Month: October 2018

Getting rid of Your Stuff can be Hard. We can Help.

Posted on October 31, 2018 by - ASI, Blog, Informative, Lifestyle, Questions, Steel Structures

There are many reasons you could need storage, but one you may not have thought about is how clutter affects our lives. I recently read a report on how too much clutter can cause stress and anxiety, can create feelings of guilt (“I should start being more organized”) and can also lead one to feel embarrassed, especially when others drop by our homes or workspaces unexpectedly. As a psychologist and expert on the subject, Sherrie Bourg Carter explains in Psychology Today, “Messy homes and workspaces leave us feeling anxious, helpless, and overwhelmed. Yet, rarely is clutter recognized as a significant source of stress in our lives.”

Downsizing is another reason people would need storage. There is a national trend of people leaving larger houses for much smaller and more economic ones. The reasons vary, but most say they want to cash out equity to fund retirement, cut living costs with a smaller residence, or even move to a new location, possibly a rental.

According to HousingWire.com: “In fact, three out of four Baby Boomers answered they would downsize their home to lower ongoing costs and for the benefit from the equity. Another 67% said they would be willing to move to a less expensive location.”

So where does everything go when you don’t want to throw it away?

Are your kids leaving the house? Every year, 20 million kids enrolled in college, with a large amount of them leaving home. Therein lies the issue. We spend a long time creating and collecting memories, and it can be hard to just discard of these items when the kids leave home.

With American Steel, you don’t have to. American Steel makes buildings that are Strong, Versatile, and Built to Last.

Get the peace of mind, make your life less complicated, or secure those memories that mean so much. Give us a call at (866) 730-9865 or check us out online at americansteeleinc.com.

Let’s Get You What You’re Looking For

Posted on October 31, 2018 by - ASI, Blog, Buildings, Informative, Lifestyle, Steel Structures

“There’s no need for expensive additional features. All I want is something to protect my toys. I just want to store my equipment. Maybe a window would be okay…” If this is your scenario, then let me tell you that you’re not alone. A lot of our customers prefer a simple sturdy building where they can store all of their belongings or park their vehicles without the need for any of the additional features that we offer. This is completely understandable, although you should remember to get any additional features you might eventually need. If protection and sturdiness is all you’re looking for, however, then American Steel Carports will provide you with the right metal building for you at the right price!

Take a look at this 18’W x 21’L x 8’H fully vertical metal building:

 

All vertical siding allows natural elements to slide off from the roof without the need for constant maintenance. Keep in mind that vertical siding also allows you to add insulation. This customer decided to add (3) windows, (1) walk-in door, and (1) 9’ x 7’ overhead door.

A simple design with good features and options like the metal buildings described can be a great choice that might interest you in the future. Remember that all of our metal buildings can be customized per your needs and likes. If you’re not really sure what kind of building is the right one for you, then give us a call and let one of our experts help you find the metal building that best suits your needs. Don’t forget to ask for your local dealer.

Know Your Needs

Posted on October 29, 2018 by - A-Frame Vertical, ASI, Blog, Buildings, Customer Builds, Lifestyle, Steel Structures

Part of the process of acquiring your metal building is knowing the type of surface where the unit will be installed. Most of our customers prefer to have their buildings installed on concrete slabs. These aren’t required for all the buildings we offer, unless you’re want something wider than 30 feet; leveled ground may be another option. We also know how much concrete can cost, and that’s why our concrete anchors are INCLUDED in your order. That means you’ll also get our 90-mph wind warranty, because you’ll have the anchors needed for it.

Of course, many of our customers are creative when designing their concrete slab. We’ve seen customers add various kinds of ramps for their vehicles, which is pretty nice if you ask us. Remember, your metal building will be built to meet your special needs.

This 24′W × 41′L × 10′H metal garage is a great example of customization a metal building and all the options you might want to consider:

  • (2) 10’x8′ Roll-Up Doors
  • Walk-In Door (36″x80″)
  • (8) Windows

The windows, in this case, are an affordable option for illumination; this building comes with eight of them. If you like the design and dimensions of this building but you’re not really feeling the colors, there’s absolutely no need to stick with the same ones. We offer thirteen colors for you to choose from at no extra cost.

Have a different idea? Perhaps you’re looking to make your building taller, for your bigger toys? Then talk to us! Give us a call at 866-730-9865 and get your personalized quote today for FREE! Want to see our buildings in person? Call us now and ask for your local dealer. We’re now offering rent-to-own in all our service areas too. Talk to one of our experts and get your order started!

