FAQ'S
ARE PERMITS REQUIRED?
HOW LONG WILL I HAVE TO WAIT?
Most municipalities require permits for buildings, regardless of what they are built out of. Some areas have square footage requirements, such as 120sf or 200sf or larger needing a permit. We encourage all of our customers to permit if it's required, but a permit is not required in every circumstance. Your city or county can best answer this, but we are happy to talk through it with you as well.
WHEN IS ENGINEERING NEEDED?
Hiring an engineer gives certainty that a structure meets the snow load and wind speed requirements where you live. It's also typically required by plans examiners if you intend to permit. In the Pacific NW we have so many different building requirements, which impact how a building is to be erected and this is determined by a licensed engineer. We provide this along with the building purchase.
WHERE DO YOU WORK?
Our earthwork and concrete crews are only in the greater Vancouver, WA area, and our buildings can be erected anywhere in Washington, Oregon or the western side of Idaho (please call for exact locations in ID). If you live outside of the Vancouver area and need earthwork or concrete (or any other subs) those will be your responsibility to supply.
DO YOU HAVE ONLINE REVIEWS?
YES! The other business we run on a daily basis is Sundance Rockery in Vancouver. There we have 3 acres of landscape products, equipment for rent, as well as outbuildings on display. Please look us up on google under this name and you will see that we work hard to maintain positive reviews and a respectably high review average.
Two sources - the first is in Hermiston, OR which is also where we source the steel. The second is from HCI Buildings in Arlington, WA. We have worked with both companies for some time and we find they are both great to work with.
This is a great discussion topic. We got our start building wood outbuildings and pole barns. Our owner is also a fan of wood and has hobbies in saw-milling and wood construction. However, our company solely provides steel structures as they are more cost effective. Take for example a 40x40 shop - in wood construction you might have a 3 man crew installing for 2 weeks, or more. The same crew with the same size building in steel can be done in 3-4 days, so the savings is in labor. They can also be relocated much easier.
That depends on several factors, starting with whether you require engineering or not. We are proud to have great crews that work efficiently - we don't make people wait 4-6 months like many building companies do. In winter months smaller buildings not requiring permits can be just a few weeks, and summer months tend to be a little longer as ordering is heavier. We're happy to discuss this with you and we do have the ability to expedite if necessary.
CAN I DO MY OWN EXCAVATION/CONCRETE?
Yes, if you can do those trades on your own, or if you have other contractors that have the ability to do them we have no problem with your preference either way. The only caveat is that the pad or slab must be prepared correctly prior to building installation. If you need help and you're local to our business we can do these in house.
ARE YOU LIKE OTHER DEALERS?
Great question, and the answer is not at all. Please have a look at our ABOUT US tab where we talk about how we operate compared to other companies.
DO I NEED EQUIPMENT?
Buildings over 12' tall require a telescopic forklift. We own this equipment and typically include it in the cost of the building unless it's not local. If you have to rent one, be sure it is off road, 4x4 and telescopic. Larger buildings may require additional equipment, such as scissor lifts, and we can discuss this as necessary.
CAN I JUST BUY A KIT?
Yes, every building we sell has three buying options:
1) You can purchase the structure with installation.
2) You can purchase the kit delivered, and install it yourself.
3) You can purchase the kit and pick it up, saving on shipping.
DO YOU BUILD ROUNDED STYLE BUILDINGS?
We used to, and we may again in the future, but for the time being we have elected to stop building rounded style buildings (also known as "regular" style buildings).
The reason for this is simple - they are inferior to a normal building with roofing installed vertically. Rounded style buildings are cheaper, but owners are forced to live with a metal ribbed roof running horizontally which creates long term maintenance issues.
WHERE DO YOU SOURCE YOUR KITS?
STEEL VS. WOOD
