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Kind Words and Questions From a Future Client

Kind Words and Questions From a Future Client

Reader and future client CHRISTINA in HAWLEY writes:

“Firstly, I’m not going to lie. It was YOU (Guru) that kept me more interested in doing business with your company than with others. Even more so than Pioneer Pole Barns here by me and that’s who everyone goes to around here. The knowledge you give out freely to genuinely HELP the public is what stood out to me. Then I met Carson and that was way, way back. Super easy to talk to and he just and still does roll with the punches. I told Caleb he had a winner in Carson. 

 

We started off with a commercial design and that tanked and then it flipped to residential and now here we are. So, since I’m loyal and Carson stuck it out with me Hansen is getting the business although I’ve had others try to sway me. I feel its right to see this through together with Hansen. Red iron just called last week and nope, not changing.

So now…Can I bug you some more???

I’m meeting with an “erector” named Joe from JLS Constructions, yes, with an “s” at the end (idk). He hasn’t ever put one of these babies up yet but he is eager to learn. I can see that clearly. My question(s) is what would be the right charge to erect my home (3500 sq. ft., 2 rectangle boxes, simple design), how long to do it for a newbie and how deep into winter is too deep to erect? I need that shell up before the first frost, I’m thinking. This way the guys are shielded from inclement weather. Carson has the final if you’d like to take a look.

That’s what I have for questions right now.

*Carson, got your email about the underside of the shed/porch. Gonna ask you maybe a stupid question…if we decide on either metal or wood how do we finish the underside? Are there some sort of layers underneath first before we close it up? Drilling screws into the rafters or some other way? Going to price out both material options. Wood and metal.

With warm regards and appreciation.”

Mike the Pole Barn Guru responds:
Thank you very much for your kind words, they are greatly appreciated. More than anything,    my goal is to assist good people from making crucial errors they will regret forever – whether      they happen to invest in a Hansen Pole Building, or not.

You (or anyone) should feel free to ask me questions at any time – I never feel as though I am    being ‘bugged”.

In my mind, fair market value to erect a post frame building shell should be roughly half of        material’s costs, with client to provide concrete required for holes and builder to provide any nail gun nails. To get a rough idea of “person-hours” required for a build – for a person with limited or no construction experience, divide material cost by 60, for an average builder divide by 120, for a highly experienced builder 180-240.

As Joe has never erected a post-frame building, I would highly recommend he invest in one of  our Construction Manuals (he can reach out to Bonnie@HansenPoleBuildings.com to acquire   one). At over 500 pages in length, it covers most instances one would ever encounter and is     designed to guide an average DIYer.

Time frame wise – I always liked to begin at first frost. Holes can still be easily dug, and it is a    comfortable temperature to work at. It avoids both sweltering heat and frigid cold. Post frame     shells go up quickly and this sort of timing works out nicely for being able to work inside all        winter, then have things wrapped up come Springtime.

For finishing underside of porches – most clients opt to use trusses when they intend to finish    porches out. With ceiling joists installed between truss bottom chords, this makes for a nice        level surface to work from, without having to work around other framing members. As long as    provisions are made for condensation control on roof steel underside (e.g. an Integral               Condensation Control – like Dripstop or Condenstop), there are no other special provisions         required.

This entry was posted in Building Contractor, Concrete, Insulation, Budget, Pole Barn Questions, About The Pole Barn Guru, Roofing Materials, Pole Barn Homes, Constructing a Pole Building, Pole Building How To Guides, Post Frame Home, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn Structure and tagged , , , , , , , on by .

Help, I am Not a Building Contractor

Help, I am Not a Contractor

Potential client JERRY in MONETA writes:

“Kit would do us no good as I’m not a contractor and these structures certainly don’t come with labor. Being a kit would be no better than its actual builder how does one go about finding a reputable contractor for Hansen pole buildings?”

Mike the Pole Barn Guru

Your new building kit is designed for an average physically capable person, who can and will read and follow instructions, to successfully construct your own beautiful building shell, without extensive prior construction knowledge (and most of our clients do DIY – saving tens of thousands of dollars). We’ve had clients ranging from septuagenarians to fathers bonding with their teenage daughters erect their own buildings, so chances are – you can as well!

Our experience is an average DIYer will end up (in most instances) with a better finished product than what they would get should they have hired most ‘experienced’ builders. Why? Because it is yours, you actually care. You will follow directions and not take shortcuts to sacrifice quality and performance, just to increase profits.

Your new building investment includes full multi-page 24” x 36” structural blueprints detailing location and attachment of every piece (as well as suitable for obtaining Building Permits), our industry’s best, fully illustrated, step-by-step installation manual, and unlimited technical support from people who have actually built post frame buildings. Even better – it includes our industry leading Limited Lifetime Structural warranty!

Currently (and for foreseeable future) there is a nationwide shortage of building erectors. Many high quality erectors are booked out well into 2024 (some even 2025). We would strongly encourage you to consider erecting your own building shell.

For those without time or inclination, we have an extensive independent Builder Network covering contiguous 48 U.S. states (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/find-a-builder/). We can assist you in getting erection labor pricing as well as introducing you to potential builders.

A CAUTION in regards to ANY erector: If an erector tells you they can begin quickly it is generally either a big red flag, or there is a chance you are being price gouged. ALWAYS THOROUGHLY VET ANY CONTRACTOR https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2018/04/vetting-building-contractor/

This entry was posted in floorplans, Pole Barn Questions, Constructing a Pole Building, Pole Barn Structure, Building Contractor and tagged , , , , , , on by .

A Baker’s Dozen Post Frame Home Myths: Part II

A Baker’s Dozen Post-Frame Home Myths (#4 – #7)

MYTH #4 I NEED TO HIRE A BUILDER FIRST, BEFORE I DO ANYTHING

Have professional floor plans and elevation drawings done before pestering a builder. Very few builders are professional designers or architects – expecting them to be is unrealistic. Also, every builder worth his or her salt is busy right now – there is a far greater demand for builders, than there are builders to fill needs. This makes builder’s time extremely valuable.

If you do not own ‘your dirt’, it is impossible to craft a post-frame home plan to best fit with your building site.

Some plan tips to consider:

Direction of access – driveways are not cheap and shortest distance between two points is a straight line.

Curb appeal – what will people see when they drive up? This may not be important to you, however some day someone will try (or need) to resell your post-frame home.

Is there an appealing view?

North-south alignment – place no or few windows on north walls, but lots of windows on south wall (in the South reverse this). Roof overhangs on south wall should provide shade to windows from mid-day summer sun.

Is there a slope on your building site?

Work from inside out – do not try to fit your wants and needs within a pre-ordained box just because someone said using a “standard” size might be cheaper. Differences in dimensions from “standard” are pennies per square foot, not dollars.

MYTH #5. A TURN-KEY GENERAL CONTRACTOR WILL INSURE EVERYTHING GOES PERFECTLY

Often a goal of post-frame home construction is to be able to get your most building, for your dollars invested (think biggest bang per buck).

When a turn-key general contractor is hired to provide a constructed building, normally roughly 25% of what you pay is going to said general contractor, who never lifts a tool or picks up a board at your building site.  This is a different person than an erection contractor, who heads up a team of builders, but who also drives nails and screws along with his or her crew.  A “general contractor” could be someone who drives nails, but usually doesn’t.  They often sit in an office and act as coordinator. Sometimes they visit your building site, and often they do not. They may have a salesman or other assistant who actually occasionally visits your jobsite.

If you are not a “hands on” person or one who is willing to invest a few hours of your own time to save thousands of dollars, then maybe hiring a general contractor is your answer.

When people start thinking of “General contractors” visions of dollar signs, disappointment and reality TV shows start floating through their minds – and often for good reason.

In most cases, you don’t need or can’t afford a general contractor to be involved in your new post-frame home. If you have a very complex project, one involving a plethora of different trades, it could be worthwhile to hire one.

Remember those hours a general contractor will save you on your jobsite? Plan on spending twice this amount of time to find a good general contractor. 

Please carefully reread the previous paragraph. Hiring a general contractor will not save you time.

MYTH #6. I CAN’T ERECT A BUILDING MYSELF

A well planned custom post-frame home building kit should be designed for an average physically capable person, who can and will read and follow instructions, to successfully construct their own beautiful building shell, without extensive prior construction knowledge (saving tens of thousands of dollars). I have had clients ranging from septuagenarians to fathers bonding with their teenage daughters erect their own buildings, so chances are – you can as well!

Your new post-frame home building kit investment should include full multi-page 24” x 36” site specific (matching exactly your doors, windows, and climactic conditions) structural blueprints, stamped by a Registered Professional Engineer detailing location and attachment of every piece (as well as suitable for obtaining Building Permits). It should include fully illustrated, step-by-step installation instructions, and unlimited technical support from people who have actually built post- frame homes.

MYTH #7. MY JURISDICTION DOESN’T REQUIRE PERMITS, SO I DON’T NEED ENGINEERED PLANS.

We are not saying how contractors have been building post-frame construction for many years is wrong. However, due to increased loading (from changes in weather patterns) and material changes such as a decrease in strength of wood products due to accelerated growing or use of screws and nail guns; design of buildings today is far more complex than original over-designed buildings  constructed years ago.

