Steel Building Site Prep: Get Your Land Ready for Construction

Are you thinking about installing a steel structure on your lot? If so, have you considered steel building site prep? If not, you must, as it is the most crucial part of structural stability. Once your site is ready, you can choose between various steel building foundation options. But first, let’s focus on site preps, shall we?

Most pre-preparation is done before the actual beginning of the site prep. This includes hiring the right contractors, grading soil, filing the site (if needed), filing for a permit for construction, and finally ordering the metal building’s raw materials. All this work takes a lot of time and effort.

First comes the site survey. This is essential if you are installing a large steel building. Site survey includes:

• Topography construction
• Soil composition
• Drainage patterns
• Vegetation
• Nearby environment
• Impact on neighborhood
• Existing structures
• Environmental & climatic conditions

Next comes document filing. This includes selecting a metal building design, ensuring the selected design complies with local codes, getting its blueprint, filing for a permit, and starting the site preparation. So, let’s begin.

How To Prepare Site For Steel Building Installation?

1. Selecting Location

The location of installation is crucial. When you order a metal building, ensure that it adheres to the local codes & regulations of the site of installation rather than the place of ordering. For example, if you are ordering from Houston, Texas, but the installation site is a rural area, then the steel building should comply with the local codes for the rural area.

1.1 Drainage

Ensure the site has proper drainage. Any water logging can attract unwanted insects and moisture. If you are installing gutters, make sure that the downspout redirects water away from the structure.

1.2 Orientation

Do you want direct sunlight into the building? If not, prefer an orientation that sits away from the sunlight. For areas with frequent rain, wind, and snow, you can select the direction of installation that isn’t in the direct path.

1.3 Access

The construction crew needs space to unload parts for assembly, so at least 12 feet of clearance must be present for workers' convenience. For larger structures, consider trucks that will offload materials. The path must be free from obstructions and overhead wires.

1.4 Paving

Do you need a driveway, sidewalks, or parking area around the structure? If yes, consider spacing for it.

1.5 How Far Is Utility Lines?

The farther away the utility lines are, the more it will cost to bring them to your structure. So, ensure that your location already has utility lines or is close enough not to stress your budget.

2. Steel Building Permits

The permit process's role is to ensure that your construction is safe and will remain safe in harsh weather conditions for you and your neighbors.

2.1 What If You Don’t File For A Permit?

Not adhering to rules or securing a permit can lead to severe consequences such as:

• Penalty (~$500 or more per day)
• No insurance
• Lien of home
• Removal of a portion or entire structure from the property
• Hard time listing the property for sales
• Compromised structural strength

Regardless of construction size or type, it is always best to ask the local authority if you need a permit for the structure you want to build. That being said, let’s move on to our next point.

3. Soil Inspection

Testing soil helps determine the characteristics of the soil of the construction site. These are:

• Type of soil
• Composition
• Density
• Water content
• Strength

A soil inspector performs testing and a contour survey to determine whether the soil is stable enough to withstand the weight and stresses of a building.

4. Clean The Site

First, remove any rocks, boulders, vegetation, and plantations from the installation site. Next, if there are any large trees, check to see if permission is required to remove them. Now, you can level the site. If the site is uneven, you can fill it with soil and level it.

The leveled site must have a little slope around the edges to ensure good drainage. This will be enough if you are planning to install a metal structure on a dirt-base foundation. For asphalt or concrete bases, excavation and filling the land with quality soil would be the best choices.

5. Install Utility Lines

Any utilities, such as electric lines, water pipelines, or other wiring, must be installed at this point. If you don’t need any utility, you can skip this process. Most people would skip water pipelines for carports or metal sheds.

6. Start Installing Foundation

Your site inspector will advise you on installing a base that best suits your location and purpose. In most cases, metal builders recommend a concrete base along with vertical metal panels, as this will hold the structure firmly against the worst conditions.

6.1 Should You DIY Or Hire A Professional?

A ‘do it yourself’ installation is suitable for small structures and structures with the simplest design. Some examples are prefab metal carports, metal garden sheds, steel-shaded patios, etc. When you are doing construction by yourself, you need to take care of the following:

• Local building codes
• Zoning laws
• HOA requirements (if applicable)
• Site preps
• Foundation construction
• Checking all raw materials have arrived and nothing is missing
• Get all necessary tools and equipment needed for installation

When hiring a professional, look for a licensed contractor to handle site setup and installation. You will need to hire a foundation contractor to pour concrete slabs and a construction crew to install a metal building.

Anyway, a DIY project is cost-effective but will take a lot of time and effort compared to hiring a professional, which will add to the overall cost. However, you will get a metal building precisely installed. It is recommended that you get professional help if you don’t have enough experience or the design is large and complex.

6.2 How To Hire A Professional For Metal Building Construction?

Ask for bids from various contractors to see who fits the bills. Have a look at their experience and previous work. If you can, get in touch with their ex-clients to know if they finish their commitments on time.

Note: If your metal builder is including installation along the metal building, go for it. Some dealers include shipping and installation in the final pricing, while others offer it for free. To know more, contact Carports Advisor team today.

7. Types Of Metal Building Foundation

There are four broad steel building foundation types. Let's investigate this further.

7.1 Dirt Base

It is simply level ground slightly raised above the ground for drainage. Over time, soil may become uneven, so regular leveling is necessary.

• Type Of Anchor Used: Rebar anchor
• Suitable For: Metal carport and steel shed

7.2 Gravel Base

Crushed stones are placed on level ground. A gravel base is best for rainy areas as it has the best drainage. You may need to level the gravel in a timely manner to avoid trenches.

• Type Of Anchor Used: Rebar and Auger anchors
• Suitable For: Large steel carport, small steel garage, and metal shed

7.3 Asphalt Base

These are more robust than the above two and can bear more load. Usually, it is preferred for vehicle parking areas.

• Type Of Anchor Used: Asphalt anchor (recommended)
• Suitable For: Home metal garage and carport

7.4 Concrete Base

The most durable and robust base of all is a concrete base. When properly poured and cured, they last for decades. It can bear more load than any other types of metal building foundation. It is most popular in industrial settings and for large structures.

• Type Of Anchor Used: Concrete anchor (best)
• Suitable For: Any size metal building, especially for larger ones

Prepare Your Metal Building Plans With Carports Advisor

Need help with steel building site prep? Call (336)-914-1654 to get expert guidance for a hassle-free installation process. From site prep to the metal structure that suits your needs and local codes, we will walk you through the entire process seamlessly.