Generic vs. Specific Plans & Calculations:

Posted on October 25, 2018 by - ASI, Blog, Informative, Lifestyle, Spotlight, Steel Structures

So you’ve decided on the perfect carport/metal building and you’re ready to place an order. What should you do next? American Steel Carports recommends that ALL customers or future customers get familiar with their city codes. You wouldn’t want to install a building only to have it tagged for noncompliance or for not pulling a permit. Although not all cities and counties require permitting, you should always check to be 100% sure that your building will be allowed. Sometimes the requirements are simple (being a certain distance from a fence or a certain size). Some permitting could require you to meet wind or snow loads, though.

The following will explain the types of plans/drawings that some counties or cities might require before installation:

Generic Plans are available for certain areas and certain sizes of buildings (ask your sales rep. to see if your building qualifies) at no additional cost. Generic plans are specific to width size only and will not state the name or address of the installation. These plans can be requested after the order is placed and take 7-10 business days to be sent out AFTER the order is received.

Site-Specific Plans are made per order at an additional cost. These plans include the name and address of installation for your future building as well as snow and wind requirements and info on how the material is installed and its construction elements. Specific plans must be paid for when the order is placed. They take between 10-14 business days to be sent out AFTER the order is received. Specific plans can be requested (but are not always required) with our Calculations, which also come at an additional cost. Calculations include the stress and strains or forces and displacements of your metal structure. Specific plans can be requested on their own, but Calculations can only be requested as an addition to Specific Plans.

Make sure you ask for or purchase the correct set when placing your order.

Standard vs. Triple Wide vs. Wide Span

Posted on October 25, 2018 by - ASI, Blog, Informative, Product Reviews, Questions, Steel Structures

A metal building will always be a metal building, no matter what – aside from all of the customization we offer, such as enclosing your carport.

A metal carport is the main foundation of your metal garage. If you really think about it, the base and the roof are what make it a metal carport, so all we are doing is enclosing your carport and adding the openings or frame outs for the roll-up door that you want. The same goes for our agricultural buildings. The center unit is a metal carport, which is just adjacent to the lean-tos (also called wings); from then on, we just enclose the sides or ends according to your special needs. Interesting, isn’t it? However, the size of the structure is what will categorize your metal building or metal carport as a standard, triple wide, or wide span unit.

Standard Units

The confusion starts when the word “standard” comes in to play. On one of our metal buildings, this mostly refers to a particular roof style. It’s called standard because this roof option is included in the base price, unlike our other roof styles, which come with an additional price. However, in the carport industry vocabulary, “standard” is also a categorization of all metal units ranging from 12’ to 24’ in width. You might be thinking, aren’t your units categorized as carports or garages? Yes, technically – but that’s after the product is completed, and those subcategories are mainly just options. Another point to add is that there is no such thing as a limitation when it comes to length for standard units. Even a 12’ wide building can be 100’ long! But when it comes to height, there are a few restrictions that will apply. For example, the leg height of your metal building cannot exceed the width (e.g., 12’W x 31’L x 14’H). Why? Because your building will NOT be stable.

Triple Wide Units

This type of metal building ranges from 26’ to 30’ in width. These are big buildings that are typically used casually for workshops. Because of the size, is recommended to opt for our 12-gauge galvanized tubing (a.k.a. heavy duty). Aside from their size, these metal units still follow the same procedure and customization options regarding roof style, vertical sides or ends, roll-up doors, openings, and being installed on the ground or a concrete slab. As mention earlier, triple wide units don’t have a limit when it comes to length, and since the width starts at 26’, there are no restrictions when it comes to leg height taller than 12’. This type of building might be the one for you if you’re looking for something big, but also affordable without limitations. However, when it comes to even bigger units, things do change – which brings us to our last topic.

Wide Span Units

Now we’re talking about some big, big units. This type of huge metal unit ranges from 32’ to 80’ in width! Yes, we’re talking warehouse size! Let’s leave the size comparison to the side for a moment, shall we? The first thing you will notice about these big metal units is the siding. ALL of our wide span units run fully vertical, which means that they don’t allow a standard roof or horizontal siding. Another big change that you will notice is that our wide span units MUST be installed on concrete pads, concrete footings, or concrete piers. This is due to the size and weight of the unit. If this kind of metal unit is installed on the ground, due to the weight on all of its components, it will sink and won’t be sturdy. If you want to read a complete description of wide span units for more information, click here.

 

Now you know the difference between our categories of metal buildings. We hope this has enlightened you. If this definitely changed your mind and helped you figure out exactly what you want for your property, feel free to contact us today and let one of our sales representatives assist you with any questions or concerns!

Standard is Not Basic

Posted on October 24, 2018 by - ASI, Blog, Buildings, Customer Builds, Steel Structures

Our triple-wide units – ranging from 26’ to 30’ in width – have been very popular this year. You can use one of these as a big garage if you have multiple vehicles or even as your own shop where you can work on your vehicles.

