When it comes to building residential and light commercial structures, timing is everything. There are already enough supply delays to manage and weather-dependent processes for builders to consider – framing doesn’t have to be one of them.
Builders looking for more efficient construction options should consider steel framing for their next residential or light commercial project. Offering faster quoting, faster production and simpler installation – steel framing from MODNframe helps significantly reduce wait times and delays.
Here are the top three ways that cold formed steel (also known as light gauge steel) can help streamline your framing process and save you time.
Faster quoting
For builders, having a clear timeline for supply, quoting and delivery is essential if you want to finish projects quickly. In today’s busy industry, it can be a struggle even just to receive quotes in a timely fashion.
MODNframe ensures an efficient quoting process for framing, and a quick turnaround time for customers.
Using advanced software to determine material and specification requirements, we are usually able to deliver framing quotes for residential and light commercial projects in about three days. Faster quoting means less admin work, and better clarity to move forward on your projects.
Faster production
Cold formed steel is a strong, lightweight metal that offers exceptional durability. It is a recyclable material made from steel coil, which is readily and consistently available in New Zealand – and it doesn’t require extensive heavy machinery or expert labour to produce. Better efficiency for manufacturing means a lighter footprint and more reliable product distribution for clients.
Compared to timber, manufacturing MODNframe products uses a far more automated process, resulting in quicker processing times for production and distribution. This means fewer delays and consistent delivery timeframes for build sites across New Zealand.
After receiving consents, MODNframe manufacturers are typically ready to ship orders within just two weeks.
“Our priority with MODNframe is to provide builders with a faster, more efficient process from start to finish when it comes to residential or light commercial framing,” says Warwick Stichbury, MODNframe’s Commercial Manager. “In practice, that means offering extremely fast turnarounds for quotes and production – and having a single point of contact for builders to ask questions.”
No drying or rectification on site
When timber gets wet, installation gets delayed. Drying out timber framing after rainy or humid weather has been accepted in New Zealand for too long as an unavoidable inefficiency in the building process. More than just causing significant construction delays, the drying process also means that builders need to sand off the material later to compensate for warping and twisting.
Cold formed steel eliminates these issues entirely. Because steel is inorganic, it doesn’t retain moisture. That means it is unaffected by rain, doesn’t need time to dry, and will never warp or bend.
Steel framing arrives on site already cut to size, galvanised with 100% zinc coating, complete with pre-drilled service holes for easy access for electrics and plumbing.
Builders save installation time with steel framing because they:
Lighter in Weight and easier to position in place
- Don’t have to measure, cut or rectify frames and trusses
- Much of the additional ancillary framing in Timber Truss is already built into the MODNframe Truss
- Won’t produce material waste or have to pay to dispose of it
All told, steel framing is 50% faster to install than old-school framing products.
“Once builders get used to steel framing, they never want to go back to anything else again. It’s so much easier to use, lighter to handle, and also an incredibly high quality product to use for homes,” says Bruce Wolfe, Master Builder and MODNframe Upper North Island Manufacturer.
How to get started
While steel framing has been around for over 150 years, and is commonly used for residential construction in other areas of the world, many New Zealand builders are new to the MODNframe process.
Cut down on delays and save time for framing by embracing the efficiencies of cold formed steel. Explore the MODNframe website for more details about our product.