Homeowners throughout the country have had to withstand invasions of termites and the ravages of floods, earth quakes, tornadoes and hurricanes However, there is an amazing building material that stands up to all those bugs plus the elements of fire, wind and water and it is much, much stronger than any wooden structure.

Steel is a wonderful building material. It is one of the strongest building materials known to mankind. Steel is much stronger than wood. In the past, it has been used mainly for commercial construction where building codes are more severe. The Steel is now becoming the material of choice in residential home construction around the nation.

Presently, even two-story houses are being built using steel frames. Light gauge steel is often used for the frame of the house. Not only is steel strong but it is also compatible with other building materials. It is the perfect material for framing a home. In addition, you get a totally straight house that is contemporary.

The advantages of building a house from steel are many. It does not warp and it will not shrink. These are very valuable features for home builders. While a house is being built in the framing stage, it can easily be exposed to nasty weather. It takes wood a long time to dry out after it becomes wet thus holding up construction. The homeowner may not even know the wood framing is being warped after their walls are closed up. Only until much later will the homeowner see such things as cracked walls and nails rising up in the walls. Windows will be hard to open and doors difficult to close.

Steel frame houses fit in very nicely with the rest of the neighborhood because they can use wooden doors, windows and molding. You can also use any type of interior and exterior finish in order to achieve a traditional look.

Our steel building home of the future will probably have the four bedrooms, two or three bathrooms, a couple of fireplaces, a basement that opens up to a patio and a family room that could easily convert into a fifth bedroom. The house will be valued at approximately $400,000 and sold by a traditional real estate agent from Caldwell banker or Century 21.

The steel framing feature will be the factor that influences the new buyer because of strength and durability but the house itself will be so attractive, it will probably sell quickly in any case.

Many prospective buyers will view such a house out of curiosity if nothing else. Also, there will always be builders that are resistant to change, especially when they encounter the slight additional cost of steel.

Not every contractor is prepared to go the extra mile and put more into the house but buyers should be aware of the many advantages of owning a home with steel framing.

One of the advantages of building with steel is the environmental friendly considerations. A large amount of the steel comes from recycled automobiles. It would take approximately 40 or 50 trees to do the same building job. Constructing a steel building means leaving our woodlands and forests pristine and preserving wildlife.

Additionally, using steel framing is perfect for jobs like kitchen remodeling where cabinets have to be lined up perfectly. Steel becomes the material of choice for kitchen remodeling. As the supply of lumber shrinks and the price rises, the commercial steel buildings become very cost effective. Steel materials can be cut to necessary lengths to where there is almost no waste. This means savings for everyone.