Dream Big, Achieve Big, And Retain Liberty
One of the keys to wealth is capitalizing on resources before they become commonplace. Consider the horse and carriage as opposed to the automobile. A milkman who upgraded to a truck before his competition could reach more customers more quickly, solidifying his share of business in a community.
People in industry who required horses and carriages were some of the first to make the automotive upgrade. Today, having a vehicle is so commonplace that offers essentially no advantage. As a matter of fact, in many places it’s just an operational prerequisite.
All that to say this: when new technology becomes available, capitalizing on it early is likely to yield the greatest profit. To that end, with your small to medium-sized business, you want to introduce new tech as soon as possible—provided you’ve crunched the numbers and ensured such tech will be an advantage to you.
To that end, consider that today’s technology makes an entirely sustainable model possible, and legal strictures are actually awarding—rather than penalizing—businesses who make this jump in most cases. There are some localities that have outlawed sustainable solutions, but many have not. So consider a possible scenario.
An Intriguing Hypothetical
A prefabricated metal structure can be put together for between $16 and $20 per square foot, but that’s not including a number of costs like transport, builders, land, foundation, etcetera. A more realistic estimate would be $35 to $100 per square foot, depending on the level of customization you bring to the table.
What this means is that for between $32,000 and $200,000, you can have a modular prefabricated structure built, depending on who you hire, how you transport materials, and other factors such as these. Still, even at the highest rate, you’re saving. A house costs about $150 per square foot.
This means you can build something 2,000 square feet in size for $100,000 less than the cost of a conventional home. Now here’s where the sustainable bit comes in. Searose Solar Panels experts advise us that you can install a solar system that produces approximately 5 kilowatts an hour for about $5,000. You can also install a wind turbine for about $5k.
If you build near a stream, you can have a trifold energy system for about $15k; call it $20k for unforeseen expenses. If you’re near a stream, you can also institute a water filtration system and a waste dissemination system, making your business entirely grid-independent.
If you spend another $30,000 outfitting the interior, applying coats of paint, and filling it with the right furniture, production, or office supplies, you’re ready to go by $250,000—at the expensive end.
On the cheap end, you can do the same under $82,000. To top it off, such a structure is perfect for storing heavy equipment like airplanes, farm equipment, production machines, a printing press—you name it.
Potential Savings
Certainly airplane hangars only characterize a percentage of prefabricated steel buildings, but if you find yourself interested in such a structure, this company is, as AmericanSteelSpan.com points out, “…the leading manufacturer of airplane hangars and has been for over 38 years.”
When you consider this against the cost of office space equaling 2,000 square feet, you’ll actually end up saving in the long run. The national average on office space per square foot is $23.23. That’s $46,460 per month on 2,000 square feet. This means you’ve paid off your self-owned prefabricated steel structure in 5.38 months.
Even if you’re paying a rate of approximately $23.23 per square foot annually, your self-built structure has still entirely paid for itself (and the land it sits on) in five years’ time. To top it off, it is entirely energy-independent, meaning you don’t need to pay ever pay utility bills again.
Kevin Bennett is an influencer marketing pro with brownboxbranding.com who is passionate about building authentic relationships and helping businesses connect with their ideal online audience. He keeps his finger on the pulse of the ever-evolving digital marketing world by writing on the latest marketing advancements and focuses on developing customized blogger outreach plans based on industry and competition.