Build Yourself A Steel Home

Build Yourself A Steel Home FARM HOME Houses 6-6-32 Clear span, steel construction has revolutionized farm buildings in recent years. Now, that same kind of construction is moving fast into home dwellings. A Texas company, Tri-Steel Structure of Denton, is leading the way. The company has been supplying steel homes for 7 years and predicts that "some day, most homes will be built this way." Tri-Steel homes use the same basic engineering that goes into grain buildings and machine sheds. The result is a home "with better wind resistance, higher snow load factor, and practically no maintenance requirements. It is low cost and energy efficient. "Our homes have a unique, attractive appearance," says Brad Robertson, a spokesman for Tri-Steel. "We offer 21 standard plans which can have many variations. We build single and multi-family houses in any size from 800 sq. ft. on up. "We find that our costs are 30% less than conventional housing. We can insulate walls with 9 in. of fiberglass, which gives an R value of 30 ù much higher than is possible in a wood frame house," Robertson points out. The company emphasizes that its steel homes are fireproof and that interior walls can be placed anywhere because of the clear span construction. Variations to give a "homey" look include cedar end-walls, overhangs, fireplaces, lofts, dormer windows, sundecks, balconies, different roof pitches, wood siding, and special landscaping. Tri-Steel homes are sold in basic kits that can be erected by a local contractor or a do-it-yourself owner. The kit, containing all materials to construct the shell, includes steel framing, bolts and fasteners, fiberglass insulation, siding and roofing materials, end walls, and furring strips for interior wall panelling. It does not include interior wall framing materials, foundation materials, or plumbing. However, kits for cabinets, fireplaces, windows and doors are available as extras. The house shell kit costs as little as $11 per sq. ft., and a finished house totals up to about $25 per sq. ft. For example, the two-story, 30 by 36 "Double Eagle" can be put up complete for just over $50,000 in the Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas area, says Robertson. In general, the homes meet standard building codes and are fully qualified for FHA or VA financing, according to Robertson. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Tri-Steel Structures, Inc., 1400 Crescent, Denton, Tex. 76201 (ph 817 566-1386).

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