Steel or masonry hall - a comparison

Steel or masonry hall – construction time

Construction time of a steel hall can be even several times shorter Than in the case of a masonry hall. A steel-framed warehouse hall of up to 1,000 sqm can be built in as little as 1- 2 weeks. Hall assembly time is reduced when using modular steel structures, because they do not require drilling or welding. All prefabricated structural elements of modular halls are connected by screws, which makes the structure easy to assemble. To build a steel hall, you do not need specialized workers, but only 3 – 4 experienced assemblers.

The time required to build a traditional masonry hall that matches its parameters can take up to several months. The exact date of delivery of the masonry hall may be difficult to determine, due to possible delays caused, for example:

• adverse weather conditions
• temporary shortage of construction materials
• problems with the construction team involved in building the facility.

The differences in construction time between a masonry hall and a steel hall are noticeable from the first stage of work. Masonry halls require proper ground conditions and a full foundation, as they are usually buildings heavier than steel structures. The erection of a modular steel hall is usually easier, because such a steel hall is a lighter structure than a masonry hall, the load on the foundation is also less.

Read the article:
Foundations for steel halls

Steel or masonry hall – the impact of weather conditions

Modular steel halls can be erected practically all year round, as weather conditions have little effect on the progress of above-ground work if the foundation for the structure is ready. You can start building a steel hall exactly when a business need arises in your company. You don’t have to wait for the weather to improve and for a more favorable season.

In the case of a masonry hall, this is not possible – the start date of the project and its various stages often have to be adjusted to the season and weather conditions. This involves postponing business plans and can generate economic losses.

Steel or masonry hall – formalities

The paperwork involved in building the facility also affects how quickly the finished hall will stand. Both the construction of a masonry hall and the construction of a steel hall require relevant decisions and permits. We can determine the number and type of permits needed after performing an analysis related to, among other things. With the purpose of the facility and its location. For the construction of HalMod steel halls, we help our clients deal with all the necessary paperwork required to obtain a permit for the construction of a steel hall.

See. ALSO article: Construction without permit and construction without notification in 2023.

Steel or masonry hall – cost of construction

The cost of building a hall consists of many factors. Modular steel halls, which have modern construction and system housing, are much cheaper than comparably sized masonry buildings. When building a masonry hall, in addition to the materials used for the walls of the hall, you also need to keep in mind additional insulation, window frames and ceilings.

In the case of steel halls, prefabricated cladding in the form of sandwich panels is used, which form the wall of the hall and at the same time have adequate thermal insulation properties. Windows and doors in this case are installed using adapters directly into the sandwich panels that make up the hall shell.

In addition to materials, the lower cost of building a modular steel hall is also influenced by:

• less equipment used during construction (cost of possible equipment and tool rental)
• Lower fuel and electricity consumption.
• fewer workers needed to build the facility
• Many times fewer man-hours needed to assemble the hall.
• The ease of assembly of modular steel hall structures does not require the involvement of specialized workers, and the hall can also be built using your own labor.
• The investor’s capital is frozen for a shorter period of time than in the case of the construction of a traditional hall

The cost of building the hall is an important aspect, but the subsequent cost of maintaining the facility and possible renovations is also important. Steel structures are properly protected (galvanized steel is protected against the formation of corrosion), so they can serve you for many years without maintenance and do not require costly repairs in the future.

Steel or masonry hall – can be expanded or dismantled

When choosing a hall type, it is worth answering the question of whether it may be necessary in the future to expansion of the hall or relocation of the hall To another location. Such a situation may arise, for example, if you lease the land on which the gaka is to stand. As your business or farm grows, you may also need more storage or production space.

Expansion of the hall is possible with both a masonry hall and a

and steel. However, in the case of masonry buildings, this involves high costs of reconstruction or demolition work.

The design of HalMod modular steel buildings allows for easy and more affordable expansion, making even a small steel hall, which you invest in at the beginning of your business, can develop into a much larger facility over time. If field conditions permit, it is practically always possible to add more modules to an existing structure.

HalMod’s modular steel structure, moreover, even makes it possible to completely disassembly of the steel hall (link to article about hall disassembly), its relocation to another location using the same elements and recovering by far the bulk of the costs incurred (you will not recover only the cost of the foundations, they must be made from scratch). HalMod steel halls do not lose their strength and load-bearing capacity during disassembly. In contrast, the dismantling and reassembly of welded steel halls weakens their structure. In the case of masonry structures, the possibility of moving the building does not exist.

Read more about the possibility of
steel hall expansion

Steel or masonry hall – object durability, fire resistance and thermal insulation

Durability of steel and masonry hall

Brick buildings are known for their durability and sturdiness. However, the development of modern technology means that steel structures are now in no way inferior to masonry halls. They fulfill their functions for several decades without the need for complex maintenance. Adequate protection of the structure (galvanized steel) makes it resist even the harshest conditions.

Learn more about our technology – read the article:
HalMod steel hall construction – technology.

Fire resistance of steel and masonry hall

It is well known that masonry halls are very strong and resistant to fire. However, certain structural solutions and corrosion and fire protection systems mean that steel halls are not at all inferior to masonry buildings. The fire resistance of sandwich panel halls depends primarily on the type of cladding panels used. In terms of fire resistance, sandwich panels with a mineral wool core used as steel hall wall cladding have the best performance. Internally encasing a steel hall with a suitable sandwich panel definitely improves its fire resistance parameters.

Thermal insulation of steel and masonry hall

The masonry halls have a number of thermal insulation options that can be tailored to the investor’s needs. Insulation is an additional layer mounted to the walls of the masonry hall.

Steel halls can also be erected using materials that provide varying degrees of thermal insulation to suit demand and the type of facility. For example, the commonly used PIR-filled sandwich panel technology provides excellent thermal insulation. As a result, steel halls can be successfully adapted not only as commercial, storage and production facilities, but also as offices or cold storage.

Steel or masonry hall – functionality of the structure

Traditional brick hall can be completely customized to the investor’s idea and even the most sophisticated design, can have any dimensions and shape of the building body. In the case of modular steel halls this freedom is somewhat more limited, as they are created from ready-made modules with specific parameters. It is possible to choose from a variety of steel hall designs (width, height, length), so most entrepreneurs can choose a design to suit their needs. What does it look like in practice?

In HalMod’s offer we have type series, ready-made designs of steel halls with internal width:

• 6 meters
• 7 meters
• 8 meters
• 12 meters
• 16 meters
• 20 meters
• 32 meters
• 40 meters
• if necessary, it is possible to adjust the width to the investor’s needs

As well as by height:

• 3.3 meters
• 5.5 meters (height of the side wall)
• If necessary, it is possible to adjust the height to meet the needs of the investor.