Letters from our Customers – IV

“In 1998, I purchased a 36×30 ft. building kit from SteelMaster Buildings Company.  On March 1, 2003, I was working in my building on the fuel tank of my Harley Davidson, when fumes escaped out the gas tank and ignited with a kerosene heater.  I tried to extinguish the fire, but within seconds, flames were blazing 15 feet high.  I had no choice but to call 911 and watched my building burn along with my Harley Davidson.  The fire inside the building was so hot it melted and burned everything that was stored in it.  The two ends were destroyed and the fiberglass sunlight panels in the roof were demolished.  However, the steel building is still intact with minimal damage.  My wife and I were so amazed that the SteelMaster structure survived the fire.  Thank you SteelMaster for building such a durable building!”

George Rodney
Rock Hall, Maryland

We often receive letters from our customers telling us about their experience with our company and we greatly appreciate their feedback as it tells us where we are doing great and where we can improve.

Here is another letter we received from a customer that purchased a SteelMaster steel building that survived a fire.

Letters from Our Customers – III

We often receive letters from our customers telling us about their experience with our company and we greatly appreciate their feedback as it tells us where we are doing great and where we can improve.

Here is another letter we received from a couple that purchased their SteelMaster metal buildings back in the April of 2005.

“I want to let you know about how our building has been an asset to us.  It has been very useful in all of the storage we need.  We are very pleased with the quality and craftsmanship as our building from SteelMaster.  Your company was a delight to deal with on everything.  When I called, someone was always there to answer all of my questions.  I found the personnel very cooperative and polite.  The always took time to explain every detail, never in a hurry.  In my opinion you could not ask for a better company to buy your building from.  We would recommend SteelMaster Buildings and their extra value building to all.”

James & Brenda Cook,
Hillsboro, West Virginia

Letters from our Customers – II

We often receive letters from our customers telling us about their experience with our company and we greatly appreciate their feedback as it tells us where we are doing great and where we can improve.

Here is another letter we received from a customer who purchased his SteelMaster steel building back in 2001.

Hi SteelMaster,

When my building arrived and my neighbors saw the two small bundles of materials they said, “That is not enough for a 25’ x 40’ building.“  They were amazed when it finished and they saw that everything needed was there.

I have completed erecting my SteelMaster buildings, and it really looks good.  Most of the work I did myself, except for the erecting of the arches.  I had seven to help with that and that were erected in about four hours.  This is the first time I have ever tried a project of this size and I had some doubts whether I could assemble it or not.  The instructions were simple and easy to understand and I was amazed at how well everything fit together.  The building was completed without any problems.

It was a lot work involved but I enjoyed working on it, and now I have a building I am proud to own.

Letters from Our Customers Series – Part I

A few months back we started a series to share letters that we receive from our customers on a daily basis. We love hearing the feedback from them and it’s great to see how each customer puts their own touch on our steel buildings.

The first letter in our series was from Skip Keer of West Palm Beach, FL. Skip’s testimonial was great; not only did he construct his shop all by himself, but his metal buildings also withstood a 100 mph plus tornado. After reading his story, we were curious to see how Skip customized his SteelMaster. Check out the photos below that we just received from him.

Oregon Architect has an Eye for Steel Arches

There is a house in Southeast Portland, OR with an architectural element that is sure to raise a few eyebrows because stylistically, it resembles one.

Dubbed the ‘Eyebrow House’ by its owner, architect Edgar Papazian of Doon Architecture LLC, the steel arches were added during renovation to expand the second floor, which initially was a small, tube-like shaped attic/storage space.

What was Papzian’s inspiration and thought process in designing his ‘Eyebrow House’? He explains:

After the renovation, what exists on the second level that wasn’t there before? There are two new bedrooms (one master – rear and one smaller one -front), as well as a new, second bathroom.

How did you come up with the concept to utilize steel arches to achieve your objective?The idea sprang from sketches I made of the house when we first saw it. The architectural problem is one of adding dormers to a small gable-roof house, and how to do so without making the house look top-heavy [which would occur with] traditional stick-built construction. The curvature is something I came up with to make the house appear more visually streamlined and yet have livable, architectural-character space on the second level. We also were attempting to make a better visual connection from the house interior to the rear of the property through large areas of glazing. The curves I wanted were a theme that carried through a lot of the millwork and choice of plumbing fixtures. I had never used these arches before, although I’d seen them used in instances other than typical Quonset hut buildings—once at the Whitney Museum of Art in New York for a sound installation and then in Architectural Record for [Hodgdon Powder’s] office building in the Midwest that’s on the SteelMaster Buildings’ website.

