Picking a Pole Building Contractor

[lakeroadster]

Tips For Picking a Pole Building Contractor

Something I've been working on....

Picking A Barn Contractor

So, before you select a builder, ask the prospective candidates:

• How many barns the contractor has built in the last year.
• Find out if they have a regular crew and ask how long each of their employees have been with the builder. You don't want a guy with a new crew, you want experienced tradesmen.
• Ask how long it will take to prep the site and erect the building? Specify that this will be included in the contract.
• Ask to see at least two of their previous buildings, preferably the last two, and that you want to talk to the owners of those buildings, in private without the contractor following you around.

When looking at the buildings take a level, a rafter square, a tape measure and a camera. Take photo’s of problem areas. Preferably inspect the building on a sunny day.
Example Building Owner Q&A Ask the building owner

• Is he happy with the building?
• What would he have done differently?
• What needed to be re-worked?
• Was the job site kept clean and materials secured at the end of the day?
• Were the workers on time and respectful?
• Would he use the contractor again for a building or renovations?
• Was the project on budget?
• Was the project completed on time?

Exterior of building. Look at the exterior steel for:

• scratches in the steel?
• scratches close to the screws that hold the steel to the buildings?
• visible jagged cut steel at edges or smooth?
• are the screws visually in a straight line as you site horizontally along the building?
• are the overlapping panels flush, or are there gaps?
• soffit panels flat and smooth?
• rake and soffit fascia flat and smooth?
• ridge cap flat across top of building or wavy?
• look at the trim around overhead doors and man doors for scratches and dents or jagged edges?
• Seamless gutters?

Inside the building

• What grade lumber was used (it will be factory marked on the sides of the boards)
• Check to see if the columns are plumb.
• If the columns are laminated, are the individual boards of the column tight? Nails or screws fastening the ply’s together? Nail spacing uniform?
• How are the columns attached to the headers and/or trusses? Through bolted, truss lock screws, lag screws or nails?
• Check to see if the girts are level.
• Is the lumber straight or bowed?
• Does the lumber have excessive amounts on knots?
• Can you see cracks in the boards?
• Can you see screws or nails sticking out of boards?
• Can you see screws that attach the steel to the building that missed girts or door / window surround boards?
• How are the girts attached to the support columns? Are boards splintered at nail locations?
• Are saw cuts square and straight? Check with your rafter square.
• Turn the lights off in the building and look for sunlight shinning in through gaps / holes.
• The splash boards at the walls, at the concrete to wall junction, at ground level, are they pressure treated?
• Is the concrete finish smooth? Too smooth? Not smooth enough?
• Can you see aggregate rocks in the concrete around the edges near the walls?
• Are there control joints cut in the concrete? Measure how far apart they are.
• What type of man door is used? Steel, vinyl, wood?
• Close the man door firmly. Does the wall shake? Does the door hang up on the door frame or close smoothly? Check that the door is level and plumb.
• What type of windows are used? Good quality vinyl clad energy efficient?
• Open and close the windows. Do they operate smoothly? Do they lock easily? Check that the windows are level and plumb.
• What type of overhead door(s) are used? Good quality, insulated, energy efficient?
• Open and close the overhead door(s). Do they operate smoothly? Do they lock easily? Do they have vinyl weather stripping? Check that the door frames are level and plumb.
• Are you planning to finish the walls and ceiling? Did you discuss this with the contractor? Look @ the wall girts and trusses, they can be designed / oriented such that the interior can be finished easier.

Leveling the site

• What equipment will be used?
• If they add fill material, what will fill materials will they use? Material from a local aggregate processor that has known properties or what?
• Will they compact the fill material?
• What height / thickness of fill do they add before they compact the fill? 4”, 5", 6”
• Will they add / compact / add in multiple lifts?
• What elevation will the slab be? Make sure the construction drawings show the final elevation that is relative to a fixed undisturbed point at the building site.
• Do they test for proper compaction? If yes, how and to what standard?

Support Columns (poles)

• What are the columns made of?
• Are they laminated columns or solid dimensional lumber?
• If laminated are they glued and nailed? What standard is used for the nailing pattern?
• If pressure treated wood, what grade of lumber and what CCA level?
• Ask how they dig the holes for the support columns.
• Do they compact the soil in the bottom of the hole if they are adding soil to adjust level height? If so, how do they compact that added soil?
• Do they place a precast puck in the bottom of each hole?
• Do they compact soil around the post as it is being filled back up?

