Steel Building Talk

A great deal of steel building purchasing in the United States is done by phone or internet communication, with a company that is not located in the buyer’s immediate vicinity. If you contact a local dealer who is willing to come out and try to sell you a building in person, it is worthwhile comparing this to what an out-of-town company may offer in both product and services. The best way to decide on a company to do business with is to check into the references and background of the steel building company.

The first question you should ask any building company you are considering dealing with is how long they have been in business. Although this is not a hard and fast rule as to the quality of their services, you need to assure yourself that the “company” is not just a salesman in a small office, strong-arming you for your deposit money on a great “deal.” You want to make sure that the steel building manufacturer and/or supplier deals with steel building products only. “Bob’s Steel Buildings and Carpet Cleaning” is not a viable choice for your needs.

Request as much literature and information as possible from the company you are considering doing business with. These steel building companies may have pictures and a CD or video tape of their operations. The point here is that the companies that are willing to invest in quality point-of-sale brochures and catalogs are normally reliable in their services. Blurred, single-page faxes about the company in response to your inquiry should be viewed as suspect.

Inquire as to whether the company has a qualified staff of managers, component and design professionals, and qualified customer service representatives. If your phone inquiries are always answered by the same person, this may not be a company you want to purchase from.

Make sure that an erection manual is available for your building and/or that the company’s literature explains and details very efficiently how their buildings go together. Otherwise, you may find yourself with many pieces of steel, incomprehensible to you or your erector as to how they should be assembled.

The guarantee or warranty provided with your steel building is important. Have the company send you a sample of the expressed structural warranty or other guarantees that will be provided with the purchase of the building. Check with the company to see if there are qualified erectors in your area who have put up their buildings before or are very familiar and certified for the type of construction required.

When considering all of the abovementioned concerns, choose the company that you most feel comfortable with in answering your questions and providing you with information. Most steel building companies who advertise or are in business are legitimate. Asking the proper questions will separate them from companies that are not.