How did the use of the arches add to your vision for the ultimate renovation of the house?I had looked at other types of material that would give me the curvature such as glulam beams, but the [SteelMaster] arches were visually interesting and cost-effective. I was able to work with SteelMaster to get the curvatures I required both by code and visual proportion, within strict tolerances. By exposing them on the inside and building an insulatable shell around them (stuffed with spray foam insulation getting us our code-mandated R-value), we get a cool galvanized interior finish that required no further finishing and gives an industrial, bright feel. I specified triple-glazed arch-top metal extrusion windows to complement the aesthetic of the arches, on both the front and rear facades.

How would you classify the construction process of putting the arches into place? After the minor ordeal of getting the material off the truck and onto the second level of the house and a bit of head-scratching about how the pieces were marked (and some screw-ups in initial assembly that resulted in bizarre-looking curves), my contractor figured it out, and the arches were up essentially within a day or so. We became the local neighborhood fascination.

Are you happy with the renovation as a whole?We are very happy with the renovation and think that this could be duplicable for others. As an architect I have figured out a lot of the technical structural requirements that were needed in order for the dormer system to work properly as integrated into the existing structure of a house, so this is not something that a homeowner could do without the assistance of an architect and a structural engineer. The city was able to issue a permit for the project through my ministrations and several pages of structural details

Extreme SteelMasters

SteelMaster steel buildings are known for their strength and durability even in the most extreme cases. Our metal buildings have survived hurricanes, floods, and fires making them the perfect buildings to use in hazardous environments. The photo to the left is of a steel storage building at an observatory on Frisco Peak in southwest Utah. While it may look like any other metal warehouse, the elevation of Frisco Peak is roughly 9,600 feet! Being at that high of an elevation means that this SteelMaster will have to endure high winds and extreme temperatures. Since we engineer our steel buildings to meet the wind and snow loads of their destination that won’t be a problem.

While most people won’t need a building as heavy-duty as this one, customers still want to know that their buildings will be ready for the upcoming snow that winter may bring. Below are a few photos from customers who were happy to have their metal buildings when the snow began to fall.

Congregation of People Help Raise Steel Building

When many people think of the term ‘barn raising’, it is usually preceded by the word ‘Amish’. For generations, Amish men have upheld their community’s tradition of caring and helping a neighbor in need by gathering for a day of work and socializing to build the bulk of a structure. The result of their collaboration shows that when they work together, they accomplish what no one person could do alone.

“In the spirit of the Amish, I asked some of my friends at church to help me put up the arches of my new building, so it was kind of a Roman Catholic barn raising,” says Carl Scott, who lives on a farm near Carthage, NY.

The crew worked on constructing Scott’s new steel building, which he plans to use as storage for his farm equipment. “I chose to buy a building from SteelMaster Buildings because I had the opportunity to see one of their structures near an airport in Houston, TX,” says Scott. “I talked to the owner and discovered that the building was relatively easy to put up, and afterwards, it had weathered several hurricanes with no problems.”

Although New York does not see as many hurricanes as Texas, Scott says that a strong building is crucial in his neck of the woods because of the heavy snowfall the area receives. “The arch design was something I specifically wanted because I knew that it would be able to carry the loads for the snow easily, says Scott. “My building has had four or so feet of snow piled on top of it, and it shrugged it off.”

Michelle Wickum is the director of marketing for SteelMaster Buildings and says that the arch is fundamental to all of the company’s buildings. “From the Romans to modern civilization, the arch has been an engineering and architectural marvel,” says Wickum. “SteelMaster has boldly redefined the technology for the 21st century. Both structurally sound and aesthetically pleasing, the SteelMaster arch offers a rare blend of strength, style, and simplicity, giving you endless application possibilities. As a result of arch technology, the need for bulky beams, trusses, and supports are a thing of the past.”

Scott says that he didn’t hesitate in buying his building from SteelMaster Buildings, which is located in Virginia Beach, VA. “Many other companies sell similar buildings, but I knew that a SteelMaster would do the job right,” says Scott. “I had heard others talk about the quality of the buildings as well as the company in general, so I knew they have a good reputation.”

When it came to constructing the building, he had the help of his church congregation, and he says there are three things he would like to share with people who are in the beginning stages of construction with their SteelMaster. “I suggest that the first thing they do is go to YouTube and watch all the SteelMaster videos that they can,” says Scott. “Secondly, I would get in contact with the company’s tech support before you start building, not once you are going. And lastly, I would caution them from trying to put up their building during a snowstorm—big mistake.”

According to Wickum, SteelMaster buildings are engineered for life and come with a 30-year mill-backed warranty by ArcelorMittal (NYSE MT). “Our steel buildings are also built to meet the wind loads of their destination, which is especially important to our customers who live in an area where powerful hurricanes are common,” says Wickum. “They remain maintenance free for a lifetime thanks to the company’s use of Galvalume Plus Coating which offers strength, superior corrosion resistance, and an attractive bright appearance that provides excellent heat reflectivity.”

