Make sure you have adequate building site access

After what has seemed like eons of planning, changes and more changes, interviewing prospective suppliers, dealing with planning and building departments…..it is done. You’ve ordered your new pole building. Time to kick back and relax until it is time to build.

Think again….

Your RV, fifth-wheel, a logging truck or a manufactured home could easily travel the roads to your house and navigate the driveway. Clear building site access should be no problem at all.

Hardly. Just because these other things can get in does NOT guarantee a truss or steel delivery truck can.

Confirm delivery trucks will have clear access to building site. This is important as drivers do not like “surprises”. We are also trying to prevent you or your builder having to move heavy materials any more than necessary!

At least 10 feet width and up to 14 feet height are required to deliver standard buildings. Large trusses can require 14 foot widths or more and you need the ability to get truck (which measures approximately 32 feet) and trailer (which measures 48 feet) combinations up to 100 feet in length near building.

Check the widths of any gates, or openings in fences. Consider removal of any trees which are immediately adjacent to driveways and trim off overhanging limbs.

Delivery trucks and their payloads can reach up to 80,000# in weight! They generally do not have a tight turning radius and are NOT designed for off-road use. Confirm your driveway has a firm road base. Build it up, if needed.

Again, keep in mind, the closer delivery trucks can get to building site, the less time will be spent moving materials.

Drivers will not endanger themselves or their equipment in making a delivery.  Do not expect drivers to go anywhere they cannot drive safely in and out.  If they can’t get in safely, most drivers will just refuse to attempt to deliver at your designated materials “drop site” and either offload as close as possible to the site, or take everything back to the plant or shipping location to schedule re-delivery.  Drivers are often penalized in some way for any damages to trucks, or costs of a wrecking truck to pull them out of bad situations.

If adequate access is not available or materials cannot be safely offloaded at the building site, have an alternate nearby location where they can be delivered. Trucks are expensive to operate, and you don’t want to be faced with charges for redelivery, or worse, for damages incurred to trucks and trailers.  Access is….your responsibility.  OK, got clear access?  NOW you can put your feet up and relax!

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