The Secret to Scoring the Best Price on a Steel Building
Whether you’re looking for a new sturdy barn for your farm, a place to park your classic cars and trucks, or a space to work on your hobbies and pet projects, a steel building is the complete solution to your desires. As with any purchase, you’re looking to get the most for your money. Since steel building prices are volatile, sometimes it’s tough to know how to save money. Most people see the word, ‘volatile,’ and automatically think, ‘scary,’ or intimidating. But there’s nothing intimidating about building with steel. In fact, just by making the choice to buy a steel building instead of other traditional construction methods, you’ve already saved yourself a sizable chunk of cash. That’s the first step to getting a great price on your next building. Read on for more tips on how to score a deal on a steel building.
Know What You Want
When you talk to a steel building expert, if you have a good idea of what you want, they can assess your situation better. What is your schedule? What can you afford? How many square feet do you need? Having an answer to some of these questions can get your plan in front of an in-house project manager sooner. Then the project manager will be able to concentrate on your individual project, and apply as many cost saving measures as they can in the design process.
Buy Direct
Up until recently, direct pricing on steel buildings was only accessible to the nation’s largest contractors. That’s not the case anymore. With the Direct Buy process, you can qualify for special pricing if you have your financing in place, your job site is ready, and you’re prepared to pay a small engineering fee to secure your steel price. Sometimes, only one of the conditions needs to be met in order to qualify. Talk to your building expert for more information on exclusive pricing in your specific scenario, or if any short-term pricing options are available.
K.I.S.S.
You know the old acronym ‘Keep It Simple, Stupid?’ Well, since I don’t think you’re stupid, I want to put a new spin on this old acronym. For steel building purposes, you need to, “Keep It Structurally Simple.” 
You can add all sorts of bells and whistles to a steel building, but understand that’s going to drive up the price. If a building is structurally simple, there even might be discounts available.
Also, the bigger you go, the more steel is needed to shore up the building. What kind of room do you have on your property? Did you know a building’s location could greatly affect its price? If you live on the coast, for instance, there will be specific codes and wind loads with which the building will need to adhere. If more steel is needed in the engineering process, then obviously the price will increase. Conventional wisdom would say, ‘the thicker the steel, the stronger it is.’ That’s just not true. Remember, when it comes to steel, the thicker it is, the more it will weigh, and the more expensive it will be.
In-house Engineering Department
Another way to guarantee a deal on your steel building is to find a provider with an in-house engineering department. Don’t deal with a company that has an overseas engineering department! Communication is key in the process of planning and designing your steel building. Instead of emailing and calling detailers across the pond, you want the ability to have all the employees connect with each other in person and collectively work on your project together. Communication errors lead to problems, problems lead to delays, and delays lead to money out of your pocket. Another benefit of an in-house engineering department: you have the ability to call the company, and work with someone who has intimate knowledge of your project. If you have a question, at any stage, you know your question can be answered quickly and effectively.
Use this tips to score a great price on your next steel building!
Photo courtesy: 401(K) 2012
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