In addition to storage buildings, SteelMaster’s steel and metal pre-engineered buildings are designed for a broad range of residential and commercial applications including Garages, Workshops, Carports, Quonsets, Airplane Hangars, RV Storage, Military Buildings, Commercial Warehousing, and Industrial Storageas well as a wide variety of Custom Building applications including Athletic Facilities, Retail Stores, Churches, Bus Stops, Smoke Shacks, Doggie Dorms, and Correctional Facilities.

When a Building Steels the Scene

It was show time.

After pouring much of their creative energy into making it all as captivating as possible, which included choosing colors and textures and placement that spoke to their vision, Montie and Jayna Powell were ready for people to start arriving.

They were proud of the results and believed that the days and nights that they and others devoted to this venture were well worth it, and it was their hope that the people living in their hometown of Dumas, TX agreed.

They did, but there was one thing that captivated the audience above all else.

“It was by far the star of the show,” says Montie. “Several folks wanted to know all about it. We must have explained how it came to be 30 times.”

The Powell’s project was not a film (although they do that as well) or a play or anything that is usually associated with star power—it was their back yard, which includes a recently constructed steel Quonset hut that they have dubbed their ‘barn’.

So how did the Powell’s end up with a yard full of people ogling their flora and foliage and foray into construction?

It began with a neighbor, a woman whom the Powell’s hired to make the couple’s landscaping vision a reality by infusing a natural ‘wild’ motif into the settings of both the front and backyards.

During one of her trips to the local greenhouse and plant nursery, the Powell’s neighbor became aware of an annual event benefiting Dumas, designed to encourage those living in the community to become more engaged and proud of their yards. Excited by her latest landscaping efforts, she submitted the Powell’s for entry in the 2011 Back Yards in Bloom Tour.

They were up for the challenge.

“We hustled to complete a few tasks that had been lingering on the barn,” says Montie. “We cleaned up the back yard, chalked up the grill, filled the ice chest with refreshments, and made ready for a herd of strangers traipsing thru our yard. It went great. Lots of ‘OOOOooos and AAAahhhhs’ over the yard, but, mostly ‘WOWWWwwws’ when they saw the barn. Turns out, the Back Yards Tour was not a competition per say, but just a fun way to meet other people from our community who shared a love of interesting back yards. Though the people at the newspaper did not pick a winner, they chose only one picture to post, and it was our yard. Still, I feel as if, yes, we are the winners. And we are very happy we choose SteelMaster [for our barn].”

The genesis of their backyard building originated in 2006 when Montie and Jayna bought their home. They say they knew then that they wanted a building like the one they now have, but it wasn’t until 2009 when they set to task looking for one.

“We searched and shopped online for various types of buildings, but originally we wanted a wood frame structure,” says Montie. “We called several building companies and general contractors to request quotes for turn-key construction. The cost was way more than we expected. Then we found SteelMaster, and we liked what we read on the website. In late summer of 2009, after we called to speak to a SteelMaster representative, we were convinced that SteelMaster was the best choice. Initially it was the price, but we became more pleased as we were made aware of the benefits of the using steel, such as the strength and ease of installation and assembly.”

For more than 29 years, SteelMaster Buildings, which is located in Virginia Beach, VA has manufactured, designed, and supplied pre-fabricated arched steel structures to 40,000 customers located in every state of the United States, in 40 countries, and on seven continents around the world.

According to Michelle Wickum, who is SteelMaster Buildings’ director of marketing, strength and ease of installation and assembly work along with affordability, sustainability, and versatility to make the company’s buildings wildly popular with homeowners, entrepreneurs, architects, farmers, the U.S. military and government, NASA, and corporations.

“Whether it is a unique application for our standard metal buildings or a design that requires additional support from our design team, SteelMaster has decades of steel building experience in solving building and design challenges,” says Wickum. “Our strong yet versatile clear span building design allows us to meet the needs for a wide range of custom steel building applications. This uniquely qualifies SteelMaster to competently address all questions and concerns, and then create a custom steel building solution that will work structurally, functionally, and aesthetically.”

Although the outside of the Powell’s SteelMaster building is largely complete with tongue and groove timbers, Clinker bricks, and a broad array of items that they had collected, including various rocks brought to them by friends, the inside is a work in progress. The upstairs will ultimately contain an office area, guest bedroom, and storage space. The downstairs will be a garage, storage for their camper, truck, and motorcycles, and a small bathroom. Additionally, the barn will serve as a photo/video/music studio for the couple’s side business, PunkinMusher Productions, LLC.

Along with the help of friends, the Powell’s hired a carpenter and master brick layer to tackle building portions of their barn—but they both have spent many hours working on it as well, just the two of them.

