not sure I have any of them, but caught my eye.

TRUECORE® steel - The Inner Strength | TRUECORE® steel

truecore.com.au

Interesting. Wonder why you can’t have tiles with steel frame?

 

[samh004]

Interesting. Wonder why you can’t have tiles with steel frame?

Exactly what we thought... probably just something they don't do. Either way, didn't want them

Edit: From a little reading it appears that while steel is stronger than wood, tiles weigh a lot more and if you want tiles they require wooden roof trusses. I'm not a builder, so not sure why.

 

[snabbu]

@samh004 maybe consider getting some mature trees (as many and expensive as you can afford) in the ground as soon as you can around your perimeter for shade and aesthetics. Get some trees that even the worst gardener can't kill You will probably only need to water them for 1.5 year or so until they get established and then forget them but they will break up all the concrete and buildings. Great for eventual resell as well.

After reading the previous concrete pour posts, I had to re read this one as my first thought was the trees will break up all the concrete and buildings, being great for resell... as in the tree roots will destroy the slab/buildings in a few years!

 

[p--and--t]

Interesting. Wonder why you can’t have tiles with steel frame?

The dimensions of the steel used is not strong enough to carry the weight of a tiled roof. The dimensions of properly designed timber framework used in dwellings with cross members etc can carry the load.

 

[TheRealTMA]

The dimensions of the steel used is not strong enough to carry the weight of a tiled roof. The dimensions of properly designed timber framework used in dwellings with cross members etc can carry the load.

But, isn’t the steel frame stronger than wood?

 

[TomVexille]

Technically wood is more environmentally friendly as it is a renewable resource. And as pointed out above, you can't easily nail/screw things into steel.

 

[tgh]

sn’t the steel frame stronger than wood?

conceptually, but they use the minimum possible quantity of steel members in terms of unit strength to meet the load and wind rules.
= cheaper to build.
Timber is much stiffer, is thermally stable and does not creak and groan as the house flexes in the wind or the temperature changes quickly.
Lots of horror stories around about cheap steel houses….

 

[jakeseven7]

After reading the previous concrete pour posts, I had to re read this one as my first thought was the trees will break up all the concrete and buildings, being great for resell... as in the tree roots will destroy the slab/buildings in a few years!

No not if you put in the right ones and plant in the right place.

 

[Drakecula]

You might move in before we do! I'm enjoying your updates. We have a steel frame too and we elected to put in the extra bit in case we ever wanted to hang our TV in the future.

 

[p--and--t]

But, isn’t the steel frame stronger than wood?

The answer can be yes or no depending on dimensions (amount used) and structural design. They amount of steel they use is the absolute minimum they can get away with under the regulations. Also the resilience to stresses from different angles is important (back to structural design - so many crosspieces and bracing in wooden designs).

 

[moa999]

They amount of steel they use is the absolute minimum they can get away with under the regulations

I'm sure they don't over spec wood either but I assume that wood needs the cross beams for rigidity and as a by product can carry a heavier roof

 

[NM]

Perhaps the steel frame manufacturers and the steel suppliers have an incentive to NOT make their frames suitable for tiled roofs. Then they sell you the steel roofing as well.

 

[RooFlyer]

Certainly no termite issues with steel, stronger than wood, resistant to fire; supposedly lower insurance premiums because of the termite/fire properties. I'm not a builder, but perhaps someone with a little more knowledge than I could dig up on Google could share beyond that. Naturally their press material will give them a positive spin, but I noticed one thing they mentioned is that the "strength-to-weight ratio allows for wider spans". I'm not sure I have any of them, but caught my eye.

Thanks. That steel framing is advertised a lot down here in Tas. The 'wider spans' I guess would allow wider glass walls, if wanted. I'll be interested to see how the innards of the place are fixed to the steel frame. Plasterboard just gets screwed into the timber; screwing direct onto the steel frame will be a bit more difficult in theory, but with the right tools & experience I guess its not a problem. I guess there will still be wooden door frames screwed to the steel skeleton.

 

[travelislife]

Steel is quicker/cheaper on the labour front. Don't have all the carpenter time in straightening the walls out. Rarely is timber perfectly straight and a lot of time usually goes in to packing/planing before plaster goes on. None

Blocking out for TV's is normal regardless of steel or timber frame.

There is also a difference between structural steel framing (looks like being used here as it supports the roof) and lightweight steel gauge framing (often used in apartment construction where concrete is the structural component).

Just as easy to screw something in to steel as timber, just need the right screws.