2. What is the cost comparison of a ISP vs. a traditional “stick built” structure?
3. How is electrical wiring and plumbing installed in the ISP Panel?
4. Does the ISP panel require special or different materials for finishing the structure?
5. Have local building officials approved the use of ISP panels?
6. Will I need special engineering?
7. Who can I get to build for me?
8. How can I get an estimate done on my project?
9. Once I decide to use ISP, how do I place my order and arrange for delivery of my project?
10. Do you provide technical support once my panels are delivered
12. There must be some disadvantages. No building system is 100% flawless.?
1. What is Modified Expanded Polystyrene (EPS)? The expanded Polystyrene resin used in Insulated Steel Panels (ISP) has been modified by a flame retardant additive and is in full compliance with most building codes. It has also received HUD approval. The use of EPS as a major material component gives the ISP panel the following advantages: • R-Values are consistent and stable due to the closed cellular structure, which contains stabilized air. • The panels are rigid and lightweight. • Contains no CFC’s or HCFC’s. There is no off gassing. • Contains no formaldehyde. • Resists fungus, decay and moisture gain • Will not rot - highly resistant to mildew • Environmentally safe. • Lessens risks of cancer and of respiratory and skin irritations associated with certain other types of insulation. • No food value for termites and other common wood eaters.
2. What is the cost comparison of a ISP vs. a traditional “stick built” structure? Weighing all the factors - speed of construction, strength-to-weight ratios, thermal efficiency, quality and consistency of material along with reduced Life Cycle Utility costs, you will find ISP will provide significant savings over conventional construction. Don’t forget to factor in the cost to shop for, pick, cull and return unusable lumber as well as disposal of waste. Detailed cost comparisons can be furnished upon request.
3. How is electrical wiring and plumbing installed in the ISP Panel? Pre-molded electrical chases can be provided free of charge in the EPS core of each panel as required. A hot knife can be used to form custom raceways of various configurations for wiring and plumbing.
4. Does the ISP panel require special or different materials for finishing the structure? NO! In fact most finishes require less work than old-fashioned “stick built” construction. The dimensional modules are compatible with standard 2x building materials. The 16” and 24” on-center metal stud members allow virtually all standard exterior and interior finishing materials to be attached and utilized with the panels. Cement based plasters can be applied following manufacturers’ recommendations.
5. Have local building officials approved the use of ISP panels? YES! However, some regions have additional requirements for high wind load, heavy snow loads, high seismic activity, or any combination of these. ISP panels can be engineered to meet these additional requirements.
6. Will I need special engineering? Certain building designs and regions require a stamp or letter of recommendations from a licensed structural engineer. For an additional fee, we can provide engineering on a case by case basis. Special designs and circumstances may require extra reinforcement. If special engineering is required, we can assist an engineer of your choice or recommend one who may be in your area.
7. Who can I get to build for me? If there are no approved ISP builders in your area, a competent builder/contractor would be able to complete the project. Commercial contractors, metal building erectors and drywall contractors are not afraid to work with steel and screws. Thousands of satisfied customers have built their own homes with a little help from friends and some technical support from us (see Question 10).