“It was a lot of work for the two of us, but doing this together was super duper awesome,” says Jayna. “We looked forward to the late evenings of arch building. I was on the rope ladder (which we purchased online and is a definite must) on the top of our SteelMaster during construction, and Montie was underneath on the scissor lift that we rented as we needed it. There was many a night when I would be laying on top of our barn holding my wrench in place waiting on Montie to get in position. The ‘beep, beep, beep’ of the scissor lift could be heard as Montie aimlessly swirled around beneath me. I would tap on the roof and ask what he was doing. It was an awesome time. Our SteelMaster is definitely a work of art. Special thanks goes out to all of our friends that did come out to lend us a hand and to our neighbors that didn’t report us for the loud ‘beep, beep, beep’ nights.”

In addition to steel buildings like the Powell’s, SteelMaster’s steel and metal pre-engineered buildings are designed for a broad range of residential and commercial applications including homes, farm buildings, garages, workshops, agricultural storage, Quonsets, airplane hangars, RV storage, roofing systems, carports, military buildings, commercial warehousing, and industrial storage as well as a wide variety of custom building applications including athletic facilities, retail stores, churches, bus stops, smoke shacks, doggie dorms, and correctional facilities.

Desert Mirage or SteelMaster Oasis?

Wikipedia defines “Oasis” as: A fertile spot in a desert where water is found.

That would pretty much sum up Dale Jones’ SteelMaster Carport on his 20 acre spread on Terlingua Ranch in Texas. Dale lives, as he describes it, “Smack dab in the middle of nowhere”. Terlingua Ranch is a planned sub-division about 80 miles south of Alpine, Texas. To be more specific, not too far from Big Ben’s National Park, which Dale adds is, “Probably the least visited tourist destination of all parks in the country”. Even though he has neighbors, some have sprawling 200 acre lots, so suffice it to say, there is no one within shouting distance. As for Dale, he enjoys the serenity and natural beauty of the area.

However, do not get us wrong. Dale Jones is an extremely congenial fellow. Even though he enjoys his privacy, he was kind enough to share his experience with SteelMaster and send us some pictures of his personal desert haven.

The way Dale saw it, “I like to go exploring when I’m not working.” He works on a Research Ship, mapping out ocean floors for NOAA charts, taking sediment samples, and gathering information from buoys adrift in the ocean. All that togetherness and being held up on a ship at sea in close quarters with friends and co-workers makes him really appreciate his down-time and solitude.

Dale said, “My land backs up to wilderness, and I love riding my motorcycle back in the unchartered territory. It’s so nice that places like this still exist in this day and age.”

Dale realized water and shelter are not just an amenity in the desert. It can mean the difference between life and death. He knew he needed a place he could get to that would always be stocked with water, could provide shelter and could withstand the storms that can whip up winds out of nowhere in excess of 100 mph. He needed a desert oasis.

While Dale had some spare time at sea, he got on-line to research shelters, covers, and carports. He said when he came across the SteelMaster website he was very impressed. After viewing the pictures and options, he knew SteelMaster was the way to go. He also enjoyed reading the personal stories about SteelMaster customers on the website blog, and looking at their pictures posted on the site. He was particularly impressed with the reliability and sturdiness of the components of the steel and metal structures. He was confident SteelMaster had their stuff together and had it going on…

Dale said, “I am so proud of my carport and the spectacular product you guys at SteelMaster have – and your customer service is just as spectacular. I admit I emailed a couple of companies, just to compare. But Greg Broderick at SteelMaster didn’t just email me, he called me back. That impressed me – big time. No one else had the professionalism and personal touch you guys have. I have to add that Greg was extremely patient with me. We went over a lot of designs, until we customized the perfect carport that would work for my specific needs.”

SteelMaster’s steel and metal pre-engineered buildings are designed for a broad range of residential and commercial applications including homes, farm buildings, garages, workshops, agricultural storage, Quonsets, airplane hangars, RV storage, roofing systems, carports, military buildings, commercial warehousing, and industrial storage as well as a wide variety of custom building applications including athletic facilities, retail stores, churches, bus stops, smoke shacks, doggie dorms, and correctional facilities.

Initially, Dale wanted to construct his carport. But he knew with his hours abroad, it would take him more time than he could spend, especially without any help out in the desert. Greg came through again, and gave him the name of a contractor who had come highly recommended by another SteelMaster customer in Texas.

“I was very satisfied with Danny Forbes and his crew. I had my SteelMaster kit delivered to them. When they came to the site with some portions preassembled, it only took them two days to complete it. They did an excellent job, and I would have no reservations about recommending SteelMaster, Greg Broderick, or even Danny Forbes to anyone,” said Dale.

