Advantages of Tilt-Up Warehouse Construction Compared to Pre-Engineered Metal Buildings

When building a new warehouse facility, choosing the optimal structure type is crucial. Tilt-up construction is often the most advantageous solution compared to pre-engineered metal buildings, especially for facilities where durability, energy efficiency, operational flexibility, or precise temperature control are crucial. Concrete’s inherent strengths in durability, thermal performance, fire resistance, design flexibility, and long-term cost savings make it ideally suited to meet the unique challenges and demands of beverage distribution operations. While initial considerations such as upfront costs and site constraints should be evaluated, the overwhelming benefits of tilt-up construction make it ideal for ensuring the long-term success, efficiency, and future flexibility of a new facility.

When choosing a building structure type, there are several key items that should be considered, such as cost, building size, location, and future flexibility. While initial construction costs for tilt-up buildings may be higher compared to pre-engineered metal buildings, long-term operational costs should be considered in addition to initial capital investment. Energy, maintenance, and alterations can all have significant cost impacts; tilt-up construction provides significant long-term cost savings in these categories, which can help offset the initial upfront investment.

Building size is also an important factor to consider. While steel is a more costly material, the fixed costs associated with tilt-up are higher. However, at certain sizes, the considerably lower material costs of tilt can outweigh the additional fixed costs. Location and site size also play a role in choosing between tilt-up construction and a pre-engineered metal building. While tilt-up buildings can be more difficult to achieve on smaller sites, experienced contractors like ARCO National Construction have the expertise to make it possible.

Tilt-up construction generally provides superior structural integrity, durability, and longevity compared to pre-engineered metal buildings. Concrete structures are robust and can withstand heavy loads and impacts, which is important for warehousing operations. The durability of concrete is especially important in harsh environmental conditions or high-wind areas.

For owners and users operating in coastal areas or regions prone to severe weather and wind, such as the Midwest and West, the durable characteristics of tilt-up are especially beneficial, as steel buildings are more susceptible to damage or corrosion and require more maintenance. Unlike pre-engineered metal buildings that may develop vulnerabilities due to the assembly of multiple components, concrete walls provide a solid, continuous barrier that enhances structural integrity and requires minimal maintenance.

For owners and operators requiring temperature-controlled space, tilt -up construction is a much more functional solution for achieving optimal storage requirements for various product types compared to pre-engineered metal buildings, as concrete’s innate thermal mass properties contribute significantly to maintaining stable indoor temperatures. These benefits can be compounded with the use of insulated tilt panels, further enhancing energy efficiency. Conversely, pre-engineered metal buildings often require additional insulation to achieve comparable thermal performance, resulting in higher HVAC operational expenses over time. This helps improve the overall energy efficiency of the building and decreases the load on HVAC systems.

Tilt-up construction also offers significantly more design flexibility compared to pre-engineered metal buildings and can better accommodate unique space requirements and operations. For example, tilt-up construction is customized for each end-user to support various building sizes, shapes, heights, multi-story, and future expansion designs, whereas pre-engineered metal buildings are typically standardized for mass production. Additionally, tilt buildings can easily support larger loads on the roof, such as rooftop HVAC/refrigeration equipment or ceiling-supporting insulated metal panels, which pre-engineered metal buildings may not easily accommodate.

Concrete also offers greater architectural flexibility with reveals, accent bands, brick/stone inlays, formliners, bump-out panels, varying panel heights, accent panels, and more.

Concrete’s superior fire-resistant properties offer distinct safety advantages over steel buildings, where insulation materials are exposed internally. For facilities storing products that are sensitive to fire hazards, the enhanced fire resistance of tilt-up construction provides peace of mind and compliance with stringent safety regulations.

As the nation’s largest builder of distribution and warehouse space, ARCO National Construction’s unparalleled industry expertise has established us as a trusted warehouse builder for clients nationwide. From large national developers and Fortune 500 companies to family-owned businesses, we take pride in being a valued partner in warehouse construction, regardless of project complexity or scale.

ARCO’s best-in-class design-build project delivery results in turnkey solutions with streamlined, single-source responsibility, integrated design, and accelerated schedules. This approach ensures cost efficiency, exceptional quality, and tailored outcomes that consistently exceed client expectations.