FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers
Steel has an extremely long lifespan and requires little to no maintenance to keep it in top condition. Unlike timber, steel is unaffected by termites and won’t crack, warp, splinter, shrink, split or swell. It’s also resistant to rot and rust, which means it won’t corrode or deteriorate over time.
Steel’s strength and non-combustible properties offer greater protection for your home and family. Choosing steel-framing can eliminate high wind, fire, and lightning damage to your home.
No. The use of zinc coating on the steel framing protects the steel from corrosion for the life of the structure.
A light steel construction system is a form of construction in which the structural elements are carrier-like (wall-flooring) and produced by cold forming method from galvanized light steel. All kinds of structures up to 11.5 meters can be made with light steel.
It is durable, robust, and safe. It provides high sound, heat, and water insulation. The production system, whose pre-production is carried out in the factory, allows for error-free and fast production. Thanks to its flexibility and lightness, it provides more efficient earthquake performance.
- 1) Strength & Durability. …
- 2) Easy Fabrication In Different Sizes. …
- 3) Fire Resistance. …
- 4) Pest & Insect Resistant. …
- 5) Moisture & Weather Resistance. .
- 6) Very efficient Termal and Noise isolation …
Thermal insulation properties are calculated according to the climatic characteristics of the place where your house will be built, and the most suitable insulation materials will be used.
Steel framing is the environmentally friendly residential framing choice. When you compare that it takes 40-50 mature trees and only six scrapped cars to frame a 200 n² home, you can quickly appreciate the value of steel today and the impact on generations to come.
The overall recycling rate of the steel industry is 86%, the highest of any industry in the world, this offers an environmentally sound alternative for home framing. Steel framing scrap is a valuable commodity that should not end up in a landfill.
Yes, steel framing can easily be designed to meet and exceed energy efficiency standards across the world. Steel framed walls are unaffected by temperature or humidity changes, more of the heating and air-conditioning cost remain inside the house, saving money spent on utility bills.
There are a range of cement based panel products for cladding the exterior of the building. These range from compressed cement sheets through to sophisticated composite panels with excellent thermal properties. On the interior it’s possible to use gypsum boards.
Yes. A steel frame actually allows more protection for the occupants since it provides a direct path to the ground in the event of a lightning strike. This reduces the likelihood of explosions or secondary fire.
Positive connections and the strength of steel provide great protection against earthquake and hurricanes. A lighter structure with stronger connections results in less damage from seismic force. Steel’s high ductility makes it the best construction material for earthquake resistant design.
No. Steel framing is recommended by the Healthy House Institute for chemically sensitive and environmentally conscious homeowners who seek good indoor air quality. Steel frames do not need to be treated for termites and are free of resin adhesives and chemicals normally present in other construction materials.
No. A steel frame home will look exactly like any other home. The same exterior finishes can be applied to a steel frame as those applied in standard construction.
Mold requires three things to grow:
- The mold spores, which exist everywhere there is air,
- Moisture,
- Organic material, which provides the food for the mold.
Steel does not contain any organic material, and therefore cannot support mold growth.
Since steel will not burn, the framing will not start or spread a fire. You may also qualify for a lower insurance rate as steel does not add fuel to the fire..
Because of the high strength of steel framed structure, they are more resistant to damage from these conditions.
No. Steel will not interfere with TV or electronic reception.
People assume that steel costs more than wood or concrete. The opposite is true. Steel is more cost-effective and dependable. When working with a steel frame building, other trades will take less time to finish their jobs as the frame is solid and square. Doors and windows will fit as they should with no adjustments. Framing with steel has less than 2% waste, whereas wood has up to 20% waste with splitting, warping and off cuts.
Lightweight steel framing is generally faster and easier to install than timber, concrete or structural steel for several reasons. The lighter weight of the material makes it easier to transport and handle on site, meaning the framing can be in place faster and with less reliance on heavy-duty machinery.
Yes. Light steel houses are less exposed to earthquake force as they are lighter than reinforced concrete structures. Steel structural elements are more resistant to earthquake force as they are not fragile like reinforced concrete.
No, because of steel’s strength you can design your home with larger open spaces. With a steel frame, the walls will remain straight and true and can be finished with any materials that are traditionally used. A steel frame home will look exactly like any other home. The same exterior finishes can be applied to a steel frame as those applied in standard construction.
Yes. Since steel framing enables larger spans in the design of the home, fewer interior load bearing walls are needed, making renovation very easy while allowing more flexibility in design.
Yes, buildings up to 10 storeys can be built faster and more efficiently than using traditional structural steel or concrete.
Building time for steel structures vary and depend on a number of factors. These may include the size and experience level of the assembly crew and the availability of tools and equipment. Construction time for steel buildings are shorter than with other structures since the pieces are all prefabricated. A team of four (4) people can build a small structure in just a few days. For larger structures, the time frame is slightly longer, but a crew of five to seven (5-7) people can generally finish the job in about a week.
After the steel structure is done, it need another time frame to make exterior coating, isolation, interior coating, electrically, water and heating/cooling installations and floor finishing.
Usually an average simple house is finished in 90 days from signing the contract. For bigger and complicated houses it can be done by 120 days.
Whatever size you choose, steel buildings go up much faster than buildings made of wood, brick, or concrete!
Generally we can design small buildings in one to two weeks. Our engineers may need two to four weeks to design larger, highly-customized orders. Please keep in mind that these are estimates. Our team will work with you every step of the way to ensure that we make the ordering process smooth and efficient.
Absolutely! We want our customers to personalize their buildings. And prefabricated steel gives you so many opportunities to do just that!
MBS team will work with you to develop a building design layout that will best meet your needs. We always take your building’s location and primary use into consideration when drawing up plans. The size of your light steel structure is up to you. We will work with you to make sure that your investment stays energy efficient by adding ventilation systems and insulation based on your building’s climate zone. You can also make your building unique by adding trim and choosing from a large combination of color patterns and materials.
At MBS, our team will work with you to make your vision come alive!
Our houses can be applied over concrete foundations around 25-30 cm thick. But the thickness of the foundation will be approved by local authorities according to local regulations.
There are most likely building codes in your area that call for this as well. Local regulators will advise you as to how thick your foundation should be based on your site’s climate and soul analyses. MBS’s engineers can also work with you to determine your foundation’s specifications.
It is essential that you make sure all of your permits are in order before you begin any part of your job. This includes pouring the foundation. And we can pour the foundation after we finalise your building’s plans with MBS’s engineers.
Yes. Most jurisdictions will require property owners to obtain a building permit before they build a new structure on their land. This is usually true even if the planned building is small or just for personal use.
We highly recommend that you check with the local authorities in your area before you start doing any prep work at your building site. This includes pouring your foundation, as you may need approval for this as well. You do not want to clear land and pour a slab only to find out that your municipality will not allow you to erect a building at your chosen site.
You should also consult your local codes if you want to run electricity or plumbing to your building.
When a local regulating authority “certifies” a set of building plans, that means they have given their approval. That also means that the plans comply with the specific design requirements for that location. A building in a seismically active area, for example, may need to meet strict codes related to earthquakes. Certain regulations may also govern structures built in areas prone to high winds or heavy snowfall.
Regulations vary from region to region, and the MBS team will be happy to help you navigate the permitting process. Ultimately, though, it will be up to you to make sure that you get approval from your local authorities.