Many times builders and owners are after the fastest and least expensive construction they can find. Post- frame construction, with wider spacing of posts and trusses, is often a solution they find. These goals can be realized through post-frame construction, but construction of an adequate structure does come with an investment. Engineering design is key to making sure each element of post-frame construction works to transfer loads safely to your home’s foundation. Everything from roof deck thickness and through connections to trusses and in turn through truss connections to posts or headers are keys to making a building work. Engineers, familiar with post-frame construction design, are able to ensure expected loads will not overburden your structure.

This entry was posted in Pole Barn Planning, floorplans, Building Contractor, Professional Engineer, Constructing a Pole Building, Pole Barn Homes and tagged , , , , , , on by .

Town Orders Woman to Move Barn

Town Orders Woman to Move Barn it Granted Her a Permit to Build

Article by Brett Davidsen at www.WHEC.com from February 24, 2022

RUSH, N.Y. (WHEC) — A woman from Rush has been ordered to tear down a brand new barn on her property because it violated the town’s zoning laws, but it was the town that approved the plans and issued the building permit.

Elizabeth DiStacio told News10NBC Anchor Brett Davidsen it has broken her financially and emotionally.

She thought she did everything right.

“I don’t sleep,” DiStacio said. “I cry every night. I sit there and cry and I’m still crying.”

News10NBC

In the fall of 2019, she decided to put up a large pole barn on the family’s property in Rush. She submitted a survey map to the town building inspector and marked with an “X” where she wanted to construct the barn.  

Davidsen: “You had a permit?”

DiStacio: “Yes, I did. A building inspector never came out, took a look at anything, just issued the permit.”

With this permit in hand, she hired a contractor. The cost of the job was about $25,000. Then, about a month into construction, the building inspector for the Town of Rush showed up for the first time and told her the barn was too close to the road and violated the town’s zoning law—which calls for a 110 foot setback. The barn was about 50 feet. The inspector ordered the construction crew to stop work, but by then, the framing for the 1,900 square foot barn had already gone up.

Davidsen: “So you didn’t alter the map?”

DiStacio: “No.”

Davidsen: “You didn’t misrepresent where you wanted to put the barn?”

DiStacio: “I was upfront and honest.”

Davidsen: “Did you know what the setback was?”

DiStacio: “No. Oh no I didn’t. I didn’t even know anything about a setback.”

It appears, while looking at the survey map, the inspector mistook the existing house’s setback distance of 117 feet for that of the proposed barn.

“It wasn’t Elizabeth’s fault the zoning officer misread the map,” said DiStacio’s attorney, John Vogel.

“She wasn’t misleading. She wasn’t engaged in any subterfuge or anything improper, and the town granted the permit, and now it seemed like they were pulling the rug out from under her,” Vogel added.

The Town of Rush also didn’t issue a written stop-work order—which its own bylaws require. When she didn’t get it after several months, DiStacio brought the contractor back.

“I didn’t hear anything from the town, so I’m like, ‘Finish it,'” DiStacio said.

Eventually, she applied for a variance with the Rush Zoning Board of Appeals but was denied.

So she took her fight to court. But a judge recently ruled against her, saying the board was thorough and rational when it rejected her request. The judge ordered her to take down or move the barn.

So we went to the Town of Rush to find out how this could have happened.

“It’s just a comedy of errors,” said Town Supervisor Gerald Kusse.

Rather than defend the town’s actions, he made this stunning admission.

“I would describe what happened as the very direct dereliction of duty on our building inspector at the time. Because all the investigation, as they’ve done proves that to be true,” Kusse said.

Kusse points out that the building inspector would have caught the mix-up much sooner had he visited the property earlier to ensure the layout was in compliance.

“Why he didn’t, I don’t know,” Kusse added.

Kusse said the inspector in question no longer works for the town.

Davidsen: “Given all of this, could the town have done something for her financially to move that barn?”

Kusse: “I’m one vote. I would have liked to proceed in that direction.”

But Kusse said members of the town board and the town attorney nixed the idea, concerned about setting a bad precedent.

“Why do I have to pay when I did everything the town asked me to do?” questioned DiStacio.

DiStacio said moving the barn will cost an additional $35,000. She has until mid-March to get it done.

Davidsen: “What has this done to you financially?”

DiStacio: “When this thing is done, I have zero in the bank. Zero. And that’s what I’ve got to show for it.”

Home improvement jobs can be very involved, and most of us don’t know all the pitfalls before launching into a project.

So Davidsen spoke with the Finger Lakes Building Officials Association President Jim Bailey about what you can do to avoid problems like Elizabeth DiStacio had. He shared this advice:

  • Before you do anything, know your local zoning laws, things like setback requirements, and how they pertain to your property.
  • Make sure you have detailed plans about your project, and hire professionals if you need to.
  • Make sure you are getting inspections by town officials throughout the entire process.
  • Most importantly, over-communicate with your local building inspectors and code officers.

“Through communication, you can utilize the education that all the municipal employees have for their profession and through that communication and dialog, then you can achieve compliance, which is really what everybody wants,” Bailey said.

Mistakes do happen, but ultimately, the responsibility lies on the homeowner.

Pole Barn Guru’s take:

I ran into a similar situation with one of my own personal buildings in Washington State. Because my Planning Department had signed off on my plot plan, where proposed building setbacks were clearly delineated and building was placed to exactly those dimensions, it was up to my Planning and Building Departments to arrive at an acceptable solution – and they did.

In this particular instance, Ms. DiStacio’s submitted plot plan may have been missing one or more crucial dimensions for exact building placement. When submitting a plot plan for a proposed new structure, show distances from every lot line, street, easement and existing structures as possible and get it stamped as approved.

For extended reading on dealing with Planning Departments https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2013/01/planning-department-3/

This entry was posted in Building Department, Pole Building How To Guides, Pole Barn Planning, Building Contractor and tagged , , , , , on by .

Building Permit Makes It All OK? Think Again!

Building Permit Makes It All Okay? Think Again!

This article “Town of Rush orders woman to move barn it granted her permit to build” by Brett Davidson was published at www.WHEC.com February 24,2022

A woman from Rush has been ordered to tear down a brand new barn on her property because it violated the town’s zoning laws, but it was the town that approved the plans and issued the building permit.

Elizabeth DiStacio told News10NBC Anchor Brett Davidsen it has broken her financially and emotionally.

She thought she did everything right.

“I don’t sleep,” DiStacio said. “I cry every night. I sit there and cry and I’m still crying.”

News10NBC

In the fall of 2019, she decided to put up a large pole barn on the family’s property in Rush. She submitted a survey map to the town building inspector and marked with an “X” where she wanted to construct the barn.  

Davidsen: “You had a permit?”

DiStacio: “Yes, I did. A building inspector never came out, took a look at anything, just issued the permit.”

With this permit in hand, she hired a contractor. The cost of the job was about $25,000. Then, about a month into construction, the building inspector for the Town of Rush showed up for the first time and told her the barn was too close to the road and violated the town’s zoning law—which calls for a 110 foot setback. The barn was about 50 feet. The inspector ordered the construction crew to stop work, but by then, the framing for the 1,900 square foot barn had already gone up.

Davidsen: “So you didn’t alter the map?”

DiStacio: “No.”

Davidsen: “You didn’t misrepresent where you wanted to put the barn?”

DiStacio: “I was upfront and honest.”

Davidsen: “Did you know what the setback was?”

DiStacio: “No. Oh no I didn’t. I didn’t even know anything about a setback.”

It appears, while looking at the survey map, the inspector mistook the existing house’s setback distance of 117 feet for that of the proposed barn.

“It wasn’t Elizabeth’s fault the zoning officer misread the map,” said DiStacio’s attorney, John Vogel.

“She wasn’t misleading. She wasn’t engaged in any subterfuge or anything improper, and the town granted the permit, and now it seemed like they were pulling the rug out from under her,” Vogel added.

The Town of Rush also didn’t issue a written stop-work order—which its own bylaws require. When she didn’t get it after several months, DiStacio brought the contractor back.

“I didn’t hear anything from the town, so I’m like, ‘Finish it,'” DiStacio said.

Eventually, she applied for a variance with the Rush Zoning Board of Appeals but was denied.

So she took her fight to court. But a judge recently ruled against her, saying the board was thorough and rational when it rejected her request. The judge ordered her to take down or move the barn.

So we went to the Town of Rush to find out how this could have happened.

“It’s just a comedy of errors,” said Town Supervisor Gerald Kusse.

Rather than defend the town’s actions, he made this stunning admission.

“I would describe what happened as the very direct dereliction of duty on our building inspector at the time. Because all the investigation, as they’ve done proves that to be true,” Kusse said.

Kusse points out that the building inspector would have caught the mix-up much sooner had he visited the property earlier to ensure the layout was in compliance.

“Why he didn’t, I don’t know,” Kusse added.

Kusse said the inspector in question no longer works for the town.

Davidsen: “Given all of this, could the town have done something for her financially to move that barn?”

Kusse: “I’m one vote. I would have liked to proceed in that direction.”

But Kusse said members of the town board and the town attorney nixed the idea, concerned about setting a bad precedent.

“Why do I have to pay when I did everything the town asked me to do?” questioned DiStacio.

DiStacio said moving the barn will cost an additional $35,000. She has until mid-March to get it done.

Davidsen: “What has this done to you financially?”

DiStacio: “When this thing is done, I have zero in the bank. Zero. And that’s what I’ve got to show for it.”

Home improvement jobs can be very involved, and most of us don’t know all the pitfalls before launching into a project.

