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How to Compare Lester Buildings with Other Builders

When you’re shopping for pole barn builders, the research can become overwhelming. This is especially true during your first construction project. So, Lester Buildings even created a downloadable pamphlet and checklist to help you out. See Lesterbuildings.com, “Evaluating Your Building Supplier.” This valuable tool ends with a place to keep a checklist of important ways to compare building contractors and their suppliers.

Five Questions to Ask Builders

You’ll want to do some footwork. As the pole building industry has been ramping up over the last few decades, many companies have joined in. Now you will find a variety of companies online who advertise pole barn kits. To differentiate their pros and cons, start with this handful of questions.

1. Is the building system completely engineered, or do they incorporate some engineered components?
2. Is the builder able to fully communicate important building design values? Can they explain foundation design loads, wind loads, snow loads, and building live loads?
3. How does the builder’s decide which specific design loads to include in your building proposal?
4. Is every component designed to meet your needs for specific wind and snow loads?
5. Do they design and engineer the columns and trusses for each individual location within the building?

The Complete Building System

You’re looking for complete building systems. A large low-rise building must be able to withstand high winds and the weight of snow. That means the components must each support each other. The engineering and materials must be specific.

So, you need to find out the building plan and the source of the materials. Do these pole barn builders shop around for building parts or do they obtain complete building systems? And, where do they buy the wood, accessories, hardware, and exterior metal? Are these parts engineered to work together?

Compare Like Elements

You can get a few quotes. Do not accept estimates. Estimates are subject to change and you need solid figures.

Be sure to get complete quotes and so you can compare line by line between them. Dive into details. For example, builders using a variety of suppliers may also use different grades. Examine details for big accessories like overhead doors to determine the quality.

Warranties, Insurance, Experience, and Professional Credits

Now we come to the yes and no answers. Find out exactly what the warranty covers. Does the builder offer a workmanship warranty?

You want to be sure that your builders are fully insured and disciplined using safe work practices. For example, does your potential builder follow OSHA standards? Asked to see a certificate of insurance that includes Worker’s compensation and general liability. Likely, the top builders will be affiliated with the National Frame Building Association, too. Finally, ask for references and tour the buildings.

Building Contractors – Central Colorado

Contact Sapphire Construction, Inc. at (303) 619-7213 for in-depth analysis of our post frame construction techniques, engineered pole building kits from Lester Buildings, floor plans, and quotes for new buildings.