More and more Australians are considering building their own homes. It’s generally a cheaper option than purchasing and you have the added luxury of being able to design the layout and interior décor.
That makes it an attractive option. What may be surprising is that many of these people are now looking to build with metal as opposed to traditional building materials.
The Metal Home
As the name suggests a metal home is made of metal. It’s usually designed around a universal steel beam which provides the bulk of the strength for the house. This then supports the smaller beams and the metal framing.
Because metal can be fabricated in almost any style, size, and shape, it is actually a very good choice for building your next home. Here are the current pros and cons:
The Pros
- Quality Control
The metal for your home is created in a factory and then shipped to your site. That is why it can be made to virtually any shape you can think of. But, more importantly, that means it can be made under rigorous quality controls. Every piece of metal produced is guaranteed to be the same strength, type, and color.
In effect, you’re preventing defects or weak spots from appearing in your home.
- Ease of Erection
A traditional house build means creating concrete foundations and then spending days cementing bricks together or even cutting and joining pieces of wood. This isn’t an issue for a metal house.
You’ll still need to create the foundations first. The metal is then delivered; you’ll need a crane for this and the house building. But, there are far fewer people needed for the build and it can be bolted together in a matter of days, as opposed to months for a traditional build!
- Durability
Metal is extremely strong and designed to withstand shocks, such as an earthquake. It’s also coated to protect it from the elements. That means your new metal home will need very little maintenance, a pressure wash each year will suffice.
Providing any damage done is promptly repaired a metal home should be able to last for years. That makes it a good investment.
- Environmentally Friendly
Metal is actually an environmentally friendly option. In most cases, it is made from recycled materials. The only environmental impact is the fire that you need to turn the material molten, allowing the new sheets of metal to be fabricated.
This is an important consideration for many people, it’s nice to know you’re not damaging the environment.
- Design Space
Because you get to design the inside and the outside of your home yourself, you can create as much space as you like. If you like open-plan then you can have it, or you can have a maze of rooms. You have the space to design space or not, the choice is yours.
The Cons
- More Expensive
It’s worth noting that metal is more expensive than brick. The delivery costs may also be higher. But, the erection costs are less and it is durable, helping to even the costs out over time.