To make certain that you understand all aspects relevant to the trucking of your steel structure, you should touch base with your all-steel building manufacturer or contract manufacturer long before your structure is due to be delivered. Trucking to your job-site will occur once your all-steel structure has been finished. Normally, this is done through a regular trucking company, although various steel structure suppliers will transport using their own fleet of trucks. All delivery arrangements need to be set-up before your structure even enters the design phase. Any special delivery instructions should be ironed out before the due date. Changing addresses or other shipping information at the last moment can prove costly.

Accountability for the structure to be loaded on the truck is held by two people the trucking company for the receiving of the steel building parts at the shipping clerk at the plant. From there it is up to you, the purchaser to make sure the correct address and date of delivery has been supplied. You will be responsible for taking delivery of the shipment once it arrives, and if you can’t be there, it is up to you to appoint someone in your stead.

Fabrication of a steel building, in addition to design and fittings can take any number of days, or a number of months, if it is ordered during the plant’s busy time of year. You should allow ample time for the process of planning, designing and fabricating your structure.

Prior to construction starting, some owners wish to have their pre-engineered steel building shipped to the job location. Without proper cover or protection, the steel components are left to the mercy of the elements. Your duties lie in making sure the parts are protected. If they get ruined and have to be replaced, this can set you back a pretty penny, not to mention be a costly time delay. Although quality steel structures are produced with protective coatings, not all companies furnish this service. Weeks, even months before the transport of your building, be sure you have the proper team of erectors assembled. If you plan on raising the roof during the busy season, pick your team off-season so they will be ready.

When considering buying a prefabricated, pre-engineered steel structure your schedule should be:

Of course, the bottom line with a project as complex as steel building construction is to be flexible. No one wants interruptions or surprises, but they can happen. While a lot of problems can be prevented by careful planniing, the ones that do come can be handled more easily if you are well prepared. Have your “numbers” handy and an action plan in place.