So Davidsen spoke with the Finger Lakes Building Officials Association President Jim Bailey about what you can do to avoid problems like Elizabeth DiStacio had. He shared this advice:

  1. Before you do anything, know your local zoning laws, things like setback requirements, and how they pertain to your property.
  2. Make sure you have detailed plans about your project, and hire professionals if you need to.
  3. Make sure you are getting inspections by town officials throughout the entire process.
  4. Most importantly, over-communicate with your local building inspectors and code officers.

“Through communication, you can utilize the education that all the municipal employees have for their profession and through that communication and dialog, then you can achieve compliance, which is really what everybody wants,” Bailey said.

Mistakes do happen, but ultimately, the responsibility lies on the homeowner.

This entry was posted in Pole Barn Planning, Building Contractor, Building Department and tagged , , , , , , , on by .

Batteries Not Included

Batteries Not Included

Batteries Not Included is a 1987 American comic science fiction film starring Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy (winner of a Saturn Award for Best Actress for her performance) and Elisabeth Pena about small extraterrestrial living spaceships saving an apartment block under threat from property development.

Reader AARON in NORTH VERNON queried:

“Does your pricing also include construction of the building as well?”

Mike the Pole Barn Guru replies:
While Hansen Pole Buildings would include batteries (if they were needed) as we are America’s leader in providing complete, fully engineered, 100% custom designed, post frame building and barndominium kits, with multiple buildings in all 50 states – we do not include building construction.

Your new building kit is designed for an average physically capable person, who can and will read and follow instructions, to successfully construct your own beautiful building shell (and most of our clients do DIY – saving tens of thousands of dollars). We’ve had clients ranging from septuagenarians to fathers bonding with their teenage daughters erect their own buildings, so chances are – you can as well!

Your new building investment includes full multi-page 24” x 36” structural blueprints detailing location and attachment of every piece (as well as suitable for obtaining Building Permits), our industry’s best, fully illustrated, step-by-step installation manual, and unlimited technical support from people who have actually built post frame buildings. Even better – it includes our industry leading Limited Lifetime Structural warranty!

Currently (and for the foreseeable future) there is a nationwide shortage of building erectors. Most high quality builders are booked out into 2023. We would strongly encourage you to consider erecting your own building shell.

For those without time or inclination, we have an extensive independent Builder Network covering America’s contiguous 48 states (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/find-a-builder/). We can assist you in getting erection labor pricing as well as introducing you to potential builders.

A CAUTION in regards to ANY erector: If an erector tells you they can begin quickly it is generally either a big red flag, or you are being price gouged. ALWAYS THOROUGHLY VET ANY CONTRACTOR https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2018/04/vetting-building-contractor/

We would appreciate the opportunity to participate in your new pole building. Please email your building specifics, site address and best contact number to our Design Studio Manager caleb@hansenpolebuildings.com (866)200-9657 Thank you.

This entry was posted in Pole Barn Homes, Workshop Buildings, Pole Barn Questions, Post Frame Home, Barndominium, Pole Building How To Guides, Pole Barn Planning, floorplans, Building Contractor, Budget and tagged , , , , , , , on by .

Contracts Are Boring…Until You Go To Court

I have one goal – for people to end up with structurally sound buildings they love. Follow these guidelines and you are far more likely to love your new building.

Your work starts before you sign a contract.

ASSUME YOUR PROJECT WILL END IN COURT

ASSUME YOUR BUILDING PROVIDER/CONTRACTOR IS UNTRUTHFUL

ASSUME YOUR PROJECT WILL BE MORE EXPENSIVE

ASSUME YOUR PROJECT WILL TAKE LONGER THAN EXPECTED

Failure to accept these four statements will set you up for grave disappointment.

Buy Materials Yourself

Contractors generally have no qualms about using leftover materials from prior jobs, or purchasing cheaper materials than specified. If you seriously are concerned about material quality, take control yourself. Be aware, when contractors purchase materials for your building, they will mark them up. Paying for materials yourself assures you of not having liens against your property for bills your contractor did not pay.

It is very important you make decisions on exact materials you use for your building. With each type of material, there is a high end product, low end product, and something middle grade. Educate yourself on differences between each type of material, so you can choose based on your needs. If you allow a contractor to make any of these choices for you, they can really screw you over. Picking the right materials can make a huge difference.  If a contractor picks wrong materials, things are bound to go wrong.

Only Use Engineer Sealed Plans Specific to Your Building

Your building provider or contractor may have decades of experience, but unless he or she has initials “P.E.” (Professional Engineer) after his or her name, he or she is not qualified to make structural decisions. Have any deviations from plans reviewed and approved by your building’s engineer.

A building provider or contractor who sluffs off values of a fully engineered building plan does not have your best interests at heart.

Do Not Agree to a “Gentleman’s Agreement”

Always, always, always put your agreement with a building provider and/or contractor in writing. Having everything in writing has nothing to do with trust. It helps ensure everyone remembers what agreed upon terms are.  Months later you do not want to start arguing over what was originally agreed to. Contracts should be very detailed, including all expectations for both parties. 

Read the contract thoroughly, including all terms and conditions.

Keep in mind a good contract is written to provide clear communication between two parties.  It also protects both parties, and should never be “one sided”.  From my years as a general contractor, a well thought and spelled out contract (in writing) made for smoothest projects. 

Before agreeing to any work (as well as making any payment), require a written proposal describing in plain language what materials will be provided and/or work will be done. Do not sign a contract you do not fully understand. If anything makes little or no sense, ask for a written explanation. Still feel dazed and confused, or not getting what you feel are straight answers? Pay a one-time fee so a lawyer can walk you through what, exactly, it says and alert you to vague language. Terms such as “Industry Standard” have no real definition.

A total price should be as inclusive as possible. Any unforeseeable work or unit prices should be clearly addressed (like what happens if holes are difficult to dig). Maintain all paperwork, plans and permits when the job is done, for future reference.

Familiarize yourself with contract terms.

Proposals and contracts should contain specific terms and conditions. As with any contract, such terms spell out obligations of both parties, and should be read carefully. Be wary of extremely short or vaguely worded contracts. A well written contract should address all possibilities and may very well take more than one page.

If hiring a contractor, do not pay in full until all work is completed and lien releases provided from any and all material suppliers.

A statement regarding compliance with applicable Building Codes should be included, as well as what Code and version is being used and all applicable loading criteria. If the contractor is doing building permit acquisition, it should be stated in writing and a permit should be provided prior to work starting.

Hiring a contractor? Then, standards for workmanship should be clearly specified. For post-frame buildings this would be Construction Tolerance Standards for Post-Frame Buildings (ASAE Paper 984002) and Metal Panel and Trim Installation Tolerances (ASAE Paper 054117). Depending upon scope of work, other standards may apply such as ACI (American Concrete Institute) 318, ACI Concrete Manual and APA guidelines (American Plywood Association).

Articles to follow will cover specific terms of contracts and why they are important.

Stay tuned….

This entry was posted in Concrete, Professional Engineer, Barndominium, Building Department, Pole Barn Planning, Building Contractor and tagged , , , , , , , , , , on by .

Post Frame Homes

Post Frame Homes – Coming Soon to a Neighborhood Near You

After providing or building post frame (pole) buildings for over 40 years, one might think there would be very few things coming as a surprise to me.

Well…..SURPRISE!

Barndominiums and shop houses are no surprise to me at all. I first built one for myself in Northwest Washington State more than 25 years ago (although I suppose we could dial this back to even 1990). This ‘dial back’ was on steeply sloping property where my grandparents had their lake cabin (previously having belonged to my maternal grandfather’s parents since 1937). An aging two-car Model T garage set on cedar posts was showing not only signs of age, but was dimensionally impractical for modern sized vehicles.

My solution then was to tear the old garage down to its elevated floor, build a new post frame building around it, then drop the old floor out. Being as this new, larger footprint (22’ x 24’) garage was on 4 feet of grade change, I was able to construct a 16’ x 22’ studio apartment below it and by using bonus room attic trusses (and a spiral staircase in one corner) was able to have a 10’ x 24’ office space above!

Both of these buildings were on a 60’ x 225’ lot, in the midst of dwellings on both sides. Being as we were located in a forest, it didn’t feel like we had homes right on top of our neighbors.

Now, back to our photo….

When our client approached us about a post frame home on Lake Havasu, I really didn’t envision it being located tight amongst other homes. Most of our barndominium clients enjoy open space where they can avoid bumping elbows with their neighbors. It wasn’t until this particular client forwarded to us progress photos of their build when I had an ah-ha moment!

This client is building in a neighborhood!

Our client is providing their own tile roofing and applying stucco to their building’s exterior. When all is said and done, no one will be wiser to this being a post frame home, unless they happened to watch it being built.

While post frame barndominiums are renowned for their flexibility of design, I can see some astute building contractors realizing foundation cost savings and speed of erection making for a practical solution for most any neighborhood.

This entry was posted in About The Pole Barn Guru, Post Frame Home, Pole Barn Planning, Barndominium, Pole Barn Structure, Shouse, Building Contractor, Shouse, Alternate Siding, Pole Barn Homes and tagged , , , , , , on by .

Enforcing Updated Building Codes Saves Money

Enforcing Updated Building Codes Saves Money

As a member of most every active barndominium group in the social media world, I read all too often how new or prospective barndominium owners proudly proclaim they are or will be building where Building Codes are not enforced.

