With proactive planning and an experienced partner, you can avoid the hidden costs of mezzanines, argues Richard Wilby, Key Account Manager for MiTek®.
Designing a mezzanine floor may appear to be a simple process but, in fact, there are many factors to consider to achieve the best result. Of course, what ‘best’ looks like will depend on your ambitions in terms of cost, quality, flexibility for the future and sustainability. However, whatever shape your ideal solution takes, there are hidden costs that you can avoid if you partner with the right mezzanine supplier.
Planning ahead
The first and most important point to get across is that getting the right solution for your precise needs takes time. If you leave detailed discussion with your mezzanine supplier too late, they will not be able to influence your project in a way that could save you significant sums. When it comes to mezzanine construction, the biggest cost factors will typically be the type and amount of steel used, along with the installation time required. The design stage is critical – it’s the opportunity to find the ‘sweet spot’ that provides sufficient strength and rigidity for your current and future needs but minimises overall cost. With many qualified engineers in-house, it pays to tap into MiTek’s expertise early to optimise the value of your mezzanine solution.
Investing in your slab
When it comes to mezzanine systems, the condition of your slab floor is critical. A poor base will support a lower column load, meaning your mezzanine will need more columns. This not only limits how you can use the space below but also adds cost in terms of both steel and installation time. As these extra costs multiply over large projects, it may pay to invest in your slab instead.
Construction method
Think about your required load capacity and whether it varies over different areas of your project. It may be possible to use a hybrid mezzanine (constructed from hot-rolled primary beams and cold-formed joists) for the areas with higher point loading and a purely cold-formed floor elsewhere. Although hot-rolled steel tends to be cheaper because it requires less processing, less steel by weight is typically needed to produce a cold-formed floor. This brings the overall cost down, as well as improving the carbon footprint of the project. Cold-formed mezzanines also mean easier installation and faster lead times, resulting in earlier completion. As MiTek offers both construction methods, they can be used in combination in larger projects. For example, in projects with AutoStore systems, we typically use a hybrid design due to the high load capacity, but often use cold-formed mezzanines for the associated work and service platforms.
Avoiding disruption
As installation costs form a significant proportion of the total cost, factors that hamper work on site can have a large impact. Access issues, the need for specialist plant and the presence of other contractors on site are just some of the factors that can adversely affect your project’s schedule. This is why it pays to work with an experienced partner with proven project management skills. As well as precise but realistic project planning, MiTek is committed to making Health & Safety paramount. We always have one of our Site Managers oversee the work of the installation team, ensuring that the risk assessments and method statements produced by our in-house SHEQ Manager are adhered to.
Selecting the supplier with the lowest quotation is often a mistake, as inexperience is likely to cause disruption to your business, which will ultimately cost you more. If you want friendly advice ahead of your mezzanine project, call the MiTek team on +44 (0)1732 849 900 or email mezzanine-uk@mii.com.
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