Have More Questions?
Can I invest in Inno?
Yes! We are also accepting funding! Contact us at innometalstuds@gmail.com
What else makes light gauge steel better than wood?
There are roughly 13 advantages for LGS over lumber:
-
Lower overall cost;
-
The structural construction period is more than 60% shorter with a prefabricated (panelized) plan. When you build the foundation, we can prefabricate the whole structure in the factory at the same time. It can be set up within 2 – 3 days after being delivered to the site;
-
Lower cost for all kinds of insurance. Since the construction period is shorter and the risk of fire is lower, your builder's insurance is over 10% lower than that of wood. The building maintenance cost and housing insurance are much lower as well due to the fire-resistant qualities;
-
Lower fire risk. Steel iron is a non-combustible material;
-
Much better seismic performance than wood;
-
Zero structural damage caused by termites;
-
It will not mold like wood, therefore the whole building maintains purer / cleaner air;
-
The structure weight is smaller, therefore the threat of catastrophic destruction to people is much smaller;
-
Because of the lighter weight, there are fewer requirements for the foundation, thus the foundation cost will be decreased as well;
-
Since the product is assembled intelligently, there will be no mistakes. Therefore, the skill requirements of workers are lower. They are equipped with a full set of installation drawings. Anyone who knows how to use a screwdriver knows how to assemble the structure, saving labor as well;
-
Savings of more than 5% of material loss. Using wood, you need to select the wood carefully since it cannot be used if it is bent. You also need to cut extra wood depending on the length and throw it into a 40-yard trash Our steel materials have zero loss, no need to cut yourself. Every detail is designed beforehand, including screw holes.
-
Environmental friendly, 100% If you build a house with wood, a piece of forest will be cut down.
-
The price of steel iron has experienced a relatively smaller change than that of wood. During the 2020 pandemic, the wood futures price has increased 6 times and the wood spot price has increased 3 times. Steel iron only increased about 30%. Every time there is a fire in California, which is often, wood price increases.
How much in labor costs can light gauge steel save?
More than 60%! Example: Building a 3000sqft single-family home with a 6-person team takes an average of 2 weeks to complete a wooden structure vs only 3 days for a light gauge steel structure, saving you more than 60% total project budget!
Will light gauge steel structures pass City Inspections?
Structural light gauge steel studs have been used in the United States for more than 70 years, and it has been very popular in Australia and even Europe in recent years. The requirement of using light gauge steel for commercial drywall in the United States proves that steel is more reliable than wood. As of the beginning of 2021, INNO has obtained almost every top certification and membership in the United States, such as ICC, SFIA, ISO, USGBC, and so on due to our materials’ standards conformance. Light gauge steel has been recognized for structural use legally in every state of the United States, city-approved material will be used, and the name of INNO can be found in the construction association.
Will light gauge steel rust? How long is the warranty?
INNO produces 100% locally in the US (Texas). All materials are from local steel mills in the US, and we guarantee top quality. The material is galvanized according to specification, which means it is resistant to rust. Our structural warranty is 10 Years. If we are responsible for the installation, our structure warranty is 30 Years.
What kind of building materials are usually used with light steel, such as roofs, and exterior walls?
Same as wood, you can design with any material you like. No material restrictions.
Do you make joists or trusses?
We have the capability to produce both with Our advanced technology – along with many more building components!
Is it difficult to screw nails to light steel?
No, it’s very simple! Whether or not you have construction experience, as long as you can operate an impact drill driver and read a blueprint, anyone can easily learn how to do it.
How do water and electricity lines pass through light gauge steel?
Our advanced technology will automatically punch out the holes for water and electricity. All MEP is fully considered before production begins.
What material is used for the floor?
There is no difference between wood framing, everything depends on the design. You can use OSB, concrete, USG, etc.
Can an AC pipe pass through joists or trusses?
Our advanced technology will automatically punch out the holes for water and electricity. All MEP is fully considered before production begins.
Do you have any case studies?
We have many! From California to Texas, commercial to single-family homes. One project we are currently working on is just under 200,000SQF, a 155-unit apartment － overall, the structure cost is more than 40% cheaper than that of wood! Visit our Case Studies page to learn more.
What’s good about wood? Why do people still use wood?
Compared to light gauge steel, it’s hard to find advantages for wood. The continued widespread use of lumber could be due to the habits of most builders since it’s not widely systematic for them to use light gauge steel to build a structure. At INNO, we’re striving to be an excellent example of a domestic factory promoting light steel. We believe that wood is the past, and light gauge steel is the future.
We haven't completed the structural design yet, now what?
No matter if your structural design is completed or not, our in-house team of engineers will partner with yours to complete the design. After that, we will create shop drawings for on-site or off-site assembly. We’re happy to walk you through the process to find out which is best for your project.
What other services do you provide?
INNO provides material, prefabrication, site installation, site instruction, design service, and material delivery.
How do I buy your product?
Retail products are sold on Amazon. For project services, please contact our sales or call 800-909-8800.
How long is the delivery time?
We can finish producing a 3,000ft villa in one single day. For large projects, we are able to send mobile factories directly to the site for production and installation.
I want to build a six-story building, can I use light gauge steel?
Yes! Light gauge steel can build up to 8 stories.
The cross range of our building is very large, will light gauge steel could work?
The maximum light gauge steel can do is 50ft.
Does Inno deliver out of state?
We will deliver directly to your project site anywhere within the US mainland. For project services, please contact our sales or call 800-909-8800.
Is light gauge steel really that easy to use?
Building a single-family home, multi-unit dwelling, or commercial/industrial building with steel framing takes away many potential problems experienced with wood. Forget struggling with warped boards, uneven end cuts, mismatched corners, knot holes, or cracks. Utilizing light gauge steel means you can build swiftly, as well as greatly reduce the chance of trade callbacks and material deterioration before finishing utility installation. Cold-formed steel will pass all city inspections, never get in the way of installing pipes or wiring conduits, and will work well with any other material options you desire.
Is light gauge steel a strong material?
Despite the ease of manufacture and relatively lightweight, cold-formed or light gauge steel framing offers exceptional strength when it comes to the wall framing and roof trusses. This makes it possible to use longer pieces that help with higher walls, and larger spaces inside each room, and takes away the need for support pillars or additional starts frequently used in wood frame construction. Steel framing also withstands bad weather, earthquakes, and fires more easily. You also never need to worry about termites or mold affecting the framework.
Is light gauge steel affordable?
A large part of steel framing affordability comes from its increased longevity, minimal risk of warping or shifting over time, and the fact that it will not rot or combust in a house fire. It reduces the need for repairs and upgrades. When you add in the Inno Metal Studs’ 100% guarantee for wood price matching, you simply cannot go wrong.
Does Inno do turnkey?
Although light gauge steel framing represents a large part of Inno’s focus in the construction industry, we do not stop with one product type when it comes to providing high-quality, effective, and affordable solutions. Our decade-long experience in the construction industry has led us to amazing growth in the research and development field that allows us to expand beyond steel framing to trusses, studs, wall panels, and more.
Our goal is to be a one-stop shop for everything you need to create steel-frame residential and commercial buildings that will stand the test of time. We will continue to research and explore engineering and manufacturing possibilities to solve industry problems in the most effective and efficient ways possible.
Which is cheaper, light gauge steel or wood?
As far as material cost goes, retail prices state-by-state are comparable － but the national average retail prices for light steel and wood are almost the same. However, light steel guarantees lower labor costs and decreases the cost of builder's insurance, thus the overall project cost for light gauge steel is much lower than for wood.