What To Look For When Hiring A Metal Building Supplier
Have you decided to start a new construction project?
If you have, hopefully, you've made the decision to build with steel. There are many advantages of prefabricated metal buildings that make them a great resource for businesses.
Maybe you're in the market for data centers, aircraft hangars, manufacturing facilities, or any other building that can be constructed with a steel building kit.
Either way, now that you are fully committed to your steel construction project, whether you need a warehouse for your equipment or a full-scale manufacturing building project, you should start looking for a metal building erection company.
Finding the steel building erector company for your project is an important decision and shouldn't be made lightly.
You can ask your colleagues for referrals, talk a multiple metal building companies, look for reviews, and completed projects.
In this article, we're going to take some time to talk about the things you should consider and ask about when you start to look for metal building suppliers.
Table of Contents
- Introduction To Suppliers
- Questions You Should Ask Metal Building Contractors
- Get Multiple Bids
- Too Good To Be True Usually Is
- Work With STEVENS
Introduction To Suppliers
First, we'll talk about the three primary services available when you begin a new building project.
First is the manufacturer. The manufacturer is the company that creates, customizes, and delivers your steel building.
Next is the contractor. Contractors typically purchase metal buildings from manufacturers and then resell them to customers.
And finally, we have the brokers. The broker is someone who brings together all the services that need to do business together.
The steel building is purchased from the manufacturer and sold to the customer responsible for putting it up.
Questions You Should Ask Metal Building Contractors
Many people use contractors after choosing to erect a steel building.
But before you start your Google search for the best contractor in your area, you should know a few questions to ask them.
These questions will provide you with a great starting point as you get to know your contractor.
Are You Licensed?
Using a licensed contractor is important.
When you use an unlicensed contractor, you are putting your entire steel building project at risk.
When you use a fully licensed contractor for your project, you can rest assured that they meet the requirements and have the knowledge and experience needed to be a licensed contractor.
How Experienced Are You?
This is a tough question to ask, but it's one that should still be asked. There is a chance you will come across a brand new licensed contractor that has yet to complete a job.
That shouldn't necessarily be used against them, though. If they are fully licensed, they clearly know what it takes to get the job done.
And some new contractors will have a wealth of knowledge that they gained working for other contractors, so ask them follow-up questions if they are new.
If they tell you they have only been a licensed contractor for a few months but that they have been in the business for years, you can probably rely on them to do a good job.
Do Your Buildings Meet Local Codes?
Your steel building will have to meet your local and state codes if you want a safe, reliable structure.
Your codes will change depending on where you live.
For example, if you live on the coast of South Carolina, your building will have different codes than if you were building in Texas.
And if you're in the midwest, your steel building might need to meet codes that can help it withstand tornadoes.
If your building isn't up to code, it could put your safety in jeopardy, and you might have to pay fines and penalties.
If you find that the contractor has a history of violating local codes, it's time to move on to the next candidate.
Do You Specialize in Metal Buildings?
Just because your contractor might be completely capable of installing a metal building doesn't mean they specialize in it.
You want a contractor specializing in metal building structures because they will get you what you need at affordable prices.
Do You Have Local Specialist Partners?
It's essential that your contractor has partnerships with specialists in your area.
Your contractor will erect your building, but can they do the plumbing and electrical work? And can they do as good a job as a specialist?
A contractor who works with local specialists will streamline the steel building process and leave you with a better-finished product.
Do You Secure the Necessary Permits?
If permits are needed for your job, and they will be needed, you should work with a contractor that can secure the permits on your behalf.
This helps move your project along faster, and it will keep you from having to deal with penalties, fines, or other legal hassles because your steel building was erected without the proper permits.
Get Multiple Bids
After looking for metal buildings online or checking your building department for a list of local steel building installers, you always want to get multiple bids.
Even if you asked them all the questions we talked about above and they give you good answers, you always want to speak to multiple contractors before making your final decision.
You also need to be sure to explain your project in great detail with each contractor you speak with so they can provide you with an accurate bid.
Your contractor should know your building's size, how many doors and windows you need, and how you would like your exterior finished.
If you want any extras on your steel building, like skylights, gutters, and roof vents, you should let them know about those as well.
Too Good To Be True Usually Is
We've all heard the old saying that if something seems too good to be true, it usually is.
That certainly applies when you are choosing a metal building contractor.
When you're talking to contractors, and one offer is noticeably lower than the rest, you should beware of that offer.
This could be a sign that the contractor is very inexperienced or doesn't mind cutting corners and sacrificing quality to save a few dollars.
Using a contractor like this might save you money upfront, but it will prove to be much more expensive in the long run.
If a contractor gives you a low price to begin with, they may also be trying to entice you with the low estimate and then add on additional expenses once the job has started.
You shouldn't work with people like that.
Work With The stevens Metal Building TEAM
Pre-engineered metal buildings have several benefits, including a quicker building construction time, ease of expansion, and versatility.
If you're ready to find a metal building company to work with, STEVENS is proud to offer high-quality, pre-engineered steel buildings through our wholly-owned subsidiary, CDMG.
CDMG will help you customize your facility to suit your exact needs, and STEVENS can help erect the steel building.
Our steel building erector team takes pride in the relationships they build with their clients.
We ensure that we meet their specific needs and requirements for their steel buildings project.
We will also be sure to meet all your local codes and requirements for industry-specific steel buildings.
To start your steel building project with STEVENS, click the button below to contact them today.
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