Experienced framers will find it relatively easy to transition to our steel framing system. If they understand floor plans, elevations drawings, piece marks or labeling of the components, they can implement these to construct the floor system, walls and roof layouts. With some assistance and or training, most carpenters can handle the project with ease. Steel framing has a lighter weight to ratio compared to wood, about 1/3 less weight and crew members can move the pieces and sections much easier. The already experienced carpenters adapts to steel framing very quickly, as they are able to get their jobs done more efficiently, which in turn helps both the owner, GC, and the following contractors. Plumbers, electricians, and HVAC contractors should be familiar with steel framing as their products are made mostly with metal and they are used to handling, bending, shaping and fastening to it. They will typically use steel fastening hangers and rubberized grommets, rather than boring holes through the materials, which really makes a cleaner job and less room for error. Concrete crews are unaffected, due to the distributed weight of the lighter gauge engineered steel framing, reducing concrete cost. The loading is calculated as a normal type of construction for foundations. Note: red-iron buildings do have some heavier concentrated loads at the main frame columns, but they are very heavy and span much further than the lighter gauge framing with studs running vertical with closer intervals on centers compared to red-iron studs running horizontal in between columns. Under certain applications depending on design criteria the cold form steel can span great lengths if needed. Siding and roofing crews are unaffected as they can apply any type of siding, whether brick, stone, stucco, cement board, wood siding or any other is ideal for these systems. Asphalt shingle, clay tile, steel roofing or other are well adaptable. If the siding and roofing crew wants to use conventional nailing methods, then OSB, or exterior plywood sheathing can be used as a backer board for attachment to the frame. Some today’s exterior OSB products are created to repel moisture, deter mold and insects, and used for added shear strength on many of our steel framing packages. There are some other cladding such as (AdvanTech), that is little higher priced, but has non warping and moisture, mold preventive advantages that can really work well with the steel framing system. Some folks do not want any wood products, so they lean towards cement based sidings and flooring sub layer products. Trim work, cabinets and flooring trades really enjoy their work when installing their finishing products to our steel framing packages. Steel framed walls, corners, rafters, ceiling joist, door headers and jambs, end up much straighter for them to efficiently cope, miter and fit these items with out frustration. Fastening is not a problem when using the correct fastener for the job, which snugly pulls the trim into into its position. No nail pulls and twisted molding, saving that much time on repairs and caulking. If a carpenter only prefers the use of a trim gun they can screw to the steel a wood backer board to shoot the trim nails into. This sometimes is done when excessive wide crown trims are used throughout the home. If you are going to have heavy cabinets and concerned about weight then a backer board wood or steel c channel can be positioned in your kitchen walls between the main studs or to allow more attachment strengths. Some installers use self tapping steel to steel fasteners and others wood to steel screws, and some pop rivets once the cabinets are in position.