When Do Concrete and Tilt-up Construction Make More Sense Than Steel Buildings?
There are several factors that may make other methods of construction, most notably tilt-up construction, a better choice than steel buildings. The most obvious factor is the building’s size. For projects less than 50,000 square feet, steel is generally the least expensive alternative. For a building of this size, the fixed or “open the door” costs of a tilt-up construction project (like the rental of a large crane, for example) make it more expensive than steel, even though concrete is usually a less expensive raw material. As projects become larger than 50,000 square feet, however, the lower price of concrete starts to offset tilt-up construction’s fixed costs and this method becomes cost-competitive with a metal building. The larger the building, the more advantageous tilt-up construction becomes. The cost of the steel building kit will usually be lower than a price quoted for a concrete building, even a tilt-up construction building. If customizing or modifications to the kit are n