Long time followers of my column may be tired of reading my preaching from a pulpit about how fully engineered, code conforming buildings should be mandatory. Well, there is a method to my madness.

Now there are going to be naysayers who disagree, however there is actual proof of long term savings.

FEMA just released its 2020 National Preparedness Report (https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_2020-national-preparedness-report.pdf) presenting an updated, risk-focused approach to summarizing state of national preparedness, pointing to enforcement of updated building codes as key to lowering risks of damages from natural disaster. “Improving the resiliency of physical infrastructure requires more stringent building codes and standards, as well as innovative programs, policies, and procedures that encourage adoption and implementation of higher building standards,” the report stated. “Recent standards developed by the ICC (International Code Council – they publish our country’s building codes) are the gold standard of building code requirements. Florida’s experience with updated building codes demonstrates these cost savings in practice. After Hurricane Andrew in 1992, widespread damage to buildings across the state prompted Florida to adopt some of the strongest building codes in the United States. After 10 years of enforcement, the new codes reduced windstorm losses by up to 72 percent and paid for themselves in avoided losses within eight years.”

Considering building a new barndominium? Make a choice not only for monetary reasons, but most importantly for safety. Whether building yourself or hiring a contractor – I implore you to only build (or have built) from fully engineered plans. If hiring an erection contractor, familiarize yourself with those plans enough to know right from wrong. Due daily self-inspections during assembly to ensure those plans are indeed being followed, especially important in jurisdictions not requiring permits, or not doing structural site inspections. Even when inspections are required, even best of inspectors can miss something, so it is prudent to have your eyes involved.

If you do not feel confident of your own abilities to perform inspections, enlist the services of your engineer or an architect to do them for you. This money is well spent to protect your most valuable assets – the lives of you and your loved ones.

This entry was posted in Professional Engineer, Pole Barn Design, Building Department, Pole Barn Planning, Barndominium, Pole Barn Structure, Building Contractor and tagged , , , , , , , , on by .

Working With Your Barndominium Subs

Working With Your Barndominium Subs

If you get along well with everyone at all times, you may not need to read this article. But if you occasionally run into conflicts, read them carefully. Sometimes the fault may be yours.

At this point you’ve selected your subcontractors. You’ve checked them out and are satisfied they are honest, trustworthy, and experts in their fields.

Now let them work. Don’t try to supervise every blow of a hammer or placement of every stud. These guys are professionals and they know more about their trades than you do, and probably, if they came to you well recommended, they take pride in their work. Let them do it.

And, more emphatically, don’t try to tell your subcontractors their jobs just because you have read my articles. You’ll get good work out of your subs if they understand you realize they know their jobs, and you’re depending on them for good advice and quality work.

When a subcontractor’s work is completed, when work looks good, and when relevant inspections have checked out, make sure to pay contracted amounts promptly. A hearty thank you is also in order. Subcontractors who get treated right throughout your job and afterward will do a better job for you, and they’ll come back when you build your next barndominium. And chances are you will build another.

Paying Your Subcontractors

When you sign your contract with your erector, you will agree on a contract price for work as outlined. It is usually based on X number of dollars per square foot of heated area and X number of dollars per square foot of under roof, such as garages, porches, etc. Prices will vary with geographic area and job complexity.

Never pay a subcontractor for work not done, for incomplete work, or for an unsatisfactory job. Never pay a Subcontractor in advance. Paying in advance destroys incentive to get your job done ahead of other jobs. Paying in advance could result in a financial loss to you if a subcontractor is incapacitated in some manner. I don’t know anybody who gets paid in advance in any job field. If a subcontractor says he (or she) needs money to get materials, etc., find somebody else, or arrange to order and pay for materials yourself.

Work out a schedule of payment with your subs. Some subs may require draws, or partial payments, as work progresses. This should be discussed before work begins. Don’t be shy about it. They are accustomed to discussing such matters. It is all right to pay a draw, but never pay for more than work already done. For work expected to be completed within seven to 10 days of beginning, draws are typically unnecessary.

Plumbers and electricians usually get 60 percent of their total contract price when their rough-in work has been completed and inspected. Heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning rough-in payments depend on installation of equipment such as furnaces. If payment is just for duct work and some low-voltage wiring, 20 percent of total should suffice. If a furnace had to be installed during rough-in, add another 10 percent. Work out payment arrangements with subs before they start. Subcontractors almost always would like to get more money up front than they have in the job. Be sure there is enough money left in the total bid to complete the job if one of your subs goes broke while you are still building. It has happened. You don’t want to be stuck paying more to complete his job. You’ll be covered better if you don’t overpay him on his rough-in.

I seem to be saying the only way you’ll get your subcontractors to complete your job is if you owe them money. In many cases this is true, but in others it is only partially true. Some subcontractors would finish regardless. Often an issue is subcontractors have more than one job going at one time, and your main objective is to get your job finished before one is started after yours.

Make sure building inspections by your county or city are completed and work is approved before you make any payments at any phase of construction, other than partial draws. This is your assurance your job has been done, and done properly.

This entry was posted in Pole Barn Planning, Building Contractor, Shouse, Building Interior, Budget, Pole Barn Homes, Pole Barn Heating, Post Frame Home, Barndominium and tagged , , , , , , , on by .

Barndominium Subcontractor Bids

Barndominium construction bids are very important. Be diligent! For each contracting or subcontracting job for your barndominium, get bids or estimates from at least three contractors. Make sure bids are for similar work and be sure job specifications are identical. 

Never accept a bid “by the hour.” It doesn’t work. Remember Murphy’s Law; “If you want to see how long a job can take, pay someone by the hour.” You may pay a little more for a fixed price bid, but it’s worth it for peace of mind.

For example, if an excavator quotes $X per hour per man plus $X per hour per piece of equipment, insist on a firm total. If he (or she) won’t offer one, move on to the next excavator on your list.

People and companies you will be contacting know how to give estimates based on plans and are used to being asked for bids. Don’t worry, this is part of their job, whether you eventually hire them or not.

I take my building plans, drop them off or email them to a subcontractor or supplier, and say, “Give me a price on XXX. If you see anything else on these plans you can provide, give me a price on them too.” You might be pleasantly surprised – excavators often also do septic systems, driveways, backfill, rough and final grading, and a few others. They also usually know others who do foundations, concrete slabs, flat work, etc.

Your suppliers and subcontractors will determine the nearly exact number of items and square footage of materials needed based on your house plans. This is called a “take off.”

NOTE: GET ALL BIDS & ESTIMATES IN WRITING!

What is the difference between a bid and an estimate? A bid is a firm price to do a given scope of work, an estimate is “about” what it will cost. Obviously bids are what you are after.

Here is what you should expect when getting bids for various jobs.

Plumbing:

Plumbing bids should include all plumbing fixtures right down to toilet seats. They will not include accessories such as toilet paper holders. If colored fixtures are to be used, specify color and brand. Plumbing showrooms are your best bet for selection of these fixtures. Magazines and brochures don’t tell you enough and often don’t give prices. Most plumbing showrooms won’t tell you wholesale prices, but you’ll be paying list anyway, as plumbers make a profit on each fixture and it’s included in their bid. Don’t make an issue of this. This small profit in fixtures is one of a plumber’s sources of income and they earn it.

HVAC:

Your heat and air-conditioning contract should include vents (generally fan-powered) for  bathrooms, clothes dryer, stove, and range hood.

Electrical:

Electrical bids should include all switches, wiring, receptacles, circuit breakers and their respective panel boxes, a temporary service box and installation, saw service, wiring of all built-in appliances, and installation of ovens and ranges, furnaces, heaters, and air conditioners. Electricians in many areas do rough wiring for phones and the Internet (if you are not wireless).

Utilities must be connected. Exactly who is responsible for running water lines, sewer lines, and electrical hookups will vary with each subcontractor involved. Get responsibility pinned down when you are hiring subs, then follow through to be sure it is done properly.

All subcontractors should be responsible for obtaining needed building department inspections, but make sure they do (before paying them) or you will have to do it yourself. Lack of inspections can cause delays. Proceeding without getting inspections can be troublesome and expensive.

This entry was posted in Budget, Barndominium, Shouse, Pole Barn Planning, Building Contractor and tagged , , , , , , , , , on by .

How to Find Barndominium Subcontractors

How to Find Barndominium Subcontractors

As a new barndominium General Contractor, you will need to line up subcontractors (subs) to do work you cannot or will not do. But, how does one go about finding these subs?

My first call is to my nearest Home Builders Association (find them here https://www.nahb.org/NAHB-Community/Directories/Local-Associations).
If unable to find a sufficient number (ideally three from each category), visit the ProDesk at your local The Home Depot and ask for names and numbers.

A good contractor is a working contractor, especially during a recession or other downturn in housing starts. This is not always true, but it is a pretty safe bet. Really good ones are sought after and always busy because they do good work and are reliable.

If you can’t find a contractor through your Home Builders Association or The Home Depot, next best place to look is on a job site. Find a house under construction. Stop and ask around. You can get names, prices, and references. This takes only a few minutes. It is done frequently and other general contractors shouldn’t mind. Chances are he or she probably won’t even be there. 

Often you will find the boss or owner of a subcontracting firm is on a site working. Get his number and arrange a meeting. Sometimes there are signs at job sites advertising different subs.

Only certain contractors are found on the internet. Most independent building erectors are not. You should however, be able to find heating and air-conditioning companies, plumbers, electricians, roofers, appliance retailers, and a few others.

