Useful Information on Site Preparation for Steel Buildings
We do not provide site prep or concrete services. We do try to coordinate with local contractors to provide the best possible information and deconflict issues. We need a level surface be it concrete, asphalt, gravel, dirt etc... Appropriate anchoring is included in every price on the site based on the area. All of our anchoring exceeds local code.
If you are going to do concrete it is imperative that it is flat, level and square. This may seem intuitive but the number one hiccup we encounter when arriving on site is poorly measured concrete. Next is size. We need the highest elevation of the slab to match the dimension of the building perfectly. So if is 30x50, the slab is 30x50. We are asked daily if the slab should be larger than the foot print. It can be but it must have a recessed edge or else it will redirect water back under the side wall.
As far as depth goes we always suggest talking to a local code office (even if you are not going to pull a permit). They will have a local standard. That standard is usually the product of knowing what has failed in the past. In most areas a typically plan would include a 12"x12" perimeter footer and a 4 inch floor through out the rest. In some areas where rock is prevalent this might seem like over kill and in the far north this might sound pathetic in insufficient so if this is your first concrete slab consult local practices to find out what is typical in your area and why. On larger projects you may also want rebar, a spine or cable tension. Lastly we must be able to utilize the outside 3 inches of the perimeter and any place where load bearing uprights will come into contact with the slab. This just means that if conduit, plumbing or fixtures are coming through or running on the surface they need to avoid the outer edge and do not worry or sales representatives will work with you or your other sub contractors to lay out exactly what areas we need access to. Send questions to [email protected] or call (918) 258-0070 and we will continue to update this entry as we get new questions.