4 Steel Building Pre-Construction Must-Do’s

Metal and steel buildings are incredibly durable and long-lasting. But it’s important to get things right even before your building goes up. Here are a few pre-construction suggestions to help ensure you get the building you want with minimal complications along the way.

Don’t Go Into This Alone

Although putting together a prefabricated steel storage building kit may seem relatively easy, you’ll need help. This begins with your very first phone call to the manufacturer. You want to work with a company that is thorough when it comes to understanding your needs. They should ask a lot of questions about the building’s size, intended use, and geographical location.

Once the manufacturer has designed and delivered your engineered metal or steel building, most won’t provide you with the manpower or equipment you’ll need to unload or move its individual pieces. This means it’s your responsibility to move these separate pieces post delivery. All while ensuring they’re not damaged while you do it. You’ll need support. Not only will you need muscle and steel construction experience, but you’ll also need thinkers. Project coordination is just as important to the process as contractors and laborers.

You’ll want more than a steel or metal building supplier. Look for a supplier that also gives you access to experienced construction, concrete, design and architectural professionals. People with the right tools, equipment, and expertise needed to properly design, deliver, assemble, and erect a steel structure. If you can find one company capable of taking on all of these responsibilities, you’ll have sole accountability, a more streamlined process, and better project coordination.

Take Inventory of Individual Pieces

Make sure all pieces of your steel storage building kit are accounted for as you unload them. The manufacturer should include a master inventory list with your shipment. This list can be used to cross check all pieces as they’re being delivered. Any missing piece, even if it’s small, can compromise the structure’s overall stability and durability.

In addition to taking inventory, it’s also important to carefully examine each piece upon arrival to check for damages. Once items are taken off the truck, most manufacturers have a very limited time window to replace damaged or faulty parts at no cost. It also becomes increasingly difficult to remove or
replace individual pieces the further you are in the building Take Inventory of Steel Building Componentsprocess. This makes it important to not only confirm that all pieces are accounted for, but they’re in good condition prior to construction.

This inventory and quality-control check will be done for you if you work with a commercial construction company that doesn’t just design, manufacture, and deliver your building, but also puts it up for you. Just as we suggested above.

Assess Insulation

Insulation is an important component to maintaining temperature inside a steel building. Steel and metal panels alone provide no barrier to outside cold or heat. Therefore, insulation is essential to cooling a building in hot/humid months and keeping it warm once the temperature drops.

If insulation is wet or damaged in any way, moisture can seep into the structure. Built-up condensation inside the insulation will decrease its effectiveness, resulting in higher energy bills, and the potential for rust build-up.

Needless to say, you can’t afford to work with a prefabricated building manufacturer that has no interest discussing proper insulation with you.

Proper Materials Storage Is Important

The proper care and storage of project pieces and tools cannot be understated. Especially if you’re in a region prone to extreme heat and humidity, heavy rains, or other inclement weather conditions. Be sure to fully cover and secure all building materials and pieces.

Learn more about Steelsmith Self Performed Steel Building Construction Services and by walking through our process, and see how our attention to detail makes the construction of our steel buildings seamless and easy.


Next up in this series, we’ll talk about post-construction steel building maintenance and upkeep.