Each subcontractor should carry insurance on his or her employees and should provide you with a certificate of insurance. Since this is your first experience and you won’t be familiar with prices in your area, get three or four bids, or quotes, from different subs before selecting one. Use a written contract with all subs.

Subcontractors and contractors may have their own contracts. At any rate, use one. Don’t trust anyone’s memory when it comes to dollars or who is to do what and when. Spell out your specifications thoroughly in your contract to be sure your bids are comparable and all subs are bidding on the exact same work.

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Barndominium Contractor

How to Have a Fair Relationship With Your Barndominium Contractor

I have been a contractor and I have hired contractors. As much as you might wish to believe it will not be so, contractors can be a source of stress and anxiety. They can be masters at squeezing out profits, while putting in minimal efforts.

Before going further, grab a cup of coffee and journey back to this article before moving ahead: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2019/11/a-contractor-for-your-new-barndominium/

Buy Materials Yourself

I do not trust contractors to buy materials for me. Contractors generally have no qualms about using leftover materials from prior jobs, or purchasing cheaper materials than specified. If you seriously are concerned about material quality, take control yourself. Be aware, when contractors purchase materials for your barndominium, they will mark them up. Paying for materials yourself assures you of not having liens against your property for bills your contractor did not pay.

It is very important you make decisions on exact materials you use for your home. With each type of material, there is a high end product, low end product, and something middle grade. Educate yourself on differences between each type of material, so you can choose based on your needs. If you allow a contractor to make any of these choices for you, they can really screw you over. Picking right materials can make a huge difference.  If a contractor picks wrong materials, things are bound to go wrong.

Only Use Engineer Sealed Plans Specific to Your Building

Your contractor may have decades of experience, but unless he has initials “P.E.” (Professional Engineer) after his name, he is not qualified to make structural decisions. Have any deviations from plans reviewed and approved by your building’s engineer.

Always Get a Minimum of Three Labor Bids

If all three are relatively close in price, this is plenty. If someone is extremely low, there is usually a reason and most often not a pleasant one. Do not ever tell a contractor there are no other bidders, it gives them too much power. Competitiveness brings accountability.

Do Not Tell a Contractor Your Budget

If you tell a contractor your budget is $20,000 they will find a way to make their bid $20,000, even if it should be lower. Instead have them provide a bid for work you need done, so you can compare cost of their labor with other bids, to make an informed decision.

 Never Ask a Contractor for a Discount if You Pay Upfront (or in Cash)

It is an extremely stupid to offer to pay a contractor entire amount owed upfront. If you pay a contractor upfront, they can end up not doing a good job, or some will even take your money and disappear. 

Paying a Contractor

Never pay more than a very small amount upfront, then pay them as predetermined ‘milestones’ are reached. Always save final payment for after all work is finished and any punch list work is completed satisfactorily.

 Do Not Tell a Contractor You Are Not in a Hurry

If you tell a contractor there’s no rush to complete your project, they will give your job lowest priority possible. They will take on other jobs and spend their time doing other things, besides getting your job done.

Establish written timelines in your contract, with financial penalties for not completing steps as agreed.  

 Never Hire Anyone Illegally 

Some contractors might offer to bring in people who are not legally licensed to work on your barndominium. You should never hire anyone not having legal authority. If you are not diligent when hiring a contractor, you risk a huge liability if someone is injured.  Make sure contractor is licensed and insured, and has evidence of an insurance policy. Be aware of any subs brought in by a general contractor, to ensure they are covered under their policy.

You must be critically careful any subs hired by a general contractor are getting paid. Always pay subs directly, because if you only pay your general contractor, there is no guarantee he will pay his subs. If a general contractor does not pay his subs, you could end up with a lien filed against your property.

 Do Not Agree to a “Gentleman’s Agreement”

Always, always, always put your agreement with a contractor in writing. Having everything in writing has nothing to do with trust. It helps ensure everyone remembers what agreed upon terms are.  Months later you do not want to start arguing over what was originally agreed to. Contracts should be very detailed, including all expectations for both parties. 

 While these might seem like pretty simple guidelines, they are a lot more difficult to practice in real life. Oftentimes, we get busy, and try to take shortcuts in life. Do not take shortcuts with contractors or you will regret it. Take time to do things right, and be very careful when working with contractors.

A lot of contractors actually have a criminal background. This does not make them bad people, it is just important to know someone’s history from an ethics perspective. If you do not fully understand how serious working with a contractor is, you will get taken advantage of.

And lastly, do not try to screw over your contractor. It is very important good people you hire make a profit. 

This entry was posted in Post Frame Home, Barndominium, Shouse, About The Pole Barn Guru, Constructing a Pole Building, Pole Building How To Guides, Pole Barn Planning, Building Contractor, Budget and tagged , , , on by .

Do You Own the Land Your Barndominium Will Be Built On?

Do You Own the Land Your Barndominium Will Be Built On?

Barndominiums, shouses and post frame homes are not only a current rage, they may be America’s future home of choice. Pinterest has literally hundreds of photos of barndominiums. DIY network’s “Texas Flip-n-Move” feature a rusty old barn made into a beautiful home in Episode 6 of Season 5. Chip and Joanna Gaines took on a barndominium makeover in Season 3 Episode 6 of “Fixer Upper”. Tens of thousands of Facebookers join barndominium discussion groups of one sort or another.

However not everyone wants to take on the joys and challenges of trying to convert an old barn into a beautiful and functional new home.

Most potential barndominium owners are trying to escape urban or suburban living. They want to sneeze without hearing their neighbors say, “Bless you”. Oftentimes they have looked to buy an existing home, but could never find one exactly fitting their needs.

Here is where a blank canvas of vacant property has its allure. Within constraints of available space, budget and imagination anything becomes possible.
I accept my asking, “Do you own the land your barndominium will be built on?” in Facebook groups puts me in a position of being a brunt taker for jokes. There is, however, a method to my madness.

To begin with, I do not care if you own property free and clear (and let’s face it, your local property taxing authority owns it as well). It doesn’t matter if ‘your dirt’ is owned by a relative, a friend or a close enemy – just as long as you know where your new home is going to be.
For most this ‘barndominium build” is going to become their forever home (or at least theirs for a very long time).

Seemingly millions of canned house plans are available (for a small to large fee) across a plethora of internet websites. 99.9% of these plans have a similar problem – they were designed for a flat lot in suburbia! Yep, they look stunning on a website. Considering spending your hard earned money on one thinking you will save money by using cheap house plans? This would be an equivalent to everyone buying 34 inch waist 36 inch inseam Levi’s. They fit me just fine, but what if you are not 6’5”? Or maybe you do not even like Levi’s?

Your home should be planned to fit into its environment. Does it make sense to try to change (or ignore) your environment to fit your bargain house plans?
In order to craft ideal plans for your new barndominium, shouse or post frame home, your building site should be carefully considered.

If you are considering hiring a general contractor to turnkey your build, or merely an erector to put up your home’s shell, only once you ‘own the dirt’ and even better have a building plan developed to match your building site should you embark on a ‘builder hunt’. Builders are in short supply and their time is valuable. It is an unfair expectation to take advantage of them before they can reasonably ascertain you actually might have a need for their services.

Know where your barndominium is going to be built? Please reach out to me and I can give you some free advice on getting those ideal plans.

For extended reading on turnkey general contractors for barndominiums please see: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2020/02/does-my-barndominium-need-a-turn-key-general-contractor/

This entry was posted in Pole Barn Planning, Building Contractor, Post Frame Home, Barndominium, About The Pole Barn Guru, Shouse, Building Department, Shouse and tagged , , , , , , , on by .

Performance Bonds

Performance Bonds for Post Frame Buildings and Barndominiums

Don’t get me wrong, most post frame and barndominium building contractors are honest folks who just love to make their clients happy. I, for one, get tired of reading horror stories of folks who have been ripped off by those who are not so scrupulous. And every rip-off builder makes it harder for honest contractors to be trusted.

Here is a solution for all – performance bonding.

These bonds provide a guarantee a construction project will be satisfactory completed, and a contractor will live up to all bond specified terms, to project owner’s satisfaction. Company selling bonds to a contractor is known as a surety company, and as collateral for backing a bond financially, a surety company will often require some form of property or equipment.

Surety companies can be either financial institutions such as banks, or they can be insurance companies making bonds available to contractors who apply for them.

How Do Performance Bonds Work? 

Both government and private sector companies require performance bonds as protection against noncompliance, or failure to complete a project by a contractor. When a contracting company fails to live up to its obligations on a project, and for whatever reason, cannot complete specified body of work, the bonding company may be obliged to pay for project completion, or secure the services of an alternative contracting company for project completion.

Bonds include terms contractor must live up to, and constitute project owner’s evaluation of what constitutes a complete project. If a contractor fails to meet any of these terms, construction job owner would then have the option of making a claim against bond, to recover any incurred losses.

If it turns out contractor would be bankrupted by having to pay the amount of any claim against him/her surety company is left as sole responsible party for making up any losses to project owner. Because there is so much at stake in this type of bond, terms and language used must be very specific, because as often as not, a case like this can go to court, where performance surety bond terms are subject to legal interpretation.

When a Bond Obligation is not Met 

When terms are not entirely fulfilled by a contractor, project owner is within his/her right to make a claim against the bond to recover any resultant losses. Initially, surety (company) is responsible for paying this amount to the project’s owner, assuming this claim can be validated, either privately or through legal means.