One of the biggest confusions we’ve seen throughout the years is that many of our customers assume that, because the width of the unit overpasses the standard size, it isn’t eligible for a Standard roof. Well, this is completely FALSE. Any unit that’s under 30’ in width has the option to go for a Standard roof, keeping in mind that our Standard roof is the most economical choice (since it’s included in the base price). However, once a unit overpasses 30’ in width, then it’s considered a Wide Span, meaning it must have a Vertical roof.

This 30’W x 51’L x 12’H Standard triple-wide unit is a great example of what we’re talking about:

  • 12’x12′ Roll-Up Door
  • Walk-In Door
  • 2 – Windows
  • L-Brackets

Although this roof option is one of the most affordable ones, it might not be the best when it comes to areas that received a large amount of snowfall every year. The reason is that snow and other natural elements will not slide off the Standard roof like on a Vertical roof, so you will have to make sure that there’s no snow building that could make the roof collapse beneath the added weight. Nevertheless, if you live in a dry area where snow is not a concern, then this might be the roof choice for you!

There are endless ways to customize your meal building – and with the help of our experts, you can find the metal building of your dreams! Call us now for a FREE estimate! And don’t forget to ask about our financing options!

Cut off Times

Posted on October 23, 2018 by - ASI, Blog, Informative, News, Steel Structures

We are entering that time of the year again when the weather starts dropping, the snow starts coming and we make our cut off dates.

What are cut off dates?

They are the time frame where we will be halting delivery on units in certain regions.

Why cut off dates?

Because although we would love to take care of customers 365 days a year, it’s highly unlikely due to the weather variables that are far beyond our control.

When do we start delivering again?

We will start up in full steam in the spring delivering and installing new units.

What states have been cut off for 2018?

October 15 – Pennsylvania, Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, and New Jersey.

September 27 – New York

No longer servicing Massachusetts as of 9/21/2018

November 19 – Wisconsin, Minnesota, Upper Michigan

 

We can’t wait to get started installing your buildings in the spring. Take care, everyone!

Your Classic Protection, for the Lowest Price

Posted on October 22, 2018 by - ASI, Blog, Buildings, Lifestyle, Steel Structures

Protecting your belongings from the weather is an investment that should be easily affordable and provide the strength and durability you’re looking for. And you should add engineer-certification and a one-year workmanship warranty to those great qualities to ensure your metal building can go through all four seasons! That’s why American Steel Carports stands out from the rest: for delivering sturdy, durable engineer-certified metal buildings for the right price!

Although we prioritize making custom metal buildings for everybody, that doesn’t take away from the strength, durability, and simplicity of any of our buildings. In fact, our standard buildings are among the most affordable options we have in the market. Take this 20′W × 21′L × 8′H standard metal building as an example:

Strong enough for your belongings or vehicles, and with thirteen colors to choose from, you can enhance this building according to your personal style. Side note: If you live in northern areas that get a lot of snow, this might not be your ideal type of roof. Want to know what’s a more appropriate choice? Learn more by clicking here.

Remember, all the buildings we present and publish on our social media pages are real customers’ metal buildings that were recently set up by our highly skilled installation teams. We hope that the blogs we publish can get started or help you visualize what you want. All these metal buildings can be customized to your needs.

Don’t wait too long! Give us a call TODAY and let one of our experts help you get started with a free quote! We’re now offering rent-to-own to all customers throughout our service areas! Get more information by giving us a call, or click here.

Benefit from the Strength of Steel

Posted on October 18, 2018 by - ASI, Blog, Informative, Steel Structures

One of the major advantages of steel trusses is their high strength-to-weight ratio. It makes for a stronger product and one that can withstand heavy wind and snow loads. Therefore, steel is almost exclusively the choice for builders designing large sporting arenas, warehouses, hangars, and so on.

Steel is uniform. Timber, which can’t possibly be uniform due to its inherent natural growth environment, can’t compare to steel trusses that are completely true to form. They are pre-fabricated in factories with stringent quality control. The trusses that arrive at the job site are constructed exactly as designed, with minute variation – if any. In the realm of wood timbers, whose properties can vary over time in response to temperature fluctuations and relative humidity, steel can’t be beat.

Steel is incredibly durable. Not only can steel trusses withstand high-stress situations under both tension and pressure, they also require very minimal maintenance. Furthermore, steel and metal roof systems are recommended in areas of the country where there is severe wind and/or or storm potential. Roofs can be engineered to resist extremely high wind uplift ratings, including hurricane-force winds.

These advantages make steel roof trusses an affordable building option, especially when you weigh the savings gained via lifetime costs as a result of their durability and longevity.