When the Heat is On, Stay Cool with a Steel Building

As a small business owner, you might know better than anybody demands and requirements are necessary. When you are interested in expanding your business, you must meet requirements in a timely manner to uphold your customer’s satisfaction and ensure you minimize any loss. This isn’t demanding; it’s a fact of life. Small businesses might need the extra space to store equipment, operate equipment, or accommodate their guests.

That was the case for Hawaiian Falls Waterpark, located in Waco, Texas. Hawaiian Falls, like many other waterparks across the country, is a popular spot for the residents of Waco to cool off during the summer months. Management at Hawaiian Falls had a desire to add a unique structure to their property, and after hours and hours of research, finally settled on a food pavilion. The structure had to be able to take a beating from the sun, accommodate thousands of adults and kids each day, plus withstand high winds in the spring, summer and fall, and even endure high temperatures, often in the triple digits. They also needed the structure delivered in time for the grand opening – already set in stone.

The owners of the Hawaiian Falls Waterpark made the decision to erect a pre-engineered steel building. Steel is durable and can withstand the force of high winds and high temperatures. If you select the proper paint in the design process, you can greatly reduce the effect the sun has on a structure’s roof.

Steel won’t rot when it comes into repeated contact with water like wood. That was a huge sticking point for Hawaiian Falls! Just imagine a packed house of hungry, wet swimmers rushing to enjoy a meal in a wood pavilion. Children are hurrying to get in and out so they can get back out into the pool quickly. Even adults need to squeeze past each other, armed with strollers, pool noodles and a full bag packed with pool essentials. It is inevitable that people will brush against the wood structure and each ‘wet’ contact could wear down the wood. This slow destruction of wood can add up over time in costly repairs and could be dangerous for park guests. Something as little as a splinter could ruin a family’s entire trip and could cost you money down the road, and maybe hurt your brand image.

Steel buildings are engineered to last and a quality pre-engineered steel building supplier, like Armstrong Steel, will offer industry-leading structural, paint, panel and roof warranties. These warranties should give you the confidence that your pre-engineered steel building will last for decades and won’t hurt or injure any of your customers. Rust won’t typically be an issue if you choose to incorporate pre-galvanized steel in your design with a project manager.

A wood structure greatly increases the chances of growing fungus and mold. Fungus lives, breathes, and multiplies on organic materials and would be a real ‘turn off’ anywhere, but especially in a pavilion where families eat. Steel won’t encourage the growth of fungus, because it’s inorganic. In addition, by adding a pre-engineered steel building to the water park, the owners of the Hawaiian Falls may have increased their property by adding a permanent structure. Unlike most wood buildings, pre-engineered steel buildings are considered permanent structures because they require a foundation. If the time should come when they want to retire from the water park business, the owners may be looking at a bigger pay day when they decide to sell.

The only problem left for Hawaiian Falls? Getting the structure erected in time for the grand opening. The heat was on. Literally.

Armstrong came through in the clutch. It helps to have an in-house engineering and detailing department. An in-house engineering team is more efficient and can make changes to the design of a project on the spot or in the clutch if necessary. Compare this to an organization that outsources orders to foreign engineering teams. It also helps that pre-engineered steel buildings usually only require simple tools and instructions, and can be erected in a matter of days or weeks, as compared to pole barns, which require months and a good amount of field fabrication.

The Hawaiian Falls Waterpark was able to get their pavilion delivered, erected, and decorated in time for their grand opening. Did they have demands and requirements to be met? Sure did. As a small business owner, you’ll need to make demands and set requirements to achieve your goals. You shouldn’t have to throw a fit to get your goose to lay golden eggs. The right company will be able to listen to your requests and meet your requirements when you want to expand. It’s your job to find them.

It’s about that time to start thinking about an expansion for next summer! Start your research by visiting more Small Business Owner blogs here, or you can read more about Hawaiian Falls Waterpark here.

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