Questions about "The General"

[Barz51]

Hey guys, I’m looking for anyone who has dealt with General Steel. Their web page is www.gensteel.com.

How big was your building? What style? How was the building quality? Were they easy to deal with? Would you recommend them? Any other comments?

Thanks,
Barz

 

[Barz51]

Anybody? Anybody at all?

 

[amolaver]

I know this is an ancient thread, but I need the same question answered... I got the super hard sell from a couple different steel bldg companies and was really turned off. The gentleman I've been speaking with at 'The General' has been polite and helpful...

The initial quote I've received (bare bones building, no doors/insulation included) is $25K for a 40x60x14 delivered to Maryland. That does not include the pad or erection costs. Since this is my first building project, I'm looking for a little hand-holding and their 'Project Coordinator' sounds like it will be helpful. Of course, that is salesman-speak, and who knows how helpful they will be once the sale is made, but...Better than the ultra-full-court-pressure sales tactics I've gotten from the other folks.

Anyone have any experience with these folks?

ahm

 

[amolaver]

revision... quote is down to ~$21K for a 40x60x16 w/2' eaves/overhangs - upped the wall size so we can use 14' doors

seriously - has anyone bought one of their buildings? hard to believe considering how much advertisement they do...

ahm

 

[Donn]

I have no direct knowledge of dealing with them - but I remember a couple of years back, listening to a radio Talk Show and they were discussing them. They were very much being shown in a "bad light" and they had uncovered many issues from past customer's again, but no direct knowledge.

 

[skeeballhead]

I know you are only asking about the "General" and not many folks have replied, but if you are looking for a metal bldg, I bought one through www.premiersteel.org. All went well, and fit great. One thing about these metal building companies is that most are actually only metal building brokers. My building was built by ATY metal building, you would just have to google ATY Building Systems. Anyway, just a bit of trivia. But, premier steel treated me very well, and I had zero complaints.

 

[amolaver]

appreciate the feedback. things have been straight forward so far, no shenanigans. i expect i'll see a contract tomorrow and we'll see how that reads. so far all my questions have been answered w/no BS.

i talked to premier steel and got the hard sell unfortunately, its hard to know whether the buildings are any good when the salespeople make you want to puke (not specifically directed at premier, just in general).

would love to hear from someone who has actually done business with them though for the first hand info. its hard to know if i've got the 'right' salesman for me or if the buildings actually are worth a damn.

ahm

 

[willymakeit]

Find out who your erectors will be. That will determine alot of your stisfaction with the end product. Most of these companies sub their work to local erectors and in some cases traveling crews.

 

[tcianci]

If I recall, the general steel buildings were hawked by the late Paul Harvey on the radio for years. I heard him say more than once that any product that he personally advertised had to be one that he believed in and had some personal experience with. I can understand him making claims about the vitamins and such that he advertised but perhaps he used a general steel building for his antique cars.

 

[amolaver]

at this early stage, i'm seriously considering putting it up myself (with help from some friends and a rented boom lift). with the money saved, that will pay for insulation and the concrete pad!

ahm

 

[johnboy94]

I would really shop that price around. I just bought a 40X50X16 with 2 14x12and 1 8X10 roll up doors included and insulation included, for less than $15K delivered to Texas.

I know that there are snow loads and such to contend with in Maryland but man that is a huge price difference. I priced a 40X60 and it was a couple of grand higher.

I bought from Premier and everything was as smooth as man could ask for.
I even called back and they went out of their way to get me the color codes for paint to match the trim. This was long after they cashed my final check.

Shoot me a PM and will give you my sales guys contact information. (don't want to spam the board)

I have a build thread, and will be updating the pics of the completed shop in the Garage Gallery forum we have been having network issues as of late.

Here is a link ot my build http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43522

Johnboy

 

[amolaver]

Johnboy - much appreciate your help! I just left a msg for him - he's out today. Put 'The General' on hold until I get something from Premier.

ahm

 

[texmln]

I bought a 50x75x16 building last year from Mueller. I was very pleased with the quality and service. I do not recommend trying to erect it yourself. It took a professional crew of four a full week of twelve hour days to get ours up and they've been putting them up for 15 years. I was toying with doing it myself too but after seeing the finished product I'm darn glad I didn't try. Here's a shot of the skeleton and one of the finished interior:

 

[macdabs]

I have just purchased a building 40x80x14 4/12 pitch seamless roof building from Corle Buildings out of Pa . ( not far from you in MD) Great to deal with , I changed my design 3 times and dimensions and they put up with me for a year and half before I made the purchase. I added a lot of options and went with a custom footer for split CMU block . Not counting stamped drawings and industrial entrance doors there price was in line with all the mail order buildings like General, Olympia and others. Now I am only 50 miles from the plant and the office. But, with a purchase that big I like to see and talk in person to any company before I outlay the cash. I know their website has videos on what makes their buildings standout from the rest and it is the real deal . I price out projects and material for jobs all day and in the end steel had the less hidden cost with the new building codes in Pa.

Just my 2 cents.
Macdab

 

[Barz51]

Hey Tex, that looks great!

 

[thejudges69]

bringing back an old thread here, any new updates on the general steel buildings? I'm quoting a 40x96 stick built and a 40x100 steel and someone mentioned this company. I used the search function and got nothing as far as information.