Length of Building

Overview

When you change the length of a building generated in SMS, the bay count does not automatically change.

If required, you may need to adjust the bay count to suit the new length entered, ensuring that you are quoting the most economical design for your client.

Why this is important

Prevents design inefficiencies caused by mismatched building lengths and bay spacing.
Ensures accurate costing and material calculations.
Allows SMS to generate the most economical shed design.

How to adjust the length and bay count

In SMS, open the Estimation View.
Enter the new building length in the Length field.
Review the bay count to ensure it aligns with the new total length.
If required, manually adjust the bay count before pressing Save and Calculate.
- This ensures SMS recalculates the structure and cost correctly.

Example

If a building was originally 18m long with three 6m bays and you change the total length to 24m,
you may choose to:

Increase the bay count to four (for 6m bays), or
Maintain three bays and allow SMS to adjust bay spacing automatically.

Tips, best practices & troubleshooting

Always adjust the bay count before saving and calculating to avoid inconsistencies.
Review both span and bay spacing when modifying building dimensions.
Use consistent bay sizing (e.g. 6m or 7.5m) to achieve cost efficiency in steel usage.