How to Prepare Your Steel Building Site?

Before a structure starts building, the foundation needs to be strong enough to take the weight of the whole structure. You would have made a design for the steel building on a piece of paper during the pre-planning stage, even the prefabrication would also have been done. But the actual test is at the site. The steel structure of the building provides strength and stability. To support such strength and stability, the foundation has to be built up in a strong way. A good foundation protects the structure and components of steel building from moisture and water damage. Creating a weak foundation can lead to various incidents like the destruction of a part of the structure, ground shift that can harm the structure, or any injuries or deaths. Any errors overlooked can cause big consequences later. So here we will provide you with tips on how to prepare the site for a steel building.

Take the Permit for Building

Getting a legal permit for the steel building is essential as your building will get complied with federal, state, or local building codes. Not getting a permit for the building on your property can lead to many problems. Because if it is not permitted, then they can come later and tell you to rip off all or portions of the building and then it will be permitted after inspection. Not getting a permit can also lead to citations or fines. This will make the process just more expensive and won’t benefit you. 

Selection of the Site

When you have a property, you would have to make various selections for the site of steel building. You would have to see what ground of your property would make a strong foundation for the steel building. If you don’t know how to choose, then you can hire our building professionals for the evaluation of your property. The expert will guide and help you select the perfect site for the steel building on your property. The site is selected on the basis of orientation, soil composition, water drainage, and other aspects.

Preparing the Site

When you have been granted various permits for building, and you have selected the site for it, now you will have to prepare the site. You will now have to prepare the foundation. Let the surveyors come and stake the site properly. Relying on the kind of soil your site has, the subcontractor will recommend you amend the soil so that it can accommodate the drainage system. Soft soil or soil that does not drain properly can create issues on the site later on. So to provide proper stability to your site, the soil needs to be amended.

Clearing the Site

After surveying the site, the first step would be to clean the site off any clutter or obstacles and keep the place as clean as possible. Then the trees, shrubs, and rocks are cleared off from the site. Then to lay the foundation, a base is dug in the ground and the place where the slab will be poured gets levelled. This work should be done precisely by professionals. Steel buildings required to have a deeper base, about 2 to 3 inches deep, and the buildings that are larger will require an even deeper base. The soil removed from digging should be kept aside, as it can be used to fill up some holes later in the levelling base.

Keep the Site Safe

You need to secure the site; you will have to make sure every person working on the site is following the safety rules. There are people who are working with heavy machinery, sharp objects, and power tools. So there are possibilities of any incident if not paid attention. So you must also give concern to the site that there are no more dangers on the site. Clear off the area where there are people working, and vehicles are moving. Put up signs and barriers where there are any holes or dips on the ground surface, so workers and others stay alert. And make sure that tools, supplies, and heavy equipment are stored at a safe place on the site when not in use.

Type of Foundation You Would Lay

When making the foundation, there are two types of foundation you can consider laying. One is ground mount and the other is a concrete slab. You can choose one amongst the two to make the foundations according to your choice. We highly recommend concrete slab as it has more longevity. But some homeowners who want to build additional storage like garage or workshop will opt for the ground mount for an easy installation. You can ask the professionals which foundation will be better for your steel building.

Beginning the Construction

Once you have laid the foundation, then you can start with the erection of steel building. As the construction of the building starts, more materials will come in and out and you would have to keep a stricter eye on everything. The parts of the building will be fabricated and outsourced to the construction site; then, they will be installed. The building will first go through the framing process. Once the framing is done, it will go through the process of sheeting. Then after that, like any other construction site, all installations and frames will be attached.

This is how you should prepare the site for a steel building. Whenever you conduct any construction work, there should be a professional for every job role to make things go on smoothly and systematically. Safety measures should be taken at every step. You can also appoint a spotter for better safety measures.