Cost comparisons, historically, were done independently and were calculated using a number of different types of construction materials. Steel has always been at the front, mainly due to its cost among other things. With the latest figures in and despite public opinion that the price of steel has risen, the difference in prices between this and other building products proves this to be untrue. Steel has stayed as the cheapest option for heavy construction and has increased the gap between itself and second place.
The latest pricing study was done in late 2010 for commercial buildings. This continued to prove that structural and framing solutions are not only much faster to put up but also a lot less expensive than other options. In the first quarter of 2011, the average price of concrete was over £35 more that that of steel per square metre. Back in 1995 when the same comparison was made, the difference in steel and concrete was only £12.
The cost of the frame and floor, in the overall picture, are relatively cheap and reduce both the time and costs involved which has a knock on effect of saving you money on the other items that are variable like cladding and services, foundations and others. When overall building costs are taken into consideration, it turns out that it is at least £22 less per square metre to use steel.
The composite beams and slabs used for the frame and the floor are the most cost effective, coming in at around £108 m2. This compares favourably with concrete at £175 m2, and Post tensioned flat slab at £169 m2.
In the overall building costs, using Slimdek also brings considerable savings, compared with the next cheapest option which is concrete. Using steel in any construction will lower the overall costs significantly and should always be seriously considered.