Concrete Slab

• What elevation will the slab be? Make sure the construction drawings show the final elevation that is relative to a fixed undisturbed point at the building site.
• Ask when the slab will be poured, early in the construction or near the end?
• Ask how they prepare the sub-grade for the concrete slab. Tell them you are likely going to have a density test performed before the slab is poured (Even if you're not).
• Ask what concrete thickness and what concrete strength will be used. Tell them you want to see a mix sheet for the concrete they are proposing to use and that you will inspect the mix sheets for every load that arrives on site and you shall approve it before it is used.
• Ask if they follow American Concrete Institute (ACI) standard practices.
• Ask if they will follow ACI “Cold Weather Concreting” standards.
• What reinforcing steel will they use? If they are using mesh or rebar what type, diameter, and spacing?
• If they use mesh, are they using sheets or rolls? Do they use wire ties to secure the re-bar / mesh? Do they overlap the re-bar / mesh at seams?
• Will they use dobies or chairs to properly locate the reinforcing steel?
• Will they also use fibre mesh, in addition to reinforcing steel?
• Will they cut the control joints within 12 hours?

 

[LXCam]

Well that's a pretty thorough check list. The only thing I'd add would be ask how the contractor handled change order requests (if applicable). Were they responsive as well as were the cost reasonable. Also require the contractor to name you as additionally insured.

Nice job LR, this should become a sticky as often as some of these questions are asked around here.

Edit: one last suggestion. Have a moderator change the tile to "Tips for picking a...." After going back over the new posts when I saw your title again it looked like all the other hundreds of threads where someone has asked about finding a contractor.

 

[lakeroadster]

Nice job LR, this should become a sticky as often as some of these questions are asked around here.

Thanks

 

[tom-ky]

We looked at a few that our contractor did and talked with two of them. Talked to another it did not look at his. I like the contractor but some of his employees had an attitude and disappointed in some things he did. All his other concrete jobs had a better finish than ours. Seems like no matter how much research you do you can get burned.

 

[Marctrees]

Lakeroadster - You have compiled a very logical excellent list.

I totally agree with I think every point.

My fear is - If submitted to a typical like from Oklahoma pole builder, he will flee in fear.

Now, sure, you could say "If that's the case you don't want him"

I agree.

But my point is, I'm not sure you would end up with even one remaining.

At least not one of the ones w a "competetive" price.

My interest in this is........

I am currently gonna build one soon, and am down after lotsa study to two builders - 5 Starr, and Rob Bilt.

I ask lots of questions, but totally believe if I would give them this list, they would freak and not return.

Comments? Marc

 

[Marctrees]

See, what I'm sayin is - ALL these points SHOULD be followed.

But I'm wonderin, IF they are, how does that affect the building cost?

Now, you can say "if you want a sub standard building, that's what you get"

Ya, I understand.

But the published price lists from some of the predominantly Oklahoma are not lead ons, they are "sufficient" buildings from what I can tell.


Marc

 

[Marctrees]

Yes, should be Sticky.

Rapidly covers many issues. Marc

 

[lakeroadster]

Lakeroadster - You have compiled a very logical excellent list.

I totally agree with I think every point.

My fear is - If submitted to a typical like from Oklahoma pole builder, he will flee in fear.

......

I ask lots of questions, but totally believe if I would give them this list, they would freak and not return.

Comments? Marc

Valid point Marc.

If you re-read the list, it doesn't say to give the information / list to the contractor.

You would:

• ask the owner of the example buildings each of the questions, and record the answers.
• ask the contractor each of the questions, and record their answer.

Using the above data, you would then pick the contractor you like the best.

Then make sure all the questions they answered are addressed in the contract. If they aren't, have them add them.

If they won't add them.. re-think your selection.

 

[Marctrees]

Ya, agree.

Physically presenting the list would send ALL running for the hills.

So, I've already been asking many of these to my prospectives, and |I feel I am "bothering" them.

AT THEIR fast track PUBLISHED PRICES.

Casually asking separate similar to your list questions.

I feel If I bent over while presenting my signed otherwise blank checkbook to like Morton, THEN I could mandate all this.

I just know we built a 4800 ft square Mueller 10 yrs ago, and I'm pretty sure the salesman was ready to kill me 5x over after all the weeks of questions and asking about alternates prices.

So I agree w the list TOTALLY, but not sure about how it works in real life.

Marc

 

[lakeroadster]

So I agree w the list TOTALLY, but not sure about how it works in real life.

Marc

Therein lies the reasoning behind looking at two of their previous buildings. Talk is cheap, looking at their quality, or lack thereof, speaks volumes.