New England Man Builds his Cave out of Steel

Popularized by the book "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus", author John Gray introduced readers to the concept that men need a space to retreat and reboot, otherwise known as their "cave."

John Bottcher of Brockton, MA built a cave of sorts for himself when this past June he bought a 10' x 16' steel arched building which he uses as a gym and a workshop. "It looks like a military Quonset hut and is the perfect shape for maximum freedom of overhead space," says Bottcher. "When I get too old for the gym, it will become a carport." In the meantime, Bottcher says that because the building is located on the same property as his home, he plans on surrounding it with bushes and flowers this coming summer and grow ivy over it.

Bottcher says that he is in the building every day, which currently houses a punching bag, weight bench, Universal Machine, table saw, tool rack, band saw, and garden tools. "I chose to buy a SteelMaster buildings because it met my three main criteria: I needed the arch height, which is perfect for overhead work; I wanted something that wouldn't mold, bend, rot, or require upkeep; and the SteelMaster building is less expensive than any wood structure of its size."

"Mr. Bottcher's decision to build this structure with steel was a wise one because he will never have to worry about any maintenance issues," says Michelle Wickum, the director of marketing for SteelMaster Buildings. "Steel does not rot, warp, shrink, or split, and it's non-combustible. As opposed to wooden structures, SteelMaster's steel buildings in particular 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. Each SteelMaster buildings also comes with a 30-year mill-backed warranty by ArcelorMittal (NYSE MT)."

Another aspect of the SteelMaster building that Bottcher appreciates is that he was able to put it up himself without hiring a contractor. "My father and I put it together," says Bottcher. "We are very strong men; three to four people would have been ideal, but it can be done by two with average "handy-man" ability. I leveled the foundation first, erected it using common sense, spread stone mulch and then topped it off with rubber flooring. By staking the foundation so that the structure can push against it, I made up for the lack of a proper, solid foundation. And, if I want to expand, I would just order additional pieces and add them on."

Each SteelMaster steel building includes all the components necessary to erect a garage, a barn, a storage building or building for almost any purpose. These components are made to precise standards of accuracy for easy assembly with pre-punched holes and only one size nut and bolt for the entire building. "Our prefabricated buildings are so simple to erect that over 80 percent of our customers construct their own building with huge labor cost savings," says Wickum.

For Bottcher, specific elements of the building make it a hit with him. "The price was worth the space, and it is better than shingled structures. It is strong—I walk on top of it. It withstands New England weather, and animals can't degrade it. The coating prevents rust and scrapes—I will die of old age before the structure shows wear. It doesn't require insulation, and it is almost soundproof."

With more than 40,000 satisfied customers, including buildings located in every state in the United States, on six continents, and in more than 40 overseas countries, SteelMaster takes pride in knowing its steel buildings have earned the favor of people like Mr. Bottcher.

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 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.