Guide to building Steel Homes in Canada

Are you considering buying a residential steel building kit in Canada? Perhaps, you own a small property and need extra storage space. Fortunately, the potential is endless and more convenient when it comes to using steel building kits.

If you are reading this steel and metal kit buyers guide, you have at least given some consideration to erecting a steel building on your property.

This guide covers essential topics to understand when buying a steel building kit for residential living.
Residential steel kits offer an efficient alternative to brick, wood, or block constrictions. These structures are relatively cheap, durable, and versatile compared to other residential buildings.

The best thing about residential steel buildings is that all features are cut in exact lengths and widths, and customized to fit an established design thus simplifying the build process.
VOD Steel buildings delivers residential steel building materials in Canada and the United States. You can request a quote for your steel building materials ready for installation.

Where To Buy Residential Steel Kits in Canada

VOD Steel Buildings is Canada’s most trusted steel fabricator and supplier, 100% Canadian company proudly serving all parts of Canada and the United States of America. You can order high-quality residential building kits from VOD Steel Buildings based in Ontario and get it shipped across the country or in the US.
When planning to build residential steel homes or steel garage buildings, one of the main factors is where you shop for metal kits. This is where we come into the picture! Contact us online or by phone and get your steel building materials shipped anywhere in Canada and the United States of America.
At VOD, we have the highest-quality steel and metal building kits for residential living, commercial and industrial use. Our customer-centric approach separates us from other players in the market. Have a look at our positive google reviews to see what sets us apart!

Why You Should Buy Steel Building Kits from VOD Steel Buildings

• We are Canada’s leading steel fabricator and supplier
• We have over 30+ years of combined experience in this industry; we know what you need.
• We’re focused on customer’s satisfaction.
• We provide high quality steels at a reasonable price.
• We cover all required aspects for erecting a structure and also guide customers as they needed.
• High-quality prefabricated steel compared to other companies in Canada and USA
• Best factory prices with great quality, customer centric approach and proper guidelines, everything in one place.
• We offer reliable services hence you will never regret your choices
• We offer free on-call consultation on all types of steel projects you have
• We can deliver steel kits for a project of any scale to suit your need

Examples of Residential Metal Buildings

There are several types of residential metal buildings, and each one features a different kit during construction. These metal building kits include residential garages, workshops, homes, boat stage hangers, and RV garages. Your use for the residential steel building determines the application you want to construct.
The design of the residential steel buildings also varies depending on the project you are erecting.
The following are some examples of designs you can consider for residential living:

Quonset Residential Steel Buildings

• This structure is amongst the most economical residential steel buildings.
• It is easy to erect – you don’t (always) need a professional.
• It is stable in windy and snowy areas.

Straight Wall Residential Metal Building

• It is attractive and features a traditional design – you can adhere to this one if you still prefer the conventional house design.
• It features ample interior space; hence you can partition it and customize it to your liking.
• It has several exterior finish points that allow customization.

The Preconstruction and Planning Consideration for Building Residential Steel Buildings in Canada

After deciding to erect a steel building, you must consider the following:

Zoning Restrictions

Building Regulations

Regulations for erecting a residential steel building vary depending on the municipality you reside in. Therefore, you must conduct thorough research to determine if there are limitations in your area on adding another structure.

Zoning Permissions

Each property features different zoning permission from the other. For instance, a property may lie under commercial, residential, or direct control zoning. All these zoning permissions have unique building rules and requirements; hence make sure you revisit them.

Building Regulations

General building regulations state how far the structure should be from the property line. It also dictates the height and appearance of the whole building after construction.

Zoning Restrictions

You may be located in an area where you are restricted from erecting residential steel buildings. In such scenarios, you are free to appeal by the law at town hall for assistance.
During the appeal process, if you did appeal, you must explain why your zoning restrictions must be adjusted. Before reaching this stage, it’s good to gather your neighbors who will offer you support.

Building Permit

Before erecting a building structure in Canada, it is always crucial to check if you need a building permit from the municipal office. That will keep you on the safer side of the law.
If you need a building permit before erecting a structure in your zone, look for blueprint plans for your residential steel building. VOD Steel buildings will provide these blueprints, which deliver the building kit you plan to use. A registered third party must also sign and certify the blueprint plans.
After completing this step, an inspector reviews the type of structure in question. They look for the roof’s durability in different weather conditions, structural elements of the residential steel building, natural disasters such as earthquake safety, and electrical wiring in the area.
If you plan to build a sizable residential metal building or metal garage building, the building regulations will be stringent and might be frustrating. Therefore, some steel building manufacturers will sell you raw kits if they don’t clearly understand the permit in your region.