In many cases, however, bonding company would then have the option to pursue contractor to recover this same amount of money, since contractor’s failure to comply caused a claim to be made. It will depend on whether or not language is included in a bond, a bonding company has this option to pursue defaulting contractor.

When this language is written into performance surety bond, and surety bonding company requires a contractor to repay amount of a claim, a contractor is legally obliged to do so. If paying a claim would push contractor into a state of bankruptcy, bond issuing company would then have no recourse for being compensated for its losses, and would then have to absorb any financial setback. For this reason, surety companies make a point of thoroughly screening applications from contractors who are interested in purchasing this kind of bond.

PERFORMANCE BOND COST:

Almost every contractor who successfully bids on a construction project should have a surety bond in hand, simply because a project owner will require this kind of assurance job will be completed. As a general rule of thumb, a contractor can anticipate a surety company will impose a charge of roughly 1% of the total contract value as a cost of a bond itself.

Contractors who appear to be relatively unstable financially will, of course, be charged a higher amount for a bond than would a financially stable contractor with a good credit history. 

How to get a Performance type Bond 

Obtaining a performance bond is a relatively easy process, assuming the contractor does not have a bad credit history, or is considered financially unstable so a bond issuing company would be reluctant to take a chance. For credit-worthy applicants, this process is fairly simple, beginning with selection of a reputable bond company.

After having selected a surety company, a contractor can go online and apply on provider’s website. This application will be reviewed, and more than likely, a comprehensive check into the contractor’s credit history and financial condition will be undertaken by bond issuing company, to protect themselves against loss.

Assuming this application is approved, an indemnity document will be sent to the contractor, to sign before a notary, and then return indemnity agreement with application fee. Upon receipt of contractor’s indemnity agreement plus a fee, bonding company will then issue the bond and conditions will be in effect from then forward.

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A Contractor for Your Barndominium Part III

A Contractor for Your Barndominium (Part III)

Miscellaneous Topics:

Do Not Change Your Plan

Once your plans have been permitted, do not make changes. This allows openings for expensive “Change Orders,” and will have an allowable timeline effect. In cases, this will require you to resubmit to your local jurisdiction and could involve months of waiting.

Deal only with a licensed building contractor.

Many states, as well as smaller jurisdictions require contractors for construction services to be registered or licensed. License number should be displayed on all business cards, proposals and any other contractor materials.

Verify the license.

Do not just assume registration is valid. I once hired a contractor who provided a copy of his license to me. Only later (when there was a problem) did I find out it had expired and had been altered. Call issuing agency to confirm it is valid.

Require insurance.

Require both a certificate of insurance showing liability insurance coverage AND proof of workers compensation insurance for all workers. Some contractors are registered with an industrial insurance account, however they report their workers as having zero hours, and pay no premiums. These workers are NOT covered.

If someone is hurt, and uninsured, you can very well be held liable.

Know who you are dealing with.

Doing business with a Contractor who has a good reputation for doing jobs right, in an ethical manner and at a reasonable cost is an ideal situation. Ask for references and then verify them.

What I Would Pay Extra For:

Fully engineered structural plans specific to my building at my site (I would not build without them)..

Steel roofing and/or siding (other than bare Galvalume or White) with Kynar paint, fastened with 1-1/2” powder coated diaphragm screws.

Greater than Building Code minimum wind and/or snow loads.

5/8” Type X drywall. Added investment is minimal, it is more resistant to dents and affords greater fire resistance.

Inspections and Codes

Building Codes are a bare minimum standard. Their main focus is on Life/Safety/Hygiene issues and limited structural capacity. Code is not quality. I know of no tradesperson who would build anything for themselves merely “to code.” Building standards are written to protect occupants for a limited time during catastrophic events. It is assumed all structures will be partially, if not completely damaged.

Inspectors and inspections vary per individual. How much do they know? How much time do they have to spend on this site? Codes they are familiar with are bare minimum standards and they cannot go beyond them. Politics sometimes plays a role and back-up from their Building Official varies. Most jurisdictions do not do roofing inspections. This generally is a directive from higher ups and deals with Safety. Most contractors do not follow State Safety Requirements for their workers and it puts workers and Inspectors in potentially dangerous situations.

Do Not Pay for Anything not On-Site or Completed

Re-read this over and over. 

Make payments for materials jointly to General Contractor AND supplier (avoids liens).

Require written lien releases from all parties who have provided materials or labor through your General Contractor.

When your General Contractor says he or she is completed, again have your architect walk through with you. Make a written “punch list” of all deficiencies discovered and provide to General. Only once all of these items have been corrected and an Occupancy Permit has been provided from your Building Department, should you make final payment.

Do Not pay ahead on a promise!

After reading all of this you may be wondering what you are paying a General Contractor to do, as your frequent involvement is needed in order to achieve your ideal dream outcome. If this happens to be your case, it may behoove you to pocket these funds and do it yourself!

This entry was posted in Pole Barn Homes, Pole Barn Apartments, Pole Barn Design, Post Frame Home, About The Pole Barn Guru, Barndominium, Pole Building How To Guides, Pole Barn Planning, Building Contractor, Professional Engineer and tagged , , , , , on by .

A Contractor for Your New Barndominium

A Contractor for Your Barndominium (Part I)

I have done my best to be a member of any barndominium, shouse (shop/house) or post frame house discussion group on Facebook with any sort of activity. If I had a quarter for every post from people looking for a building contractor, I could head to a casino and play quarter slots for days!

In my humble opinion, looking for a general contractor before one owns land and has settled on a custom designed floor plan to best fit their property, their wants and needs, is entirely foolhardy.

My previous writings have espoused how to thoroughly vet a contractor. I am going to wax poetic here and give a few pointers few of you will follow (although all of you should).

Your work starts before you sign a contract.

  • ASSUME YOUR PROJECT WILL END IN COURT
  • ASSUME YOUR CONTRACTOR IS UNTRUTHFUL
  • ASSUME YOUR PROJECT WILL BE MORE EXPENSIVE
  • ASSUME YOUR PROJECT WILL TAKE LONGER THAN EXPECTED

Failure to accept these four statements will set you up for grave disappointment.

Don’t let price or warranty be your only guide.

Many building owners subscribe to a concept of obtaining three bids and if they all appear to be roughly equal, taking the lowest bidder. This is simply not always a good practice, especially if there is a large disparity between prices. Be extremely cautious of prices substantially lower than others. It can mean a mistake has been made, or something is being left out. Compare all specified items carefully for discrepancies. Do not assume everyone has included all items (this happens frequently). Low bid Contractor may be planning on shortcuts in quality, making you ultimate loser.

Be wary of unusually long warranties as an enticement. It is reasonable to expect a year or two of warranty for labor.

Read contract thoroughly, including all terms and conditions.

Keep in mind a good contract is written to provide clear communication between the two parties.  It also protects both parties, and should never be “one sided”.  From my years as a general contractor, a well thought and spelled out contract (in writing) made for smoothest projects. 

Before agreeing to any work (as well as making any payment), require a written proposal describing in plain language what work will be done. Do not sign a contract you do not fully understand. If anything makes little or no sense, ask for a written explanation. Still feel dazed and confused, or not getting what you feel are straight answers? Pay a one-time fee so a lawyer can walk you through what, exactly it says and alert you to vague language. Terms such as “Industry Standard” have no real definition.

A total price should be as inclusive as possible. Any unforeseeable work or unit prices should be clearly addressed (like what happens if holes are difficult to dig). Maintain all paperwork, plans and permits when job is done, for future reference.

Familiarize yourself with contract terms.

Contractor’s proposals and contracts should contain specific terms and conditions. As with any contract, such terms spell out obligations of both parties, and should be read carefully. Be wary of extremely short or vaguely worded contracts. A well written contract should address all possibilities and may very well take more than one page. Payment terms may vary, however most will require payment in full upon completion of all work. Do not pay for all work until the Contractor has finished the job.

A statement regarding compliance with applicable Building Codes should be included. If contractor is doing building permit acquisition, it should be stated in writing and a copy of the permit should be provided prior to work starting.

Standards for workmanship should be clearly specified. For post-frame buildings this would be Construction Tolerance Standards for Post-Frame Buildings (ASAE Paper 984002) and Metal Panel and Trim Installation Tolerances (ASAE Paper 054117). Depending upon the scope of work, other standards may apply such as ACI (American Concrete Institute) 318, ACI Concrete Manual and APA guidelines (American Plywood Association).

Tune in tomorrow for Part II

This entry was posted in Barndominium, Pole Building Comparisons, Building Department, Pole Barn Planning, Building Contractor, Professional Engineer, Pole Barn Homes and tagged , , , , on by .

A Place for a Post Frame Barndominium

You and your loved ones have decided to take a plunge – building your own barndominium, shouse, or post frame home. 

But where?

Other than formulating a rough budget for building (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2019/07/how-much-will-my-barndominium-cost/) your journey is realistically at a standstill until you have acquired a place to build.

It is easy to idealize what it’s like to live on acreage away from city hustle and bustle, and there are indeed some advantages. Rural land costs are lower and generally further away from a city one gets, acreage becomes cheaper. Many people buy land because they want to build a custom home to their own specifications. They also want cleaner air and more space.

However, consider potential challenges fully before deciding to dump urban living and become Oliver Wendell Douglas (for those of you too young to remember Google “Green Acres”).

