Two-Story Steel Building
A 2 story metal building made of a steel frame, wall panels, and roof is an affordable way to quickly build a warehouse, commercial structure, manufacturing building, or recreational facility. Two-story metal buildings are an economical way to create needed commercial space and improve a business’s profits.
Multi-story steel buildings provide several significant benefits.
- The inherent strength of steel allows for clear span constitution, flexible spaces, expansive openings, and damage resistance.
- Prefab 2 story buildings save money with quick construction, low material costs, reduced maintenance, durability, insurance discounts, and easy expansion as a business grows.
- Eco-friendly steel structures use primarily recycled content.
- An adequately insulated steel building can lessen energy consumption by 50%.
- Steel warehouses create healthy indoor air quality because metal resists mold.
Two Story Metal Building Prices
The price of building a two-story building typically ranges from $18 to $40 per ft2; however, the cost can change significantly based on several factors:
2 Story Steel Building Building Design
Complicated steel buildings that are designed for energy efficiency and to withstand heavy winds, snow loads, and ground movement will cost more than simple, lightweight structures. Furthermore, increasing the width of steel buildings affects the price more than increasing the length of the structure. In addition, the cost and weight of a structural frame per floor area unit increases with height due to the increase in wind loading.
Steel Prices
Drastic fluctuation in steel prices due to supply chain issues, material costs, and consumer demand can significantly impact a steel building’s costs.
Fuel Costs
The cost to transport a steel building kit to a job site can fluctuate based on fuel prices (another factor that changes daily).
Buying Power
Allied Steel Buildings help lower the price of steel by bulk purchasing, lowering material costs for our customers.
Custom Features
Added features like insulation, ventilation, and specialty doors and windows will also increase costs.
Steel is Perfect for 2 Story Buildings
Steel’s lateral stability and high strength-to-weight ratio make steel ideal for 2 story buildings.
- The lateral stability of a constant metal frame makes steel the most suitable material for providing stability to a two-story building. The uninterrupted space between the columns and beams limits the sway of the frame.
- Steel’s elevated strength-to-weight ratio of steel allows for large, open spaces, to maximize the usable space, unlike a multi-story concrete building that needs highly dense walls to ensure it does not collapse under its weight or intense wind loads. Dense concrete walls lessen the usable square footage within the structure.
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Design Considerations
With endless design options, two-story steel buildings can support roofing and wall systems without interior columns (clear span), allowing for fully customizable layouts for any two-story steel building plans. For instance, you can use the first floor for retail, showrooms, or a workout gym, leaving the second floor for offices, workrooms, storage, etc.
Size
The versatility of steel allows builders and architects to construct two-story steel buildings of various sizes to accommodate most commercial and residential building plans and local codes. In addition, self-supporting steel buildings can quickly expand as a business grows and evolves.
Determining the steel building size requires careful consideration of how you plan to use the structure now and in the future. With that information, a builder and architect can help you plan the square footage, length, width, height, and roof slope to optimize your building’s efficiency, productivity, and financial success and to accommodate the zoning and site.
Metal Building Height
Local codes typically mandate the height of a two-story metal building. Generally, you must construct the building’s eave height at least two feet higher than the tallest framed opening. Allied Steel recommends designing your two-story building with a strong base and structure that will allow additional floors as your business grows.
Doors and Windows
Customizing your two-story steel building with windows and doors will improve the structure’s aesthetics, add natural light and ventilation, improve indoor environmental quality, reduce energy use, and heighten occupants’ productivity:
- Thermally-broken insulated overhead doors to enhance your buildings appearance and safety
- Walk-doors with half-glass design to allow in natural light
- Thermal windows to save energy but also allow for ventilation and light
- Skylight to flood the second story with natural light
Lighting and Ventilation
In a steel building, adequate and energy-efficient lighting can enhance productivity and save money. Along with natural lighting, LED lights, hanging LED bulbs, T8 LED lights, LED panel lighting, and mobile LED lighting can ALL support the environment, lessen long-term building costs, and improve the work environment inside of your building.
Proper passive (vents and louvers) and active ventilation (supply and exhaust fans) serves several vital functions:
- Improves energy efficiency (making it easier to cool and heat the structure)
- Minimizes (which can lead to corrosion)
- Ensures fresh air (vital to the health of occupants).
The amount of ventilation for a building depends on its size, along with its shape, location, purpose, and glazings.
For help determining your 2 story steel building’s ventilation needs, contact our professionals at Allied Steel Buildings.
Flooring
A steel building’s visually appealing and functional floor space will improve the business aesthetics and contribute to a clean and low-maintenance building:
- Versatile finished concrete mimics many materials, making it an ideal, long-lasting, and attractive floor option for mixed-use spaces in a steel building.
- Durable poured resin (available in endless colors and patterns) can stand up to high traffic with no signs of wear. The low upkeep cost of poured resin makes it suitable for steel building flooring.
- For an upscale look in an office or lobby, waterproof vinyl provides a fantastic high-end look of wood or tile. Waterproof vinyl resists water and will not contract or expand with humidity.
Build Your Custom 2 Story Metal Building with Allied Steel Buildings
Allied Steel Building Kits can help you easily and quickly build a two-story metal building, starting with the design.
The Allied Master Builder is a 3D platform that allows you to design your steel building, monitor price changes, and immediately checkout. First, you will review your building’s details with one of our designated project managers. After you approve the layout, we will prepare your certified stamped engineered drawings. Once the drawings meet all your specifications, we’ll begin fabricating the steel building kit, with delivery to the job site in four to six weeks. The pre-engineered building system includes the main framing elements that support the roof and structural wall members and exterior finishes.
Our project managers and engineering teams will assist you with all the building details, supporting you until you are 100% satisfied with the results of your new 2 story steel building. Contact your Allied Steel Building professionals today.