Central Steel Framing – Shed Living NZ Ltd

⏱️ 2 min read

Combining a steel portal structure with an attached habitable space is a challenge for builders in markets everywhere.

The structural systems need to integrate cleanly, the build has to meet residential and commercial compliance, and be delivered efficiently by a small site crew.

In New Zealand, Shed Living NZ has built a business around solving that exact problem, using the X-CALIBR™  prefabricated structural solution for large span portal construction, developed by Howick and exclusively available through Howick’s sister company Central Steel Framing.

A personalised design and build experience

Through his design business, Shed Living founder Jamie Hunt has witnessed an ever-increasing demand from clients wishing to construct a ‘shed that they can live in’ which has encouraged him to develop functional and compliant habitable shed designs that he can bring to the market, providing an all in one design and build service.

The result is a fully consented hybrid structure and a sound long term investment for the client.

"We use X-CALIBR™ for the shed component, and an attached timber frame and truss for the habitable component. This means we do not need to use valuable shed space for the habitable area."

The shed interior stays clear and unobstructed. The habitable space does not borrow from the working footprint.

Why X-CALIBR™ is the best solution

When Shed Living began evaluating steel shed systems, the requirements were practical: A clear portal span structure that was easy to erect and could integrate with a timber structure alongside it.

X-CALIBR™, a prefabricated structural system that uses roll-formed steel rather than traditional hot-rolled structural steel to create clear span portal buildings, met all three. In Jamie’s words:

“[It was] the ease of erecting the structure with everything coming as kitset, and the ability to achieve large clear spans without having to use structural steel portals."

The two systems sit alongside each other without structural compromise. The interface between steel shed frame and timber dwelling is managed with plywood backing fixed to the timber frame. Clean, well-defined, and repeatable across projects.

Onsite in Pukekohe

The most recent project was a South Auckland farm build:

• Shed: 12 x 9m, X-CALIBR™ portal frames, purlins, and girts
• Dwelling: 92sqm timber-framed, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen, and living area
• Polished concrete throughout both the dwelling and the workshop
• Workshop connecting directly to the 3-bay shed

For the builders onsite, X-CALIBR™ outperformed any solution they had seen before and reset their expectations on what was now possible. Jamie said:

"X-CALIBR™ was great to use, looks great, and the builders were very impressed with the ease of installation. There was no need to cut anything, with all brackets pre-installed, resulting in builders only having to screw purlins and girts to brackets after portals had been fixed in place."

No cutting. No drilling. No measuring. For a design and build business managing tight programmes, this efficiency translates directly into profit and reputation.

The Shed Living model is a clear example of what hybrid construction can deliver when the structural systems are chosen to work together. X-CALIBR™ handles the shed. Timber handles the dwelling. One project, one process, one compliant building.

For builders and developers exploring steel and timber integration in any market, this South Auckland project is worth a close look.

X-CALIBR™ is currently available in New Zealand exclusively through Howick's sister company, Central Steel Framing.