Quality & Value Of Metal Buildings, Walls & Roofs More Important Than Price

By Shawn Zuver, editorial/content director

Price is important to just about everyone, particularly to those of us involved in the construction industry. Over the past several years we’ve seen large fluctuations in the prices that are paid for labor, fuel, land and construction products—including lumber, insulation, drywall, anything that’s oil-based such as asphalt roofing, as well as products nearer to our segment of the industry such as steel, aluminum, copper and other metals.

Despite the fluctuations in price, often times going up and not as frequently trending downward, it seems to me that many people become too focused on cost while overlooking the all-important issue of quality.

In 2008, I posted a few columns (see links at the end of this article) on DesignandBuildwithMetal.com that addressed pricing of metal construction products, one about metal roofing, another about metal walls and the other about metal buildings. In all three instances, I pointed out some of the vast number of variables that come into play when addressing price—everything from project complexity to material options.

It’s my opinion that while price is important, far greater consideration should be given to the quality of the materials and services that are being evaluated. Once the quality of a product or material is found to be acceptable, only then should its cost come into play. It’s an exercise that nearly all of us apply in at least some areas of our lives, and it’s one that I believe should be followed faithfully in construction.

When I’m faced with a question of price for metal construction products—whether metal roofing, metal wall panels or steel framing systems—I like to start my response by talking about material quality. I find that a discussion of car purchases is a great place to draw some comparisoins.

There are dizzying amounts of cars, trucks, SUVs, vans, cross-overs and other selections available from a variety of manufacturers in bucketloads of models and options. Most people don’t start by pinpointing the one with the lowest price; they first determine the precise model that fits their needs and wants. Once their selection is narrowed, then the vehicle’s price (or payment price) enters the equation to find out the best available value. At least that's how it happens in most cases.

To bring the analogy into the construction world, consider the home you live in—whether you own or rent/lease. It’s possible that you may have looked away from dozens or hundreds of available homes on your way to finding the one that fit your wants and needs. Reasons for rejection may have been purely aesthetic—you prefer brick over siding, for example. Or they could have been function—one bathroom for eight kids is a bit tight. Or maybe you passed by a home because of a lack of available amenities—no shopping for 10 miles. Whatever the reason, you sorted through the pool of available homes to find the one that best meets your wants and needs at a price you’re comfortable paying—presenting you with the one you considered to be the best value.

So, as you consider metal construction products for your facility or home—or for projects that you’ll be designing or building—I’d like to suggest that you consider the quality that metal products offer before jumping to the lowest-priced construction materials that are available. A metal roof could have a higher installed price than asphalt shingles or a TPO roof, but metal may likely offer advantages that outweigh a higher initial price—such as lower life-cycle cost, increased aesthetics and less maintenance. The same is true of metal wall panels and other metal accessories. Likewise, with metal building systems you should always remember to consider the speed of construction that you’ll likely experience, as well as the design flexibility and structural integrity.

I’m not saying that price is never important. Instead, I’m asking that you take the time to explore the benefits that metal construction products have to offer. When it comes to price, in some cases you’ll find that metal is the low-cost alternative and in others you may find that it doesn’t have the lowest initial cost. In my opinion, regardless the price, you’ll discover that metal construction products—supplied and installed by quality companies—will always offer you a solid value for your money.

To become acquainted with some of the benefits of metal construction products, take a look at our Advantages Of Metal and Technical Articles sections. To find quality metal construction product suppliers, check out our Product Showcase and Supplier Directory.

Click on these links to check out my previous columns on pricing: metal buildings, metal roofing and metal walls. 

Shawn Zuver is editorial/content director for DesignandBuildwithMetal.com. He has been covering the metal construction industry, including residential and non-residential construction, since 1985. To contact Shawn, call (419) 581-2051 or email shawnz@designandbuildwithmetal.com.

To view other columns by Shawn or other columnists, click here.