Steel Building Unloading

[BDSax]

I am receiving my building from Heritage Building Systems in a couple weeks. I'm excited and nervous as I'm doing the install. My question is who has unloaded their building off the truck? I'm wondering how high you had to get to lift the first pieces off. They are telling me I need a lift that goes up to 14' and 4000lbs. I know someone local with a off terrain forklift that goes to 10' and a more modern that does go higher but the driver would need to drive to his store 2 miles away.

Another question is when unloading what are you placing the pieces on? I was offered pallets and a pallet jack from the same friend with the forklift but my initial plan was to put on 2x4s and have a couple furniture movers to put under when I need them moved.

This is my first experience so just trying to get prepared.
THANKS!

 

[cbacres]

I believe the 10' fork lift will be fine for off loading. I generally see this loads on 4x4 dunnage, with the heavier pieces on the bottom.

You might want to ask if they leave the dunnage with the load, a lot of the times it belongs to the driver.

You'll want lumber thick enough to keep the steel off the ground, 4 x4, doubled 2x4 or pallets as you mention would work. Plan on a way to protect the items in cardboard, not that it'll be hurt by rain, it just falls apart. If you are using sealant tape, keep it out of the sun until ready to use, it can get quite soft and sticky, and don't let your dogs lay in the pieces that get thrown off the roof, my wife is still mad at me from 9 years ago.

Try to plan out where you'll set everything as you unload, to keep from double handling.
Look forward to watching this go up.

 

[fnieto]

I used a Hyster 5K. The tallest stab was around 9-10'
I "staged" the red iron on the slab where I needed it on 4x4's.
I was able to put up my 40X80 with the Hyster as well.
You can save a ton of $$$ by ercting it your self.
And do as mentioned by cbacres.

 

[Rookie2]

Get a list of materials, plan to place pieces in some order of installation ( make a sketch on paper) make sure you have room to turn the lift 90 deg and isles to come and go. Go to the big box stores and ask for the warped and junk 4x4's etc. for cribbing. cover the rib metal with plastic to keep moisture out ,they tend to stain if they lay for weeks. Careful using chalk lines on the metal, some will never come off !

 

[Charles (in GA)]

The top of a box semi van is less than 14 ft. Imagine a flat bed loaded with steel interspaced with timbers. If you are on level ground, there is no reason for anything over 12 ft and probably ten ft.

My steel building was unloaded with forklift tines on the front of a New Holland skid steer (aka generic "bobcat").

Charles

 

[BDSax]

Ok so looks like I have everything lined up.

One thing I'm curious about is leveling the columns. Am I able to use ratchet straps or do I need steel cables and a come a long?

 

[fnieto]

Ok so looks like I have everything lined up.

One thing I'm curious about is leveling the columns. Am I able to use ratchet straps or do I need steel cables and a come a long?

If your floor is poured level,this will get you close. You level/plumb the columns by tightening the base plate bolts in accordance to the level. Once your plumb,you torque down evenly ensuring column remains plumb.

 

[fnieto]

These photos show truck delivery, staging and column erection with eve struts in place.
I chose to start with the "Cable bay" as this was squared and rigid. I kept the skins on a 20' trailer covered and out of the way.

 

[readhead]

I am a metal building erector. This won't be fair because we show up with a lot of equipment but here goes. Plan your laydown area. Columns and rafters in one place, purlins and girts in another, sheeting and trim out of the way, insulation by the sheeting and warehouse box near the slab. There will be plenty of wood on the truck. In 15 years I have never had a driver want to keep the wood. Your highest lift will be 10-12 feet. Your best bet is a boom style forklift. If you use a tractor or mast type forklift you will have to get to both sides of the trailer. Check every part. I don't care if the driver has to be somewhere else. Don't sign the paperwork untill you have checked for damage or shortages. Some companies can be a nightmare with claims.

Sounds like you are going to erect the building yourself. Check the bolt locations before the pour. I do this if it is my concrete guy or the owners. I find mistakes 60% of the time. Especially if it is a guy that doesn't do metal buildings all the time. If there is a sheeting notch check the door locations carefully. Check the slab for level with a builders level or transit. At 3/8" we start shimming. If you shim be sure to grout with nonshrink grout under the baseplates. Build the brace bay first and get it plumb. Everything should go pretty well after that. You may need to move something later and we usually do that with rachet straps. Make sure the ridge is square to the columns. You will pay dearly when you start to sheet the roof if you don't.

I don't know how big the building is but I would recommend that you keep the forklift on hand until the red iron is up. On say a 40 x 60 we would have the truck unloaded and all the red iron up the first day with four guys. Then it will slow way down.

Follow the plans carefully. They can be hard to understand. Call the company if there is something you don't understand. Good luck and be safe.

 

[jgorm]

25x33x16' looked like this

 

[Art From De Leon]

One advantage of the Morton Building, was that they used their own truck, with their own 'kangaroo style' forklift, hung off the back.

 

[nehog]

Ok so looks like I have everything lined up.

One thing I'm curious about is leveling the columns. Am I able to use ratchet straps or do I need steel cables and a come a long?

I used ratchet straps mostly. I bought some cheap ones (1" webbing) and they worked for all but one spot, where I used my big 2" ones.

I am a metal building erector. This won't be fair because we show up with a lot of equipment but ...

Great writeup!

Double, no triple check your J-bolts for the columns.

I had a boom truck to do the biggest pieces of red iron, took about an hour to finish them off.

Follow instructions for tightening all the fasteners. Don't tighten until all bolts are seated in their holes. Check plumb and square constantly while assembling. Mark your red iron so when sheeting you don't try to drive a sheeting screw into one! (Don't ask...) I bought a bunch of staging, with wheels to use while building. Fantastic investment!

 

[fnieto]

One advantage of the Morton Building, was that they used their own truck, with their own 'kangaroo style' forklift, hung off the back.

Mueller provides the same style fork lift for unloading load.

 

[sberry]

The heaviest is usually the sheeting bundles. I had some 41 ft long.