Steel Garage Shed -- Buyer beware

Stollen

I wanted to get a steel/ metal garage built for an elderly relative. The proposed garage is 4meters wide and 6meters long and 2.9 meters high all steel frame and cladding roller door and access door. We decided on this size as it does not require planning permission. Steel garage / shed companies are advertised on ---- deal by umpteen suppliers. As the old shed collapsed and could have caused serious harm to someone my elderly relative wanted to construct and insure the building and contents properly. He has a few classic bikes the total value about 15k inc the building. I asked a retired architect for some friendly pointers and I was astonished that the metal garage and shed companies are allowed to trade illegally. The architect pointed that no planning was required but a section of the new building regulations apply to the fabricated metal structure. The steel garage / shed companies are obliged by law since last year to have a number of CE certifications in order to sell the sheds and the architect gave me a list of five questions. I spoke to about 20 different steel shed suppliers and none of them could supply any of the certifications. I contacted Insurance Ireland and they said that if you insured an illegal building there was no contest but that the insurance would be null and void? But you could pay five or ten years premiums before you find out that you have no insurance. Then I was told if any of the metal garage and shed companies installing an illegal building at your home had an accident their public liability insurance would also be void. The householder would have to carry the can. The architect also said that you may be obliged to lodge a commencement notice to the council and the knock on is this notice would also be incorrect and cause problems when you go to sell the property. The metal/ shed companies according to the architect could be committing a criminal act in offering a steel structure without the correct certifications. Its the law!!!!

There is no mention of certification in the advertisements on ---- deal or the company websites. If my elderly relative had proceeded to purchase the building he would have no valid insurance on the building. How can these companies be allowed to catch un suspecting consumers. There are more than 50 steel shed garage companies advertising on ---- deal alone. Has anyone else had this experience. I am holding back on the build for a while. I would love to hear comments. I thought the comment from an insurance put it into perspective " buyer beware"

emeldc

Jeez, can't even put up a shed anymore without going through all this regulatory crap. No doubt there is a special loss making quango somewhere that are too busy to answer the phone or supply any useful direct information to deal with the issue. Nanny state gone bonkers.

slimjimmc

I suspect the regulation referred to by your architech is IS EN 1091-1 which came into force in July 2014. This regulation stipulates CE marking of structural steel products & fabrications.

I don't know much on the subject but the following document from NSAI indicates that prefab buildings and metal framed building kits may be exempt from the CE mark requirement. That might explain why none of the 20 shed suppliers could supply certification.

https://www.nsai.ie/Steel-Fabrication-CE-Marking.aspx

http://nsai.ie/NSAI/files/26/266dc67c-0ecd-4e94-a07e-b0969f37b811.pdf

B.4.2 Steel and aluminium products covered by a European Technical Approval
Guideline (ETAG) are exempted from the obligation to be CE marked on the basis of EN 1090-1.
For these products CEN has agreed in the past that no harmonized ENs could be elaborated and for this reason the Commission has addressed a mandate to EOTA requesting the development of ETAGs. A list of these relevant ETAGs is given in the table below:
Product ETAG
Stair kits (not part of the structural frame) ETAG 008
Prefabricated building units ETAG 023
Metal frame building kits ETAG 025
Steel parts of bridge joints ETAG 032
Cladding kits ETAG 034
The scope of the above ETAGs can be easily found by downloading the relevant
ETAG from the site: www.eota.eu.

patspost

Just as amatter of interest, what were the 5 questions the architect gave you to ask?

They might be useful to know about.

Thanks

jamesbondings

we got one of a similar size when i was a kid, made on like concrete pre cast....weird now that i think about iti doubt my aul fella got planning permission for it if it needed it, might be an idea for the op

Stollen

The architect is adamant that the steel fabricators of garages and steel sheds have to have certifications and there are no exemptions. He said he would not sign off on a steel framed building/shed without the certificates.

See comment from architect below.

The harmonized European standard that applies to structural steelwork is IS EN 1090-1 and it will be an offence to supply structural steelwork after the 1st of July 2014 unless it conforms to this standard and carries a legitimate CE mark.CE Marking is regulated by criminal law and the penalties for not CE Marking or incorrect CE Marking, if found guilty, are a fine, imprisonment or both.

From 1st July 2013 all products used in steelwork fabrication have to be CE marked.This includes, steel beams, plates, welding wire, bolts etc.
From the 1st July 2014, it will be a legal requirement for all fabricated structural steelwork delivered to site to be CE Marked.This includes all constructional steelwork from sheds and farm buildings up to bridges and stadia

This is still a consumer issue as an un suspecting consumer can purchase a steel building and find that they do not have insurance cover..

Five questions from the architect to a potential steel shed provider.

1. Do you hold a FPC certificate issued by a notified body. NASI
2. Do you have a CE protocol marked welding certificate.
3. Do you have a declaration of performance for all the components
4. Do you have a CE Design declaration.
5 Can you provide signed engineering calculations
6. Do you have professional indemnity.

What government body is responsible to enforce the law. Can anyone else share their experience. Its criminal to allow an unsuspecting consumer to be lead up the garden path.

delahuntv

So the architect is right because he ssid so and you base massive criticism on "20 companies" on the word of one single architect!!

and then warn the world with "carastrophe syndrome" style post.

Wow!

I suggest you get a second opinion!


btw - en bs iso 1090 certification applies to "structural steel projects" A garden shed does not come under this category.

Kristopherus

delahuntv wrote: »

So the architect is right because he ssid so and you base massive criticism on "20 companies" on the word of one single architect!!

and then warn the world with "carastrophe syndrome" style post.

Wow!

I suggest you get a second opinion!


btw - en bs iso 1090 certification applies to "structural steel projects" A garden shed does not come under this category.

Thats whats puzzling me as well. How could all the suppliers, who, you would expect, would be up to speed on the regs, be wrong and an architect pal be right?
Maybe a structural engineer might be of assistance to the OP.