Customer Reviews

Residential Steel Design and Construction: Energy Efficiency, Cost Savings, Code Compliance

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John Hacker does a wonderful job of explaining how to build an energy efficient house with light gauge steel (lgs). His experience in building steel framed homes is a great asset to homeowners and the home building industry. When steel becomes the building material for residential homes in the new millenium John should get much credit for making us aware of potential benefits in lgs buildings.

The most helpful part of the book is the Materials and Tools chapter and Step by Step Framing. These help to make the Prescriptive Method... more understandable.

Over half of the book is the Appendix. Most of the material here is nice to have but can easily be obtainted on the internet or a more current copy purchaced from NAHB. For example, the Prescriptive Method ... and commentary ... is now on at least the third edition, 1998. It seems ironic that the author is concerned about abuses with our forests and yet allows over half the book's paper to have quickly outdated material.

A synopsis of steel frame manufactures and the advantages and disadvantages of their systems would have been helpful. What these guys don't tell us in their publicity and brochures can quickly lead to financial ruin and a cold, over-priced building.

John fails to make the point clear that when you build a steel frame, be aware that everything becomes non-standard. Walls are thicker, causing windows and doors to need bucks and extensions and be special ordered. Your subcontractors will probably charge more to cut through,drill and screw steel. They will not be aware of the uniqueness of steel and not know how big and where holes can be. You will have to educate them. Be prepared for your project to take longer. Crews with electric guns quickly scramble in rain. It takes longer to cut steel and screw than to cut wood and hammer. Headers take a lot of time to build. Insulation takes longer.... If you put up exterior insulation, almost a must for a steel frame in a cold climate, be prepared for the complexitiy of your building to increase dramatically. Also, the chances to get things uneven and crooked go way up. Be prepared for some sqeeky floors and you will also notice more bounce in your steel floor joists than wood. My insurance company did not care that the structure would not contribute to a fire and I got the same rates as if wood.

On the positive side, our home seems to be solid and quiet. It seems very energy efficient in the cooling seasons and a little bit more expensive in the heating season than expected. My walls are straight, will stay straight and I do not worry about termites, or warping, rotting, twisting studs.

John, keep updating this book as the industry learns with other peoples money. Someday we may all live in steel houses but my next home construction project will probably be with the material the home industry is familar with, wood.

I will give a free copy of this book to the next owner of my home.

Reborn Wood User,

Scott

I have been invlved in steel in residential construction for ten years. John Hacker and Julie Gorges have written a book that is easy to follow and understand. It is the most complete and accurate book on the subject I have ever found.