Buying Steel Buildings: Delivery and Receipt of Your New Building

When you buy a new steel building, the fun doesn’t stop after you make all your choices and sign the contract. You have a lot of work to do between the time you sign the contract and the day your metal building is delivered. Here’s what you need to know about what happens after the purchase of steel buildings.

Double Check Delivery Arrangements

Generally, the manufacturer of your metal building will make the delivery arrangements based on the information on the purchase order. That information originally came from you, and is what you specified in the contract you signed. Errors happen, though, so always check with the steel building supplier to make sure that they have the right delivery address and delivery date. If they happen to have either of those important facts wrong, you could wind up with a construction crew sitting at the right place on the wrong date, or a truck showing up across town instead of at your worksite.

If anything happens to change the delivery date or address between the time you sign the contract and the shipping date, contact the steel buildings supplier immediately to notify them of the change. Expect to pay a little extra, since any changes to your order after the contract is signed will always cost you a little – or a lot – extra.

Site Preparation

Get your building site prepared for delivery and erection of your building. If your steel building will require a concrete slab foundation, hire a contractor to clear that ground and pour the slab. The foundation will be the single most important factor in getting your steel building right the first time. Unless you’re a professional contractor yourself, this is the one area where it almost always worth the expense of hiring a pro.

Clear a space for the steel building components to be placed when they’re offloaded from the truck. While you’re at it, don’t forget that the trucks delivering metal building components will need access to the work site and the staging area. Make sure that there’s a clear path to the staging area so that you can unload the components when they arrive.

Book Your Contractor If You’re Using One

While many steel buildings are DIY affairs, many homeowners choose to have their metal building erected by a professional contractor. Experienced erectors are often booked out months in advance during the building season, so make sure you get your dates reserved early. You’ll need at least a skeleton crew there for the delivery as well.

Receiving the Building

When the truck with your metal building arrives, you’ll need to verify that you’ve received all the materials, inspect the components for damage and offload them from the truck. The crew delivering steel buildings seldom is responsible for unloading it – that will be your responsibility. The inspection is vital – the manufacturer will only replace missing or damaged items if they’re notified immediately upon receipt of the building components.

Finally, it’s rare that construction begins on steel buildings immediately. If the building components will be sitting for more than a day or two, have a tarp or sheeting ready to cover them and protect them from the weather until construction begins.