You've taken care of the hard part. You've planned out your self storage facility, written up a business plan, and gotten together the funding and materials. Now one major hurdle remains before you can be open for business: actually building the darn thing.
Finding a construction crew isn't going to be a walk in the park, and you would be right to worry about getting someone who won't do the job well or who will overcharge you. No matter whether you're expanding an existing self storage facility or starting from the ground up, here are a few tips to help you find a construction crew and deal with them as they build.
Insurance? Better have it
Any crew you hire ought to have at least two types of insurance: general liability and workman's comp. This will keep you from having to pay out should anybody get injured while working on your property. If the crew you're considering doesn't have this insurance, move on to the next.
Make sure they've got experience in your building
Who would you rather have working on your self storage facility: a crew who's built 12 self storage facilities or similar properties, or a crew that's mostly handled residential homes? Experience always counts, as they'll be able to move faster and make fewer mistakes as opposed to a newbie crew.
Make certain that the crew you want is familiar with the type of self storage steel or metal building you're constructing. That will save you a lot of headache down the road. It's also a good idea to check references, if you're so inclined, but realize that they won't list the bad ones.
When they're getting started
Have the crew inventory the steel and metal building materials as soon as they arrive. That way, you'll be sure that you have everything they need to construct the building. If the concrete pad for your building is already down, have the crew check it to make sure it's level. They can usually still work on it if it's about an inch off, but if it's more than an inch, there will be problems.
Professionalism counts
The erectors should be professional, and they should put the self storage building up tight and correct, according to the plans. Once they've finished, they ought to sweep out the units and clean up the job site. Make sure they do it; otherwise you're going to be left with a lot of clean-up work to get your site ready.
Finding a crew to help you build your dreams doesn't have to be that hard. By making sure they have the proper experience, insurance and professionalism, you'll go a long way to saving yourself a lot of headaches during the construction process. And you'll be one step closer to having your own self storage facility.
Dean Brown is the president of American Steel Buildings. No matter what you need for your self storage steel or metal building, be it information, advice or just raw materials, American Steel can help you make your dreams come true. Visit them online today at
http://www.GoSteelGo.com.