Now my lovely bride and I happen to have our own rural shouse. We live in a county of 10,278 souls scattered across 1136 square miles. Deduct our nearby metropolis of Sisseton and we average less than seven people per square mile!

Gambrel roof pole barnFinding skilled craftsman who are willing to travel to our location ranged from difficult to impossible. Few were interested in a jaunt of 60 miles from Watertown or 100 miles from Fargo. Those who would travel charged extra to compensate for driving time and distance. Transporting building materials and paying for delivery costs more than building near a major city.

Although modern conveniences are usually available, they aren’t always reliable. We are now installing a backup propane generator for those times when we can go days without electrical power. Cell service here can be problematic, “Can you hear me now?”. 

While we do have two grocery stores in Sisseton eight miles away, and serious shopping involves planning and a 100 mile drive. We’re in snow country and a blizzard means we could be stuck at home for days.

Take time to become familiar with any area being considered for your new home site. Get to know your potential community and hear stories from locals before diving in deep with a realtor.

Use some caution as all of your future neighbors might not be overjoyed to hear you’re going to buy up land behind their homes and erect your own palace there, obstructing their pristine views. You might meet up with some resistance—even organized resistance involving municipal and county authorities.

Consider rural resale values can be less in rural areas, due to a smaller pool of potential buyers. If demand is low and supply is high, prices will be more negotiable. 

Check with local authorities, including city, county, and state, to determine zoning ordinances. Find out any possible restrictions before committing to a land investment. Some areas prohibit construction on anything other than large parcels of five, 10 and even 20 acres.

Realize you might be subjected to sounds and lovely odors produced by nearby farms. In my past life I once rented a home, not realizing it was occasionally downwind of a mushroom growing plant. Mushrooms grow real well given dark and manure!

Stay tuned for our next exciting episode – where stench goes away and you move one step closer to making your dreams a reality!

This entry was posted in About The Pole Barn Guru, Building Department, Pole Barn Planning and tagged , , , , on by .

Borrowing for a D-I-Y Barndominium

Hansen Pole Buildings GuesthouseBarndominiums, shouses and post frame homes all fit into a similar category to me. This category heading would be titled, “Living in a Post Frame Building”, although other construction types may be used, post frame is going to give most bang for your investment.

What if you want to D-I-Y construct your own post frame barndominium, but need to borrow in order to build?

Only once have I ever gotten a construction loan for myself and then I happened to be an experienced General Contractor with a successful track record. It was also through a bank we did most of our commercial banking with and we had far more money in our account then what our construction loan was for.

Most new D-I-Y barndominium folks are not experienced General Contractors. Things could be somewhat more challenging if you fall into this category. Even with a high credit score and significant down payment, most lenders doing construction to permanent loans require a full plan, timelines, etc., and only pay out when certain milestones are met.

I am all for people doing it themselves. I see far too many horror stories from people who have hired contractors. Thankfully lots of happy stories from clients who did it themselves. If you are going to be your own General Contractor here are some things to keep in mind:

If hiring a sub-contractor to do any work get it not only in writing, but also with a contract covering all possible bases. Great contracts make great friends. Do not expect any contractor to perform more than exactly what is spelled out in writing.

Have good insurance. We live in a litigious society and there are too many people who avoid taking responsibility for their own actions. Don’t have your dream home train derailed due to an uninsured or under-insured construction project.

Pay people. Whether out of pocket or from construction loans – pay vendors and subcontractors promptly, provided they perform as anticipated. Take advantage of prompt or early pay discounts from vendors with a track record of reliability.

This entry was posted in Pole Barn Homes, Barndominium, About The Pole Barn Guru, Pole Barn Planning, Building Contractor and tagged , , , , on by .

When a Contractor Ignores Building Plans

I realize this may come as a surprise, but there are more than a few times I have discovered building contractors have made errors in building assembly due to failure to examine the provided building plans.

Shocking.

Our client STEVE in HINES writes:

“Good morning, my building is framed, sided and roofed. However, yesterday we discovered that the sidewalls girts should have been 2x 8’s but 2×6’s were used instead (same as the endwalls). I know this is my problem to fix, but before I tell the contractor, I’d like to know if you have ever heard of this happening and if so, what they had to do to fix the problem. As it stands, it definitely does not meet wind code anymore. I’m not asking for a fix, but only some direction as where to start pursuing one. Could very well become a messy job!

Thanks.”

Well, to begin with, I was a post frame building contractor in a past life. At times we had as many as 35 crews erecting buildings in six states. Most of these crews were very, very good. Some of them were not quite as good. Overall this mix did give me an interesting perspective – if something could be done wrong, one of my crews figured out how to do it. Along with this, chances are I have had to come up with a fix for these unexpected challenges.

In Steve’s case, actual reasoning for 2×8 sidewall girts was so his building could have a flush interior surface to drywall – known as commercial girts. (Learn about commercial wall girts here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2011/09/commercial-girts-what-are-they/)

Our curiosity question was – what did the builder do with the 2×8 material supplied for girts? It turns out client had a pile of 2×8 left over when the pole building was completed. They ran short of 2×6, so building owner just assumed someone had stolen them and more were purchased!

Anyhow – there are several possible fixes. 2x4x12′ could be ripped and nailed along length of  2×6 installed where 2×8 should have been, or 2×4 could be placed vertically (3-1/2″ face against girt inside face) every two feet’ to provide a surface to attach drywall. Whichever choice is decided upon, a revision should be done to plans and sealed by Engineer of Record to verify adequacy.

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A Sad Pole Barn Tale

A Sad Pole Barn Tale

I so like happy ending stories, however this sad pole barn tale doesn’t appear to have an immediate happy ending – although over  20 years some victims might see some or all of their hard earned money returned.

I’ve previously written about this case, however it has grown exponentially since my last article: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2015/05/national-barn/.

Below a story written by Liz Evans Scolforo, for York Dispatch (www.yorkdispatch.com), and updated August 22, 2018:

A York County pole building contractor’s no-contest plea to three all-encompassing criminal counts is expected to wrap up cases here and in seven other states — with the number of victims exceeding 150, prosecutors said.

The restitution Lowell K. Thomas II will have to pay has not yet been set, but it will be higher than $500,000, chief deputy prosecutor Tim Barker said.

Between 40 and 50 of the victims are older than 60, and one is 91 years old, according to Barker and former senior deputy prosecutor Kim Kipnis, who as of this week is in private practice.

Between 2013 and 2014, Thomas took money from customers for materials and work but failed to complete the work or even provide the materials clients had paid for, according to Barker.

Thomas, who was owner and president of National Barn Co.’s northeast division, engaged in a pattern of racketeering and deception between 2013 and ’14 that ripped off customers who contracted with his company to have pole buildings constructed, the prosecutors said.

His division’s headquarters was in Penn Township, officials said.

National Barn Co.’s individual divisions are privately owned, meaning the national company had no supervisory role over Thomas, according to Barker.

Firefighters, animal rescues: In addition to the elderly, Thomas’ victims included a church group, a firefighter group and animal-rescue organizations, Kipnis said.

Defense attorney Tom Kelley, who represented Thomas, declined comment.

Thomas, 45, of the 3400 block of Trone Road in Manheim Township, appeared in York County Court on Tuesday, Aug. 21, and pleaded no contest to three felony charges — being part of a corrupt organization, home-improvement fraud and theft by failure to make required disposition.

He avoided prison as part of his plea agreement and will instead spend 20 years on probation. The plea agreement mandates he not work as a building contractor in any state until his probation ends.

The prosecution agreed his probation can end after 10 years, but only if Thomas has fully paid his restitution and court costs. That gives him an incentive to repay victims more quickly, Barker said.

Thomas will have to make regular restitution payments or risk violating his probation conditions and being jailed, Barker confirmed.

The restitution will be for victims in York County as well as in other states, according to Kipnis, who said Thomas was either under investigation or charged for similar activity in New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia.

Thomas’ York County victims are from Glenville, Hanover, Penn Township and Red Lion, according to Barker.

Not all of the more-than 150 victims are entitled to restitution, Barker noted.

 Restitution: During Tuesday’s hearing, Barker said he will reach out to every police

department, including those outside Pennsylvania, to collect the amounts of restitution

being sought and will submit those amounts to presiding Common Pleas Judge Harry Ness.

Kelley said his client will stipulate to some of the restitution claims but is expected to challenge others.

Ness said if that happens, a hearing will be scheduled so he can hear evidence and determine the final restitution amount.

The out-of-state jurisdictions have, or said they will, drop their criminal cases against Thomas once the restitution amounts are approved, according to Barker.

It was anticipated victims would have to be flown in to testify against Thomas both here and out of state, so handling all the cases as one all-encompassing case will save taxpayers those expenses, he said.

Thomas’ three-week trial, scheduled to begin Sept. 4 in York County Court, has been canceled.

No trial: Had the case gone to trial, Thomas’ former employees were expected to testify that he took jobs knowing he couldn’t complete them, Barker said.

Also testifying would have been out-of-state victims, who the prosecution would have had to pay to fly here and put up in hotels, he said.

Barker said his office contacted the victims about the plea agreement and said they were in favor of restitution over imprisonment.

“That’s what the victims want most,” Kipnis said. “They want their money back.”

Barker said that if the plea agreement hadn’t come together, “We’ve been hunkered down and ready for (trial).”

‘Highly unusual’: He called it “highly unusual” for multiple cases in different states to be handled as one large case in a county court of common pleas.

