Commercial Construction - Thoughts on Tilt-Up Truck Wash Concrete Structures

The cost of materials is always a huge consideration when building any commercial building, and it is hard to beat a concrete tilt-up structure these days for cost and labor savings. Once the foundation is in place it is pretty easy to pour the concrete into molds and then hoist them up and set them in place with steel anchors. In the Truck Wash sector this is often the favored way to build structures and the largest truck wash chain in the United States does them this way.

Although you still can find steel buildings and structures for truck washes and often, they do okay even with the chemical use in the soaps and detergents used. And yes, there are issues with rust and corrosion. If you ever look over a truck wash that is 10 or more years old, you will see iron oxide streaks down the sides and corrosion. Nevertheless, these buildings do work well also.

Is it more of a matter of preference? Well, some would say yes, and if you can get a really good deal on a steel building then it does make a nice option. But do not forget the costs. It takes a lot of steel to build a 90-foot long building that is 60 feet on the side with three bays and steel prices are horrendous these days. Weather is also an issue with steel buildings and if you have lightning and tornadoes, well, you need to be thinking here.

The availability of concrete is also a key factor on price. Both steel buildings and concrete buildings are fairly quick to build so much is about up-front cost, re-sale value and how the local planning commission feels about it based on their zoning and norms. Both steel buildings and concrete structures enjoy similar depreciation schedules, so again, think about your preferences, weather and cost, and continued success