Steel I-Beam Placement/Scheduling

[mreynolds]

I have a 34 foot long steel I beam that will need to be placed for my first floor decking. I know I will need some sort of crane to get this thing in place. I was wondering if this is a service provided by the company that makes the beam, or will I eed to contract someone with a crane to do this job? :roll:

[grumpydasmurf]

More than likley you are going to need to hire someone to lift it into place. The manufacturer will deliver it to your site but probably isn't in the practice of installing it. Best thing to do is ask them. Maybe they do install it, but that's doubtful.

[Rich]

I agree with grumpy.. it's highly unlikely that a steel fab shop will install any steel. They may have recommendations for who to call to install it though. Most fab shops have someone that they are used to using for install.

[mreynolds]

I had a chance to go to a local building supplier and go over my plans with the owner. I asked about the steel beam. He told me that you used to be able to go to a local fab shop and get a beam made and off you went. But apparently there have been a whole bunch of law suits in regards to these items so now they won't sell them too you. Have you guys ever heard anything like this? :evil:

[Rich]

Not in specific regards to not being able to install your own beams. But, honestly, I don't think in the past 2 years I haven't seen someone else installing steel for people. Huh.. interesting. I didn't think OSHA part 29 was that strict. Maybe.

[grumpydasmurf]

I read the word OSHA. I must now spit. paaa tooey!

[mreynolds]

The impression I got from the supply guy was the lawsuits we more over issues of enginnering than working conditions. It sounded like people installed the wrong sized beam, then didn't function properly and they sued the maker of the ibeams.

[Rich]

I can't say as I disagree. A big group paaa tooey.


I read the word OSHA. I must now spit. paaa tooey!

[mreynolds]

I called the local fab shop that supposedly stop selling to builders and asked some questions. Well it turns out that people were asking them to figure out what kind of spans they should use for the beams and that is where they got into trouble. Since they didn't have a structural engineer they really couldn't give this kind of advice. I think that should help my cause, the plans I have specifically call for a S8 x 18.75 steel beam. Or is this one of those things that needs to be checked out by an engineer?

[Rich]

Sounds like a case of covering their butt. And I can't really blame them.
I would think an engineer would be a good thing - can't image it would cost more than $100 to do a quick calculation for you.

[mreynolds]

I think I finally have this beam thing figured out. I found some companies in our region that will deliever the the beam, however they only sell in 10 foot increments. I talked with a buddy and he was telling me that his excavator set his beam, makes sense, plus will be a lot cheaper. The only challenge left now it to cut the thing to length. With a ten inch block basment, how much of the beam should be bearing on the block? The width of the house will be 34 feet. :roll:

[Rich]

Typically it's 3" for most any bearing - just remember the more you get the better off you'll be.

[roger g]

I know this is an old thread but I couldn't resist.
My goodness how things seemed to have changed over the years. I started my adult working life as as apprentice structural steel draftsman. They don't do apprenticeships in that anymore. I worked for a number of companies and I was the guy who drew all the pieces in a steel building and put all the holes in the right places so when they lifted everything up into place and bolted them together they fit.
We didn't have an engineer on staff but we used the building structural drawings that were produced by an engineering company that was involved in the total building. We only made up the beams and columns and shipped them to the sight. We (the steel company) never installed them unless the company was big enough to have their own erection crew. Most times the erection was subd out to independent erection companies. This was the era before they attached cranes to the delivery truck.
As far as beams for houses were concerned (steel in houses at that time was new) we supplied either a 6 inch or 8 inch "I" beam for the basement. Support posts were always about 8-10 feet apart. I remember looking up what these beams could take as far as weight and figured that steel could take almost any weight that any house (at that time) could exert. I guess now people want larger spans of "no see em's" so I guess it's profit time for engineers. They don't come cheap. I think an engineer told me one time that if he puts his stamp on anything it is a minimum of $1000.00. It's not how easy the job was but the responsibility. If anything happened even 20 years later they will always go after the engineer. He was right.
I would also find it hard to see how a supplier of the steel could involve himself in the placement of the steel. If he did then that cost could be many times worth more that the steel. Some jobsites you can't get even close to. Maybe muddy. Maybe the building is too high or to much of a reach. Lots of times ( LOTS OF TIMES!!!!) the building hasn't been built according to plans and the steel doesn't fit!.
Suppliers are suppliers. Erectors are erectors.,
Gee, I haven't thought about structural steel in...................... too long.


Roger

[Rich]

Interesting thing that we're doing on the project I'm working on right now (22k sf house). My workforce, who typically only does concrete, is fabricating and installing all the steel. First day was yesterday and I have to say I'm fairly impressed with what they did. Safety precautions were good, crane operator did excellent, and production was good.

[roger g]

I don't know whether they do this anymore or maybe we weren't supposed to do it back then but on some buildings they used to attach a very large cable to a big bulldozer and the steel structure and just tug the building into plumb and then tighten up all the bolts while the tension was still on the cable. Now that I look back on it I haven't a clue why it was done, but it was done. I wished I had asked more questions.
Many times on small building or houses heavy things were constantly being moved either by lots of manpower or block and tackles or just plain leverage. Now everyone just sits around waiting for a frontend loader just to move a bit of soil. Even better, when there isn't any power no one has a hand saw. Without a calculator they can't figure a hypotenuse. What a laugh!
PS I'm not that old.
roger

[Rich]

I agree.. it's hard to find someone who knows how to figure rafter lengths with a framing square. I've used a backhoe to push a building or two into plumb...hah. We're using cable and turnbuckles on this house to square the steel up before torquing bolts off.

[Rich]

And no.. I'm not that old either.