Local Environmental Conditions

Although metal is a durable and resilient construction material, you must consider the forces of nature when erecting a residential steel building. The natural details you must keep account of are our snow and wind.
If you live in a region vulnerable to snow episodes most of the year, research the metal building home you wish to erect. Ensure it has the maximum snow load. Although snow is gentle and beautiful sometimes, it accumulates on the part of the roof, thus causing stress on some joint places on the building.
Although you can easily calculate snow load in your region, much municipal planning has the exact sizes and material load per pound per square of the snow pressure.
Residential steel buildings are lightweight and need strong anchoring to the ground to keep them firm. Therefore, the wind is the main force to consider when erecting a steel building. The wind load determines the stress intensity the building experiences when strong winds occur. This calculation is essential when determining the overall height of the building, location, and several openings in the structure. It’s not easy to calculate wind load; hence you will need the help of a residential metal building contractor near you.
Other minimal forces to consider when erecting a residential steel building are dead or live loads.
Live load is the force applied in the structure, such as workers, during construction. The dead load is the steel structure’s overall weight, meaning the building must support itself.
Rain is also considered live load and needs serious consideration before a residential steel kit is erected.

Tips For Maintaining a Residential Metal Building

After deciding on a residential steel building, you must understand the maintenance practice to keep it in high condition. These include:

• Paint scratches or exposed metal surfaces to prevent rust. Continuous rusting may lead to the disintegration of the metals; hence the structures might collapse. If you notice an open or bare metallic surface, clean with a wire brush to remove residues and apply thick paint recommended by the manufacturers.
• Clear the roof after a heavy snowfall to reduce snow pressure on the building. You can also sweep the top to remove leaves and other debris material that may lead to damage to the structure.
• The structure should be inspected annually to tighten loose screws and other hardware used in the erection of the structure. Leaving the bolt or screws loose leads to wear and tear; thus, the building might collapse one day.
• Seal all openings and seams to prevent water passage into the structure. The door should also be closed to avoid damage if you stay in a windy region to prevent collapse.

Basic Directions for Assembling a Residential Steel Building

Note that each residential building has the same essential components. Therefore, the assembly instructions are similar. Consider the basic directions if you find that assembling your structure gives you a headache:

• Prepare the building site by grading and leveling as required. Excavate and add a compacted gravel layer of at least four inches thick. You can use the taper to compact the gravel to the required degrees. This ensures the residential structure’s foundation is flat. Apply landscaping fabric to reduce the growth of weeds.
• Assemble all your steel kits on the compacted floor. Mark the position of doors. Do not fasten the kits until you have the overall layout in the picture and it is as required. Ensure you have some hand gloves when handling metals to avoid unnecessary injuries.
• If your kit calls for it, anchor the residential building floor to the already prepared site. After securing the floor, install the walls following a specific order to avoid confusion. Most wall panels are pre-drilled; hence they can be easily mounted as the holes alight with their corresponding places.
• Attach the wall panels using a fastener and include mating corner panels for two corners before you continue. Use fasteners to anchor the panel to the installed frames and make sure it is sturdy.
• Lay the side frames and the roof beams and connect them using fasteners
• Fasten all the shed panels on top frames and make sure they align. Connect the door frame and be careful to avoid overdriving the screws.
• Install the gable panel in the side frame and door track. Fit the roof beams to the gabble panels and ensure they align.
• Install remaining supportive hardware such as braces and gussets.
• Seal the points on the roof with weather stripping tape before applying roofing material.
• Assemble the plywood and attach the doors as required, and you are good to go.

How To Anchor Residential Metal Buildings for Sturdiness

Metal buildings are lightweight, and if it’s not anchored correctly to the ground, they may collapse due to the action of forces of nature such as rain, snow, and wind. Some manufacturers sell the anchor kit separately, but some come as a whole with the metal structure. Anchoring methods vary depending on the floor you have made. For example:

Concrete And Wood-Based Floors

Use corner gusset anchors attached to the floor frame and fasten with masonry anchors for concrete floors or landscape screws for wooden floors.

Gravel Or Dirt-Based Floors

You will anchor the structure using auger-based anchors driven to the ground from outside the facility. Cables running from the roof beams are connected to the anchors once it has been fastened.

What Are the Benefits of Residential Steel Buildings?

• It requires a low maintenance cost
• It takes less time to construct your project
• The cost of materials is relatively low
• It’s safe and firm
• It is dimensionally stable
• Improved grounding
• There is a low risk of fire hazards
• The material used can be recycled
• It is energy efficient
• It is eco friendly
• It helps reduce production wastage
• You can expand it at any point in future
• It doesn’t require painting unless you want to customize it
• It is portable and can easily be relocated
• You have numerous design options for steel kits
• And a lot more

The Bottom Line

In recent years, many people have turned to prefabricated steel and metal kits for residential living and storage purposes. Recent studies have shown at least a 15 percent increase in residential steel buildings compared to traditional structures in Canada.

Residential steel buildings feature low maintenance costs, eco-friendly production, and economical square footage. Over the past five years, the rise in the construction of residential steel structures led to the establishment of a building system to help homeowners erect their construction projects efficiently.

We hope this article guide helps you to build a preferred steel residential home with less cost per square foot. The customizable metal house kits will enable you to construct spacious floors and customizable living rooms to adapt to any lifestyle. Contact VOD today to request a free quote for your project.