Tel: +44(0) 1202 48 33 33
sales@reidsteel.co.uk
Factory & Industrial Building Dimensions
Height
The maximum height of a road truck is 4.5m, so there is usually no point in higher doors (except waste transfer buildings, aggregate stores and the like which need to cater for tipping trucks up to 11m high - and of course Aircraft Hangars). Fork lift truck masts may be higher, dictating a 6m eaves height. 5.6m is the minimum height in which 2 storeys of office can reasonably be built.
If your operation needs less height, say manual assembly, restrict the height to 3m, or you will have bigger heating or cooling bills; use 2 floors or more floors to allow truck entry/exit.
If you need cranes, tell us the hook height. Tell us of any specific internal height requirements, so we can make sure our steel is out of your way.
Please do not forget the resale value of your building if you should relocate and wish to sell it: 5.6m to eaves may be the optimum height.
Length
Any length is possible, up to 1km or so. Unless there is a specific requirement, let us optimise the frame spacing for the required length.
Width
We can do any clear span up to, reasonably, about 200m! The most economic spans, for the building costs in isolation, are about 15 to 20m. At 30m the cost is creeping up, and it continues to rise as the span increases.
A row of props at the centre, or 2, or 3 rows may save structural cost. But please think of your operation first. The savings may seem worthwhile as a proportion of the steel, but will vanish if you ever drive a truck into a column, or jeopardise the planning of a production line because of an internal column. No one has ever hit a column that wasn't there. No one has ever cursed because the span of a building is too big. Let REIDsteel advise you on possible spans and the impact on costs.
Suspended Floors
Economy is usually around 5.8m x 5.8m column spans. But all other spans are feasible. The price starts to rise above 7m spans in either direction.
Shipping
Please remember a 20' container holds steel 5.8m long, and a 40' container 11.9m long. Every time you ask for 6m bays, 6m to eaves, 20' length, you are putting your cost up if it is to go by container. Similarly a 23m span overall can divide into 2 rafters that will fit a 40' container. 24m span wont fit and you will pay for extra freight and extra splices.