SteelMaster is proud to have Dale Jones as a satisfied SteelMaster customer, friend and Partner in Steel. Here’s hoping Dale always has plenty of cool water and shade in his oasis respite – and many safe and enjoyable adventures!

Featured Project: Medical Supply Storage in Haiti

While there are many features of steel arch buildings that attracted UNOPS, two of the most important qualities for a building in a relief area are security and durability. SteelMaster metal buildings offer fire resistance and the ability to withstand the worst weather conditions on the planet. All buildings meet hurricane wind ratings (up to 170 mph) and Seismic Zone IV, or Category D earthquake rating. “With our structures being the fastest to assemble using un-skilled labor and no special equipment, we can deliver a building anywhere in the world that can be assembled in half the time of conventional construction,” says Gary.

When United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) needed a steel arch building for a medical supply distribution center in Haiti, they went to CSS International Holdings to find a company that could meet their specifications. That’s when SteelMaster Buildings’ partnership with CSS began.

After several rounds of design reviews and modifications, SteelMaster’s Emergency Relief Project Manager, Gary Parker, designed a 52’W x 20’H x 65’L steel building that CSS was ready to construct for UNOPS. Once the building was manufactured, SteelMaster assisted with all of the logistics involved in getting the building to Haiti. CSS worked with local Haitians to construct the building, while SteelMaster’s team in Virginia Beach, VA served as project advisors throughout the process. Construction time took approximately 30 days from start to finish and ended with CSS getting the seal of approval by UNOPS.

Steel Building Office and Storage Facilities

Who ever said that steel buildings were just for backyard garages and workshops?  SteelMaster steel buildings are functional for a variety of applications including retail stores and office facilities.  The clear-span design of our pre-fabricated buildings allows our customers to utilize every inch of the interior space which allows our buildings to be used for almost every application!

Check out a few photos of our retail stores and office facilities…..

SteelMaster Honored as 2012 Roaring 20

For the second year in a row, SteelMaster Buildings has been honored as one of the fastest growing companies in Hampton Roads through the Roaring 20 Award. The Roaring 20 awards program (presented by Inside Business and Cherry, Bekaert & Holland LLP) recognizes local companies who have not only grown in terms of revenue, but have also shown signs of determination, perseverance and fortitude.

Read SteelMaster’s story below or click here to see the complete list of winners.

SteelMaster Building Systems
Founded 1982
Business type Steel building kit distributor
Based Virginia Beach
Website www.SteelMasterUSA.com
Revenue 6 percent increase in 2009; 30 percent increase in 2010; 22 percent increase in 2011

Rhae Adams started SteelMaster in 1982 while driving back and forth to the Outer Banks. Adams, an avid surfer, sold building kits out of the back of his truck.

Today the company has more than 50 employees and 40,000 building projects internationally.

SteelMaster specializes in steel building kits for the residential and commercial markets. It had around 15 employees when Karen Willis, chief financial officer, started at the company 20 years ago.

A change came about five years ago when the founding owner, Adams, fell ill with cancer. Donald Patterson came to the company from the media company now known as Landmark Media Enterprises, along with Willis and four others.

"The company had a rebirth," Willis said. "It was the change of the leadership team five years ago that was the point of taking the company in new directions."

According to Willis, the company has had double-digit revenue increases each year for the past five years.
Willis said, "In these tough economic times when a lot of companies are trying to rein in spending and put protective cocoons around themselves to survive the downturn, we have been fortunate and creative with our strategies."

In 2006 SteelMaster went international. It hired an international marketing specialist to build a distributor network and now distributes to 50 countries.

This year William Swafford, a senior design specialist at SteelMaster, received the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Associate certification.

Swafford has designed two LEED-certified buildings, the World Resource Co. in Taiwan and the city’s animal shelter in Austin, Texas.

A house in The Hamptons on Long Island with SteelMaster’s iconic arc-shaped roof was an innovative project for the company. The buyers purchased the house for $2.2 million for the building, $1.25 million for the property.

Currently, the company is working on a visitors center at the historic Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham, Ala.
SteelMaster was also the winner of the Small Business Administration’s export video contest award in 2011. The video promoted the advantages of exporting and government assistance available for small businesses.
Raw material cost is the biggest challenge for the company. Prices have risen for steel, fuel and freight during the past decade.

"[We are] trying to be nimble and creative so that we can still serve our customers’ needs in a cost-effective manner," Willis said.
SteelMaster takes pride in producing the best-quality product possible in tough economic conditions.
"We use only the top-quality materials and we have not had any deviation from that," she said.
- Megan Stamper

SteelMaster Carports

ometimes what you want, is exactly what you need.

When Tina Winnett realized she desired somewhere other than her exposed parking space to store her brand new, shiny white vehicle, she did what most of us do when we need facts with pictures from an infinite source of wisdom. She "googled it".

