Many steel building salesmen will try to get your signature on a contract quickly. They will make up any reason why you need to sign and fax it back to them right away. They’ll fax the front of the contract to you, get your signature on it, and never give you a chance to read the back. Trust me, you want to read the back of these contracts. This is where the company outlines how much money you are charged if you cancel your order, all sales are final no matter what lie you were fed, you are on your own once delivery is made, etc. Do not sign any contract without reading the fine print on the back of the contract.
This sound obvious, but have you ever asked anyone who has had a bad purchase experience about it? Most people always say, “Something told me not to buy there.” Or, “I knew not to trust that sales guy.” Basically, people who have been burned ignored their internal warning signs. If you are getting bad vibes from a steel building salesman, go with your gut and deal with another company.
You can save a lot of money by purchasing a steel building in place of traditional wood or brick construction. The cost of the steel building kit is just one expense associated with your building project. You’ll need to account for the following expenses in your total cost:
- End walls – most Quonset buildings come with the arches only
- Land – if not already owned
- Land preparation – clearing, grading and getting the land level
- Concrete foundation – floating foundation Doors – additional building accessory Permits – check with you locality
- Delivery of the building – you want to know how much the building weighs and the cost of delivering it.
- Erection of the building –your time, your friends’ time, and, if needed, steel building erector wages
- Taxes on the purchase – buying online can save you a lot of money on sales tax. Ask your salesman where exactly he is located. If he is not in your state, you will most likely pay no sales tax. However, please confirm this with your state and local tax authorities prior to making your purchase.
Also, keep in mind you may have additional expenses for:
- Building Permits – each stage of building may need a permit: foundation, electricity, plumbing, etc. Electricity – running wires, breaker boxes, etc. Plumbing – pipes, sewage drains, toilets, etc.
Insulation – various types for roofing and interior walls Interior finishing – drywall, primer, paint
- Furnishings – depending on building use, office desks, chairs, sofas, sound system, surveillance system Property taxes – additional taxes as a result of steel structure
- The ever-present “miscellaneous” stuff – door locks, window treatments, etc.
I recommend making a list of what you need to make your building function to your specified needs. Then, estimate the cost of each item either by looking online or going to a local building store like Home Depot. Finally, add 10% – 15% to the overall cost of the building and necessities. This end number is your actual PRICE TAG, not the too good to be true price quoted by the eager salesman. Knowing your exact cost is especially important if your steel building is going to be part of your business. Unless you are paying with cash, your actual PRICE TAG is the one you will need to secure financing for.
Read over this list before attempting to inquire about a steel building. Go back to the list and see how many “pitches” were used on you. Each “pitch” is designed to get you to buy immediately. Every salesman knows that he has less chance of selling you if you hang up. You will find less pressure with a straight wall salesman than with a Quonset hut dealer. Here are some of the most popular pitches used to rush potential customers into buying:
- We have 10 buildings left on clearance and one of them happens to be the size you need.
- I have a model coming back from a trade show that you can have at a 50% discount.
- I can give you an additional 20% discount if you buy today.
- My boss would kill me if he knew this, but I’m willing to throw in a free garage door in if you commit to buying this building today.
- You need a 30×60? You are in luck. I have a cancelled building that is exactly that size. (A business can’t survive having dozens of “cancelled” buildings. A cancelled building is a sign that the salesmen are out to make a quick buck, customer service is lacking, and the customer was so unhappy he would rather forfeit his deposit than deal with that company. Not to mention the fact that no manufacturer has unlimited storage space to store huge steel building components.)
- If you buy now, we can store your building for up to a year. (No business has storage capacity like that. The company could go out of business in a year and you have no building because it never existed!)
- I’m looking at that exact size building on our loading dock right now. You can have it now! (He’s in a cubicle far away from the plant – if his company even has a plant.) Our competitors (fill in company names) don’t have their own factory; offer free shipping, a 50% discount, etc. If you sign today, you’ll be getting the best price available. Fax me the quote you have, and I’ll take it to my boss and see if I can beat it. (They’ll beat it, but what if your 1 st quote was grossly overpriced?)
- I can sell you that same building for $1,000 less than steel building company xxx. (Get this in writing and make sure everything included in the price is itemized that way you don’t get a building quote for less, but then have to turn around and spend money on doors, skylights, etc. Compare apples to apples.)
- I’d hate to see you miss this special because it ends today. Tell you what – I can get this discounted price aslong as I have your signature on the front of the contract by today at 5pm. We can work out the details afterwards. If you give me a deposit now, I can make sure you get free shipping. (Get any promises in writing.)
- I’ll fax a contract to you today. You sign it and fax it back so you can still get the discount, which ends today. I’ll send the original out to you today. (Don’t sign a fax copy of anything. Make sure you have seen and read the front and back of the contract before signing anything.)
You will hear variations of these same pitches. If you do your homework, get itemized written quotes, and make the buying decision at your own pace, then you will not feel the pressure of these tactics.
How will you use your building? Start buy making a list of what you need your building to do for you. If you don’t know what you want, you can be easily persuaded to purchase a larger, more expensive steel building without really needing it.
For example, think about the last major purchase you made – a computer, car, or house. Prior to speaking with a realtor, you knew how many bedrooms you needed, what neighborhood you liked, and what price range you were interested in, right? Same principle applies to a car. When buying a car, you based the purchase on your needs. You determined what you would use the car for and then purchased the right car to do the job. Here is a list of questions to ask yourself BEFORE you start shopping for a steel building:
- What’s this building going to do for me? What needs will this building satisfy?
- What size building do I need?
- Do I need column-free interior space?
- What type of doors do I want on my building? Overhead, sliding, walk doors?
- Where should I place those doors? On the sides or the ends?
- What accessories will I need? Gutters, downspouts, skylights, roof jacks, windows, etc. How tall do I need the building? Will I insulate the building? Will I finish the interior?
Welcome to the site that used to sell an ebook on How to Buy a Steel Building without getting ripped off. The site now offers each tip free of charge so you don’t get scammed.