The rate of new residential construction has been trending upward for the last several years. There are a lot of reasons to build a new home, compared to simply buying an existing home. New homes may be better constructed and therefore lower maintenance than older homes, and may also be more energy efficient than older homes, which helps keep ongoing costs down as well.
For many people, there’s also a greater sense of control and satisfaction in designing a home that is made just for them. That includes the ability to pick not only the materials that the home is built from, but also the construction method that’s used as well.
With this rate of new home construction, many different home construction techniques and materials have been emerging. This includes an uptick in modular home design, as well as home kits, which can help save money on construction, while often offering better, more durable and energy efficient results.
One of the newest trends in modular home building has been the construction of metal houses. Metal houses are often fast and easy to build, more durable than traditional, stick-built homes, and can offer a lot of benefits to the homeowner.
What Is Metal Home Building?
Metal home building is a new, modular method of construction that uses kits or preformed sections to make the building process faster, easier, and often more efficient. Metal homes are often less expensive to construct, and can be built in a shorter amount of time.
Like a stick-built home, a metal home can be finished on the interior and exterior to take on any appearance or style. This can allow a lot of customization of the finished home, at a lower cost and on a faster timeline.
What Are the Benefits to a Metal Home
Having a metal home offers a lot of different benefits and advantages over a traditional, stick-built home. Metal homes are more durable than stick-built homes, so they not only last longer, they also generally require less maintenance.
Metal is impervious to most issues that eventually affect stick-built homes such as mold, mildew, insect activity, and wood rot. Metal homes are also flame retardant, which can be a benefit to homes being built in areas where wildfires are common, and also be a benefit when insuring the home. Many insurance companies will provide lower rates for metal homes because they pose less of a risk for many natural disasters including fires and high winds.
Metal homes also typically do not require interior load-bearing walls. This can accommodate different types of floor plans, and means that you can change the interior floor plan or do an interior remodel fairly easily.
Metal homes are also less labor intensive to build, which means a faster and less expensive building project. Despite this, they can still be constructed in a variety of architectural styles, as well as sizes and layouts. They can be finished in the same interiors as stick-built homes, and they can be given a wide range of exterior finishes and appearances as well. This includes the use of features like steel siding, which can help offer even greater protection from the elements and threats like fire, as well as continued low maintenance.
Most metal homes come with extensive, long-term warranties. It is not unheard of for a metal home to have warranties on the structure, roof, and other areas that are 40 or more years long. This can provide a lot of peace of mind for the homeowner, and can help increase the resale value of the home as well, as the next homeowner can also rest assured that there will be few problems with the home.
Factors to Consider Before Building a Metal Home
Metal homes offer a lot of advantages for the homeowner, but there are a few considerations to make prior to building. Metal homes are still relatively new in the construction industry, so you may have a more difficult time finding a contractor who is familiar and experienced with this type of building style.
Modular kits are the most common method of building a metal home, but not every area has a supplier close by. This can mean that if you choose to use a modular kit, there can be expensive shipping costs and an added timeline to the project.
Depending on the area where you’re building, you may have difficulties with permitting and with homeowner’s associations, which may have strict rules about the type of construction permitted in the neighborhood. You will need to check with both the HOA and your town or city hall about what variances are allowable when building a metal home.
Metal homes are typically finished with a smooth, sheet metal wall on the exterior. This wall can be left as is, but is generally not allowed by most HOAs, and may detract from the curb appeal or the value of the home. For this reason, most people choose to finish the exterior of their home using another material such as steel siding, brick, or stucco. This will increase the cost of the project, as most modular kits do not include or specify siding.
Your metal home will still require a foundation, so there will be excavation and structural engineering fees, as well as the fees required for pouring a foundation. This is going to be the case whether you build your home on a slab or with a full basement.
If you choose to add onto your home after it’s built, this can be very difficult with a metal home. While this isn’t always a concern for many people right away, if you have considered the possibility of building a smaller home to save costs now, then to add onto the home in a few years as your family expands, a metal home may not be able to accommodate an addition. When planning your metal home build, you will need to think long-term about your family’s needs, as expansion may not be possible.
Prefab metal houses aren’t always adaptable to different terrains and rural settings. While a stick built home could be built into the side of a hill, or have multiple levels for a changing landscape, a metal home needs to be built flat. This isn’t a problem for most homeowners, but if you are considering building in a rural area and wish to use metal, you may need to reach out to custom builders, which will carry a higher cost.
Finally, there may be some materials such as insulation that will have fewer options for metal homes. This can mean that any future changes you make to the home could have more limited options as well.
Consider a Metal Home Build
Metal homes can be very attractive, versatile, and fast and easy to build. They can offer a big cost savings at the time of the build and in the case of lower long-term maintenance costs. They’ll also offer you a lot of protection and durability in the event of a fire or natural disaster. If you’re considering building a new home of your own, consider a metal home build to help you achieve your home design goals.
