Steel Buildings – Getting the Details Right

When buying steel buildings, the devil can be in the details. Before you sign your final paperwork on your new metal building, make sure that you’ve got all the details of delivery squared away. This can be especially important because many manufacturers of steel buildings use a third-party shipper to deliver all the components to your work site. The steel building supplier will make the shipping arrangements based on the details written in your contract. Those details will include shipping dates, arrival dates and all the other information you need to take delivery and start construction on your new barns, barns and other metal building structures. Before you sign on the dotted line, make sure you know these things.

Is the Address on the Shipping Manifest Correct?

Make sure that the ship to address on the paperwork is the address of your work site. The carrier company will deliver only to the address on the paperwork, and the last thing you want is for your new workshop to get unloaded at your office instead of your home because the steel buildings manufacturer mistakenly transposed your shipping and billing addresses.

Who Is Responsible for Making the Arrangements?

In most cases, the manufacturer or broker will make the arrangements for shipping, but some companies may require you to be more proactive.

When Will Your Steel Building Arrive?

It’s up to you to let the manufacturer know when you need your new building components to arrive. The process of planning, engineering and fabricating your building can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, so be sure to take that into account in your planning. Once you’ve signed the contract, you can expect your building to arrive on the date specified.

How Will You Unload Your Building Components?

Generally, it will be your responsibility to offload all the components of your metal building. You’ll need to have a crew on site to unload and move your steel building parts. If the components will be sitting before you begin work, make sure that you provide covers for them so that they don’t get contaminated by dust and dirt.

Have Your Foundation Poured and Ready

Many people have the foundation for their steel buildings poured while they wait for the building components to arrive. Because the safety of your new building depends on the foundation being true and square, it’s usually recommended that you hire a professional with experience in pouring foundations for steel buildings to do this part of the job.

While steel buildings may be easier to buy, manage and erect than most other types of construction, the process can still be complicated, especially for a novice. If you work with a manufacturer that commonly does business with homeowners, you’ll get more assistance and explanation along the way to make the purchase process easier for you.