Don’t Lose a Fortune With Second Rate Steel Building Suppliers, What’s The Alternative
Live and learn they say which a true fact is when it comes to these companies. You have better be prepared or this could an experience you’ll want to forget. Here are my lessons learned dealing with a steel business company:
1. Do not make a deposit until you have had an opportunity to go over the contract. It is non refundable so if you send it before seeing the contract….just know you have just be taken. If they insist, ask to speak to the agent’s manager or boss. Remember a clear message is a click away if you feel as if you are being taken advantage of, but if it’s a great deal simply ask to be transferred to another agent.
2. Let them know precisely what you want by sending over the building type, size and height, foundation type, doors - amount and location, end walls and end wall door openings, skylights and vents, specify you want all components including screws and any other fasteners necessary for construction and shipping of your package included in the price. Specify that the deposit of the x-amount is all that is initially required. It may come down to you having to send them a set of sketch drawings if that is required for you to insure your order is correct.
a. Note: They will only ship on specific roads which allow big trucks. If your building is in the boonies and off a MAJOR highway, be warned that the cost of secondary transportation will be very expensive. You will have to unload the package by yourself or at a location that the truck can legally travel. This is an added complication. Give them the construction site address and have them state if they can deliver to that address not verbally but in contract writing.
3. Now here is the REAL IMPORTANT part. When you get the contract take your time, really take your time and go over every word. Make sure the description covers exactly what you sent to them. Make sure the delivery time is something you can handle and will be there….you have read about the problems if you cannot, and then you’ll have a story to post.
4. If you are satisfied with the contract and the very small print, go ahead and sign it and call them with your deposit.
5. At your schedule delivery be prepared as driver tends to be in a hurry because he has other drop offs to do. When you sign his paperwork, you are agreeing that they have shipped you everything that is necessary. To call them later and say something did not arrive will fall on deaf ears. Secondly, if you need more parts they are VERY EXPENSIVE. So what do you do when the package is offloaded? I was fortunate and did sign the papers but did not get burned. But if you are concerned, have a group of friends ready to help cut the strapping and compare each component to the bill of lading. This is a difficult task because the arches are stacked and you have to unstack them to do the count. Even with a large group of people, it will take you a few hours to do the counting. This is the problem with doing business with a company with a bad customer service record you’ll end up paying for it physically and emotionally if you don’t heed this advice.
I have read the postings from many different publications and find that they all ring true to the operation of these companies. But if you cannot resist the incredibly low price of the metal building kits, than be sure to follow the above advice….it may help some in protecting you and saving you from a very frustrating situation.