8. How can I get an estimate done on my project? Since project applications and structural load requirements often dictate the size and type of panels needed, our standard policy is to provide estimates from dimensioned architectural drawings that include floor plan elevation, and roof plans with rough opening sizes. In most cases we adapt customers’ plans to our system, but we also can provide a limited number of stock plans, pre-engineered to maximize the benefits of ISP. We will be happy to receive a set of drawings from you for an estimate. Usually estimates are completed within a week of receipt of your drawings. Estimates are based upon information received from you. The more detail we receive, the more accurate the estimate, however, the estimate is based on drawings submitted for a material take-off. Prior to production, we will submit a firm quotation for your approval. Click here to email your drawing for a free estimate
9. Once I decide to use ISP, how do I place my order and arrange for delivery of my project? Once you decide to use ISP on your project, we will enter into a Purchase Agreement with you. At that time your architectural plans will be used to produce a set of shop drawings which adapt our panels to your plans. Due to the custom nature of each individual structure, a deposit of 10% of the estimated price or $500.00 (whichever is greater) is required before we begin shop drawings. Given the scope of the project and sufficient architectural details, a complete set of shop drawings will be sent to you for final approval. At this stage, changes and additions can be made before the project goes into production. If your drawings require structural engineering, additional time will be required to complete the drawings and an extra charge will be applied. Upon receipt of your signed copy of the shop drawings and an additional 40% deposit, the panels will go into production. Your project will be processed in the order in which it was received. Turn-around time is a function of demand and complexity of the project and can range from two to four weeks from the time we receive your approval on the shop drawings and your 40% deposit. The panels will be shipped directly to your job site within this time period. The balance due on your project must be paid before the panels are shipped.
10. Do you provide technical support once my panels are delivered? YES! A representative will be available at our offices to meet with you and/or your Contractors to review technical details and plans if needed. Your area representative can provide local technical support. Additional support personnel can be assigned for an hourly charge. A detailed set of shop drawings and an assembly manual will also be provided for ease in assembly.
11. So, your main product is insulated steel panels which is a combination of steel studs and modified expanded polystyrene resin insulation. Can’t I achieve the same results with regular steel studs frame and then insulating it? The difference between a steel stud frame vs. a insulated steel panel frame is FUNDUMENTAL. This difference is what sets our systems apart from any other building system available on the market today. To be fair, we must state clearly that a regular steel frame and regular insulation will provide a far superior structure to a wood construction due to all the advantages of steel over wood. Now, steel frame plus insulation vs. insulated steel panels. FUNDAMENTAL DIFERRENCE #1: THERMAL BRIDGING Steel is a heat conductor. In a regular steel frame, the same stud faces inside and outside of the structure. So, in winter a steel stud will conduct cold from the outside to the inside of you building and the heat will escape from the inside to the outside through the same stud. Reverse happens in summer. Insulated steel panel is a composite of 2 steel studs, opposing each other (IT’S IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THAT THE 2 STEEL STUDS DO NOT TOUCH EACH OTHER) are glued with the EPS. So this is what happens in winter: steel stud that faces the outside will pass cold to the EPS (simply foam) insulation. The foam does not conduct heat and cold and therefore will not pass the cold over to the other stud that faces the inside of your building. Same for heat: heat will try to escape through the stud on the inside and will get trapped by EPS component. Reverse happens in summer. FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE #2: THERMAL PERFORMANCE OVER TIME Regular fiberglass insulation which is not that efficient to begin with will loose up to 50% of its insulation properties overtime due to compression, dust, and moisture retention. Because steel and EPS are GLUED together through a patented process, there is no loss of insulation over time. FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE #3: POWER OF COMPOSITE TECHNOLOGY The fact that insulated steel panel is a composite of steel studs glued with the EPS component, makes the panel much stronger than an equivalent steel stud frame, allowing a lighter gauge steel to be used. This results in huge cost benefits of using insulated steel panels over a regular steel frame.
12. There must be some disadvantages. No building system is 100% flawless. One disadvantage is market awareness. In areas where the system is first introduced, building officials may request additional information, which could potentially delay obtaining building permits on your first project. It is also possible that building inspection will longer on your first project because the inspectors may not be familiar with the system. Another disadvantage – it is physically harder to screw steel attachments than to staple nails to wood. On the upside, the quality and long -term stability of steel structure connected with screws outweighs the ease of using nail gun by far: builders benefit from not having callbacks for popped nails and home owners save on renovation costs. We realize that this sounds too good to be true and that this list should be longer, but we honestly cannot think of other disadvantages. If you think there are more disadvantages of Accel building systems, we’d love to hear from you! Please call us at [] or click here to send us an email.