SteelMaster’s designs and prefabricated steel and metal arched buildings and carports are plastered all over the world-wide web, so Tina had little problem honing in on what she wanted.

Tina summed up the reason she chose SteelMaster by saying, "I recently purchased a new vehicle and realized I needed to protect it from bird droppings, sap and debris where I park under an oak tree. I Googled carport images on the internet. The minute I spotted the SteelMaster carport, I knew I had found the look I wanted. I immediately went to the company website, and was impressed by the affordability, quality and sturdiness of the steel, the warranty, and finally by the conversation I had with SteelMaster’s Senior Project Specialist, Michael Suozzi. I learned that that upon completion, the carport could even withstand all types of weather conditions. Michael told me about some customers in Alabama with SteelMaster carports that withstood the devastating tornadoes of April, 2011. After going through three hurricanes here in Lakeland, Florida in a six-week span in back in 2004, and a recent tornado that dropped trees and snapped a power pole in my back yard, I decided this was the carport I needed."

"Although it can be easily assembled, I decided to hire a contractor to erect the building. When he first started assembly, he had some reservations about the sturdiness of the carport because the bolts had to remain loose up to a certain point. Once he began tightening everything up, he was very impressed," said Tina.

"I love the look of the carport and have received many favorable comments from friends and neighbors. Obviously, it serves the purpose for which it was purchased, and I am convinced it will withstand whatever mother nature sends my way in the future," Tina added confidently.

"SteelMaster buildings are engineered for life," said Michelle Wickum, SteelMaster’s Director of Marketing. "Our Steel Arched Buildings are designed to meet the wind loads of their destination whether located in Florida, Alabama or the Caribbean. Our buildings are made with consideration given to climatological factors in order to provide protection from water, freezing temperatures, fire, and even hurricane-force winds."

"Statistical weather data plays a huge role in each customer’s design process," adds Michelle. "Our company’s use of Galvalume Plus Coating not only provides our carports with strength and superior corrosion resistance, it also makes SteelMaster Buildings maintenance-free for life."

SteelMaster’s steel and metal pre-engineered buildings are designed for a broad range of residential and commercial applications including carports, just like the one Tina Winnett now enjoys. SteelMaster designs also include projects for homes, farm buildings, garages, workshops, agricultural storage, Quonsets, airplane hangars, RV storage, roofing systems, carports, military buildings, commercial warehousing, and industrial storage as well as a wide variety of custom building applications including athletic facilities, retail stores, churches, bus stops, smoke shacks, doggie dorms, and correctional facilities.

This year, SteelMaster is celebrating its 30-year anniversary. With more than 40,000 satisfied customers with buildings throughout the United States, located in more than 50 overseas countries, and on six continents, SteelMaster is a stand out, and remains the leader in Steel Arched Pre-fabricated Buildings world-wide.

Volunteers Reminisce About Building Steel Shed

A Look Back to 2003

Terry Redman, President of the "Volunteer Friends of Shamrock Park", a chapter of the 501{c}3 group, "Friends of Sarasota County Parks" organization, recently touched base with SteelMaster to reflect upon his good memories of building their storage facility. He also commented on how happy he has been since he made the decision and chose the SteelMaster steel and metal arched pre-fabricated structure for their volunteer tools, vehicles and supplies.

"Oh my goodness, I remember constructing the building like it was yesterday," Terry said. "Using the plans and instructions SteelMaster supplied, it took us maybe a week to construct the building. The plans and specifications we received were clear and easy. Building it was actually a lot of fun!"

Terry Redman said he would be remiss if he did not mention how great the SteelMaster team has been and cannot speak highly enough about SteelMaster and each one of his fellow volunteers.

"We had about a dozen volunteers, including the assistance of one amazing lady in particular whom I cannot leave out of the story," said Terry. "This lady does not mind the Florida heat, getting her hands dirty, and is no stranger to hard work. She was there every day, on a ladder tightening bolts or holding ropes to keep sections in place."

By the way, this remarkable woman, Bessie Kofsky weighs all of 90 pounds and is 89 years young. Bessie was Shamrock Park’s first volunteer has been there from the time it was built in 1994 and is still there almost every day. She serves on several volunteer beautification committees, does park maintenance/weeding, worked on bird banding projects, and participates in garden clubs, (and, let’s not forget –helped build a SteelMaster Storage Shed!) She’s a hard-worker to say the least, and although she never complains, she’s usually sporting a band-aide or two. Bessie leaves her younger counter-parts in her dust – often scratching their head in amazement. She is a dedicated volunteer and according to Terry, Bessie inspires everyone who meets her.

"I also want you know our shed is a beautiful addition to the Shamrock Park," says Roger. "It is situated right beside the community center in a high profile area, not tucked away somewhere out of sight on the premises. Since it is not like most sheds that end up looking faded and rusty, it blends in beautifully with the rest of the park, and allows our volunteers easy access to the building and supplies within it."

