See the numbers for your project.

No estimates. No guesswork. Real data based on real Northeast projects.

The wood problem

AAC Steel CFS Calculator.

Not a generic industry benchmark. Based on AAC Steel’s proprietary methodology, developed from real Northeast projects.

All fields are required to generate the analysis

Length (ft)

Width (ft)

Stories

Units

Region

Interest Rate

Please fill all fields before generating the analysis.

Analysis results

Steel advantage — total project

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vs. wood framing on this project

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CFS total

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Wood total

Cost breakdown

Wood framing

Type V-B Combustible

Project total

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Base construction—

Structural frame—

Podium structure—

Hidden / risk costs—

Construction financing—

Builder's risk insurance—

Cold-formed steel AAC Steel

Type II-B Non-Combustible (ISO 4)

Project total

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Base construction—

Structural frame—

Podium structure—

Hidden / risk costs—

Construction financing—

Builder's risk insurance—

Schedule savings

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weeks faster

Insurance reduction

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vs. wood framing

Project ROI delta

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CFS over wood

Visual analysis

Total cost comparison

Cost breakdown by category

Construction schedule comparison

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CFS total months

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Wood total months

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Financing difference

Complete cost comparison

Table 1

Cost category	CFS	Wood	Difference	Notes

Regional basis:

Podium structure costs (wood only)

Table 2

Component	Cost / SF	Total	Notes

Structural frame cost breakdown

Table 3

Component	CFS ($/SF)	CFS total	Wood ($/SF)	Wood total	Notes

Hidden & risk costs in construction

Table 4

Cost category	Occurrence	Industry range	CFS ($/SF)	Wood ($/SF)	CFS total	Wood total

Note: Wood construction experiences avg $12–28/SF in hidden costs. CFS's dimensional stability, factory precision, and non-combustibility reduce these risks.

Insurance & risk premium analysis

Table 5

Insurance type	CFS rate	CFS cost	Wood rate	Wood cost	Source

Case study: 4-story, 400-unit hotel documented CFS builder's risk at $360K vs wood at $1.6M — savings of $1.24M on insurance alone. (BuildSteel.org / US Assure) ✓ Verified

Environmental impact — recycled steel preserves forests

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Trees' harvest pressure relieved

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Tons CO₂ sequestered (20 yrs)

90%

Recycled content in CFS

100%

Recyclable at end of life

SFIA Cost Study

R.A. Smith National Study (June 2020)
CFS vs. wood cost comparison
Labor productivity analysis
Insurance differential data

RSMeans 2024

Gordian construction database
930+ ZIP code cost factors
160+ building type models
Regional labor indices

BuildSteel.org

Insurance case studies verified
Ohio hotel: 77% reduction
$1.24M documented savings
ISO classification data

IBC 2024

§602.3: Construction types
§2303.2: FRT requirements
§510.2: Podium rules
Table 504.4: Height limits

Estimates based on industry benchmarks: SFIA Cost Study (R.A. Smith National Study, June 2020), RSMeans 2024 Construction Cost Data (Gordian), BuildSteel.org Insurance Case Studies, and IBC 2024 Building Code Requirements. Actual costs vary significantly based on location, project specifics, market conditions, material availability, and contractor selection. Regional variation can exceed 70%. Insurance savings are based on documented case studies; actual premiums depend on carrier and project details. Results are indicative — request a 48-hour detailed cost analysis from AAC Steel for project-specific figures.