Tilt-Up Concrete Construction vs. Steel

There are several factors that may make other methods of construction, most notably tilt-up construction, a better choice than steel buildings.

Controlling Construction Costs

Given that the costs of raw materials and supplies will not be stabilized in the near future, the key to controlling the budget is to control and reduce the schedule. Tilt-up construction allows for a compressed schedule that is extremely reliable, due to the availability of locally created raw materials and the ability to overlap skills. As construction costs continue to remain volatile, tilt-up construction will become an even better choice for delivering quality construction projects that stay in budget.

Operating Costs

When factoring in potential repairs and ongoing maintenance, it's apparent that the real dollar difference between operating a steel building and a concrete building can be significant. Further, the added fire safety and durability of a concrete building will usually be reflected in lower insurance premiums. If the owner decides to sell the property, they will most likely find that a tilt-up or other concrete building depreciates less and than a steel building will.

Maintenance

While steel is reasonably durable, concrete remains the material of choice for buildings that require less upkeep and maintenance over the years. Concrete is impervious to corrosion, rotting, rust or insect infestation; tilt-up concrete buildings created in the 1940s are still standing today with little apparent wear. The fact that builders in earthquake-prone California now use tilt-up construction for 90% of their single-story commercial projects indicates that concrete buildings are cost-competitive and extremely durable.

Fire Protection

The reason steel buildings face greater code limitations is that they generally offer less fire protection than tilt-up or other concrete buildings. While steel is not combustible, it is not considered fireproof because it can distort or lose its structural strength when exposed to heat. Further, a fire on one side of a metal wall can generate destructive heat on the other side, damaging the property inside. Steel building designers use a variety of technologies, from sprays to fire-retardant panels or blankets, to mitigate the fire-resistive problem. By comparison, a typical 6.5" concrete wall has a fire resistive rating of four hours or more. Tilt-up and concrete provide superior fire protection for the property and people inside a building.