Whether it’s a need for residential or commercial storage, SteelMaster pre-fabricated sheds provide storage buildings to meet every application," touts Michelle Wickum, SteelMaster’s Director of Marketing.
"SteelMaster prefabricated sheds feature a flexible clear span design, allowing maximum space efficiency. Our metal building sheds are easy to assemble and provide years of maintenance free use."

Many of us envy those living in Florida and dream of retiring there someday and living the good life. The vast array of beaches, swaying palm trees, and gorgeous weather, does hold a certain allure. But just like anywhere one chooses to live in the United States, along with the good, comes some form of precarious weather. And for Florida, that means tropical storms and hurricanes.

Roger added, "Since 2003, we had to deal with Hurricane Charlie, and other storms – either directly or indirectly. Either way, it is never fun. Our SteelMaster Building has already proved its worth. It looks as good as the day we finished putting it up and is definitely serving its purpose."

"SteelMaster buildings are engineered for life," said Wickum. "Our Steel Arched Buildings are designed to meet the wind loads of their destination. Our buildings are made with consideration given to climatological factors in order to provide protection from water, freezing temperatures, fire, and even hurricane-force winds."

SteelMaster’s steel and metal pre-engineered buildings are designed for a broad range of residential and commercial applications including homes, farm buildings, garages, workshops, agricultural storage, Quonsets, airplane hangars, RV storage, roofing systems, carports, military buildings, commercial warehousing, and industrial storage as well as a wide variety of custom building applications including athletic facilities, retail stores, churches, bus stops, smoke shacks, doggie dorms, and correctional facilities.

"Would I recommend a SteelMaster Buildings to others? Absolutely!" said Roger. "Only thing is, they cannot have our Bessie to help them build it. Sorry, but she’s ours!"

SteelMaster Hangar Kit Delivery

Rocky Take-Off Leads to Smooth Landing

Roger Edwards of Anchor, Florida has quite the story regarding his SteelMaster experience. Thankfully, Roger Edwards also has a great sense of humor and realizes sometimes things do not always go as planned.

Perhaps being a seasoned pilot and owning his own plane may have a little something to do with his attitude. Pilots realize weather can change on a dime. They know turbulent departures can lead to clear, blue skies and a smooth and safe landing. In a metaphorical sense, that sums up Roger's building delivery, assembly and ultimate pride and satisfaction with his 40'x45' SteelMaster airplane hangar.

His decision to buy a SteelMaster building was not part of the glitch. During his tenure as a pilot, he came across and admired several SteelMaster hangars and storage facilities. Roger met a SteelMaster rep during an Air Show in Lakeland, Florida where SteelMaster had an exhibit booth. Roger enjoyed talking to the rep, describing him as "friendly, yet professional". That was where he decided to get straight to the brass tacks and purchase his own pre-fabricated steel, Quonset-styled hangar.

The 18-wheeler semi that delivered his SteelMaster kit was right on schedule. Getting the materials to the area Roger wanted them to be unloaded on his property was a different story. Roger's neighbor saw the truck coming and warned him, "I'm telling you now Roger, that driver is not going to make it all the way down this driveway in that 18-wheeler!"

The driver looked over the situation and said, "I think I can manage this."

And he did.

Roger seems reasonable and said upfront, "I'm sure they (SteelMaster) told me I would need to have help to unload the materials, but I probably forgot and consequently, I did not have any help available – other than my tractor."

Again, the driver of the 18-wheeler lamented a moment and then said, "Well, actually I'm not supposed to help with unloading materials, but I see you are alone here, so I will make an exception and help you out."

As fate would have it, a few minutes later, the driver endured a cut on his leg worthy of bragging rights, but not bad enough for these two men to stop unloading the precious cargo onto Roger's tractor. The driver simply applied a big piece of duct tape over the cut and proceeded.

After Roger's SteelMaster kit was completely unloaded, the driver reviewed the damage to his leg. It was still bleeding. At that point, Roger insisted on returning the favor and took him to an urgent care facility, with the result being several stitches.

The driver had one more delivery scheduled for the day. It was another SteelMaster pre-fabricated steel building kits going to its new home in Tampa. He had already called the customer to advise he would be later than anticipated, and would stay in touch. Roger and the driver shook hands thanking each other for their respective help, and the driver started back down the driveway in his big rig.

But the driver did not get very far.

He got stuck in the thick, sand of the Floridian driveway – just like Roger's neighbor said would happen.

After many, many attempts and help from others to assist the driver to get on the road, the sun was setting and the situation was not looking so good. The driver called the customer again and said to expect him first thing in the morning.

The driver spent the night in the driveway in his rig, and it took two tractors and a truck to get the driver on the road the next morning. Unfortunately, we do not have the name of the truck driver to sing his praises – yet.

Fortunately for Roger, he enlisted the help of a neighbor (another proud SteelMaster Building owner), a contractor and helper to assemble his hangar. The contractor poured a slab foundation and secured bolts into the slab. Roger admits to struggling a bit with the roof and when their man-made scaffolding did not cut it, they ended up renting a one-person lift to get the first segments of the arches in place. The rest was a snap.

Although many SteelMaster customers do not find a lift as a necessity when building their buildings, Roger recommends one. He also advises that customers need to be aware they need help to unload their kit from the delivery truck, a point he says he may have missed when talking to his sales rep. "And…, said Roger, Keep in mind some of the edges are very sharp!"

Even though Roger's delivery day did not go as expected, he is ultimately thrilled with his hangar. He said he appreciates the support and follow up he has received from the SteelMaster team. Roger emphasized, "Hey, don't get me wrong – I love my hangar! It is a nice-looking building too, and it should last forever! And I would definitely recommend SteelMaster to others!"

SteelMaster's steel and metal pre-engineered buildings are designed for a broad range of residential and commercial applications including homes, farm buildings, garages, workshops, agricultural storage, Quonsets, airplane hangars, RV storage, roofing systems, carports, military buildings, commercial warehousing, and industrial storage as well as a wide variety of custom building applications including athletic facilities, retail stores, churches, bus stops, smoke shacks, doggie dorms, and correctional facilities.

SteelMaster is celebrating its 30-year Anniversary this year. This milestone marks over 40,000 satisfied customers with SteelMaster buildings constructed worldwide on six continents, in over 50 countries, and throughout the United States.

Top Secret Steel Buildings for Top Label Products

Larry Smith in California wine country wholeheartedly agrees there is a common denominator between SteelMaster Buildings, his private label winery and 240 square feet of loft storage.

Larry purchased a 25’x48’ SteelMaster building and is making the most of it. One might even assume he is making a toast to it. After all, he is a successful oenologist and the proud owner of a SteelMaster building.

You just never know what is inside a SteelMaster building, and this is part of the beauty and security of owning one. Although SteelMaster steel arched and metal prefabricated buildings are easily spotted by the trained eye, others may just gawk with envy over what an amazing-looking storage facility you have on your property.

Larry told us, "Our SteelMaster building is a great building. We absolutely love it! I even added two roof vents and a Janus roll up door to it".

Larry and a couple of friends constructed his building. Inside he boasts a small, private label winery. "We only bottle 60-70 cases of Cabernet per year, and it is all sold exclusively to a Las Vegas hotel/casino as their private label premium cabernet wine," Larry responded.

Sorry, but it is difficult not to get excited and perhaps a little bit envious over the sheer genius and creativity of SteelMaster customers. Larry was kind enough to send us progress photos of the construction and completed shiny new building. All kidding aside, this is one brilliant man. However, we noticed there are no photos of the inside of his building.

We offered Larry a "plug" in this story for his wine label. He emailed us and wrote, "The Vegas casino that sells our wine has asked us to keep the name a secret, so you will just have to dance around the name in your article," adding a little smiley-face.

A couple of things are for certain. Larry knows he does not have to worry about termites taking over his building and his private stock barrels inside. He can rest assured his building will withstand just about anything Mother Nature’s fury lashes out, including fire, freezing temperatures, and hurricane force winds.

SteelMaster is familiar with keeping secrets safe and takes pride in knowing our steel buildings have earned the favor of not only the FBI, Public Works, DEA, and the Army Corps of Engineers, but also all branches of the United States Armed Forces. The SteelMaster metal buildings line serves the government well, especially in its ability to quickly assemble, disassemble, relocate and then reassemble as needs dictate.

SteelMaster has provided safe and private storage for recovered treasures from ocean depths, a crashed UFO or two, and Quonset huts for extra-terrestrial beings. Well, maybe not, but it certainly is fun to think about!

SteelMaster’s steel and metal pre-engineered buildings are designed for a broad range of residential and commercial applications including homes, farm buildings, garages, workshops, agricultural storage, Quonsets, airplane hangars, RV storage, roofing systems, carports, military buildings, commercial warehousing, and industrial storage as well as a wide variety of custom building applications including athletic facilities, retail stores, churches, bus stops, smoke shacks, doggie dorms, and correctional facilities.

We do know that helping Larry Smith keep his secret label Cabernet private and secure, and his resounding, "Great Building!" regarding his SteelMaster storage building is another mission accomplished.

SteelMaster is celebrating its 30-year Anniversary this year. This milestone marks over 40,000 satisfied customers with SteelMaster buildings constructed worldwide on six continents, in over 50 countries, and throughout the United States.