“Many times, these are federal cases,” he said.

Defendants who plead no contest aren’t admitting guilt. Rather, they are acknowledging that there’s enough evidence to convict them at trial.

Otherwise, a no-contest plea has the same effect as a guilty plea.

Mike the Pole Barn Guru comments:

Gentle readers, I implore you to thoroughly vet out any potential post frame (pole barn) building supplier or contractor (including us). Don’t become a victim waiting 20 years (or forever) for restitution.

How to check out pole building suppliers: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2015/01/pole-building-suppliers/

And builders: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2013/07/contractor-6/

 

 

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My Cousin Did Not Buy a Pole Building From Me

My Cousin Did Not Buy a Building From Me

I truly love my cousin Randy. In the past few years he and his lovely bride have had a home and a post frame shop constructed on their farm southwest of Spokane, WA. Through a set of unfortunate circumstances Randy did not get a Hansen Pole Building.

Here is Randy’s Facebook post today:

“Feeling Hacked Off !!!!
Went to do a roof repair on my shop today because a plumber did a half assed job running the vent pipe through the roof and the snow took it out this winter. As cousin Scott McCartney and I are working on it, I discover that the builder used Stitch Screws instead of regular 1 1/2 in screws to attach all the roof metal and Wall Metal. Stitch Screws are only for fixing metal to metal, not metal to wood. This Is Unacceptable !!!!!!!
Now because I’m a stickler for this kind of stuff, I will probably spend weeks of my spare time changing out screws on my shop. Pisses me off !!!!!!!
Rant Over .!!!!!!!!”

Now my cousin Randy is nobody’s fool – he was also a MEI slave back in the day (for a tale of a MEI slave, read here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2014/03/roof-sheathing-clips/). I think enough of Randy to have had him drywall my three story post frame shop back in the 1990’s. He also worked for me when I was building post frame buildings – running our skid loader to layout most all of our buildings and predrill the column holes for the crews. There isn’t most anything Randy can’t do (or hasn’t done} and do extremely well.

Why a builder would do this totally baffles me, as stitch screws are not any less expensive (at least not good ones). Of course this building is over a year old, so the builder does not have to do anything about it, by statue!

This is just one of a myriad of reasons people should, as often as possible, either construct a pole building themselves or have direct supervision of those who are doing the construction.

Hiring a contractor or general contractor to construct your new pole building is certainly no guarantee of a job done right – just ask Randy!

 

This entry was posted in Pole Barn Design, About The Pole Barn Guru, Constructing a Pole Building, Pole Barn Planning, Fasteners and tagged , , , on by .

Vetting Out a Building Contractor

Do not let this happen to you… not vetting contractors
Long time readers of this column have heard me preach this sermon repeatedly – do not let yourself be scammed by nefarious pole builders.

From the Danville (New York) Evening Tribune (dated February 21, 2018):
“A Dansville man was sentenced in Allegany County Court and ordered to pay over $17,000 in restitution and other fees after being charged with two counts of grand larceny.
Michael Oldfield plead to two counts of petit larceny, the Allegany County District Attorney’s Office reported Tuesday. Oldfield, 50, was sentenced in connection with incidents in New Hudson on May 25, 2016 and in Clarksville on July 27, 2015.

In both cases, Oldfield allegedly gave quotes for two separate pole barn construction jobs and requested a deposit for each job. Both victims wrote a check for the deposit and Oldfield kept the money. After taking the funds, he cut off all contact with the victims, and failed to deliver construction of the pole barns.

Oldfield was ordered to pay $7,500 in restitution on the first count, and $9,500 on the second count. Both counts included a $200 surcharge and DNA fees, as well as time served.”

Whilst these folks might actually see their money returned, most are not so lucky. Please, I implore you, follow these steps:

Deal only with a licensed building contractor.
Many states, as well as smaller jurisdictions require contractors for construction services to be registered or licensed. The license number should be displayed on all business cards, proposals and any other contractor materials.

Verify the license.
Do not just assume the registration is valid. I once hired a contractor who provided a copy of his license to me. Only later (when there was a problem) did I find out it had expired and had been altered. Call the issuing agency to confirm it is valid.

Require insurance.
Require both a certificate of insurance showing liability insurance coverage AND proof of workers compensation insurance for all workers. Some contractors are registered with an industrial insurance account, however they report their workers as having zero hours, and pay no premiums. The workers are NOT covered.

If someone is hurt, and uninsured, the building owner can very well be held liable.

Know who you are dealing with.
Doing business with a Contractor who has a good reputation for doing the job right, in an ethical manner, at a reasonable cost is the ideal situation. Ask for references and then verify them.

Understand what you are getting.
Before agreeing to any work (as well as making any payment), require a written proposal describing in plain language what work will be done. A statement regarding compliance with applicable Building Codes should be included. If the contractor is doing building permit acquisition, it should be stated in writing and a copy of the permit should be provided prior to work starting.

A total price should be as inclusive as possible. Any unforeseeable work or unit prices clearly addressed (like what happens if holes are difficult to dig). If the contract is not understandable, have it clarified in writing. Maintain all paperwork, plans and permits when the job is done, for future reference.

Familiarize yourself with the terms.
Contractor’s proposals and Contracts should contain specific terms and conditions. As with any contract, such terms spell out the obligations of both parties, and should be read carefully. Be wary of forms which are extremely short or are vaguely worded. A well written contract should address all possibilities and may very well take more than one page. Payment terms may vary, however most will require payment in full upon completion of all work. Do not pay for all work until the Contractor has finished the job.

Don’t let price or warranty be your only guide.
Many building owners subscribe to the idea of obtaining three bids and if they all appear to be roughly the same, take the low bidder. This is simply not always a good practice, especially if there is a large disparity between prices. Be extremely cautious of prices which are substantially lower than others. It can mean a mistake has been made, or something is being left out. The Contractor may be planning on shortcuts in quality which can make the building owner the ultimate loser.

Be wary of unusually long warranties as an enticement. It is reasonable to expect a year or two of warranty for labor.

Keep in mind a good contract is written to provide clear communication between two parties.  It also protects both parties, and should never be “one sided”.  From my years as a general contractor, a well thought out and spelled out contract (in writing) made for the smoothest projects. When clients followed all of the above suggestions, I knew they cared enough to do “their best” and I was on the same playing field….the one where both of us “played fair”.

Require a performance bond.
For as little as a few hundred dollars, a legitimate contractor can acquire a performance bond (read more here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2012/07/contractor-bonding/) which will ensure the contractor will complete the job according to the contract. If they fail to perform, the performance bond guarantees no money will be lost in bringing in another contractor to complete the work.

This entry was posted in Pole Building How To Guides, Pole Barn Planning, Building Contractor and tagged , , , , on by .

Don’t Hire a Contractor Unless You Are Willing to Take a Risk

From The Dalles (Oregon) Chronicle December 26, 2017: “A theft report was filed Wednesday morning concerning a theft by deception when a woman reported she paid a contractor $30,000 to build a pole barn on her property by the end of October and no work has been completed.”
Most people assume when they hire a contractor to erect some or all of their new post frame (pole) building or pole barn, they are minimizing their risks.

Let’s define exactly what risk is:
Risk (according to the sum of all human knowledge Wikipedia) is the potential of gaining or losing something of value. Values (such as physical health, social status, emotional well-being, or financial wealth) can be gained or lost when taking risk resulting from a given action or inaction, foreseen or unforeseen (planned or not planned). Risk can also be defined as the intentional interaction with uncertainty.  Uncertainty is a potential, unpredictable, and uncontrollable outcome; risk is a consequence of action taken in spite of uncertainty.
Risk perception is the subjective judgment people make about the severity and probability of a risk, and may vary person to person. Any human endeavor carries some risk, but some are much riskier than others.

Now, gentle reader, please pay attention to, “risk perception is the subjective judgment”. Subjective judgments are made without clear analysis of objective facts.

Hiring a contractor is a game of chance, there is risk involved. Significant risk.

Numerous possible outcomes are the resultant of hiring a contractor. The ideal outcome is everything went perfect – the project was completed satisfactorily, the building successfully passed all Building Department inspections, it was built according to the engineer sealed plans, there were not cost over runs and it was built in a timely manner.

Back in the day (the 1990’s) I participated in a contract writing class for building contractors put on by the WBMA (Western Building Materials Association). The course was taught by an attorney. The attorney prefaced the discussions by saying if we (the contractors) had over 50% of our clients satisfied with our work, we are doing extremely well.

Let this sink in – 50% satisfaction as a benchmark for success as a building contractor?
So, what happens if the outcome is less than ideal?
The worst case is paying for a building and getting nothing.
Other less than fun outcomes include (in no particular order); Some or all of the building is completed and mechanics liens get filed on your property due to the contractor not paying his or her suppliers or the help. The building won’t pass inspection and/or was not built to the engineered specifications. The building has warranty issues the contractor will not or cannot fix. The building gets partially built and contractor absconds with more money than earned. The building collapses – killing you or a loved one.

Scared yet?
YOU SHOULD BE!

How to minimize risk:
Demand your building be constructed according to plans prepared by an RDP (Registered Design Professional – architect or engineer).

Invest in a complete building kit package per those plans, it avoids potential material liens and you can control the design.

Vet potential contractors fully, by following these steps: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2013/07/contractor-6/.

Require a Performance Bond from the contractor you select: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2012/07/contractor-bonding/.

How big a risk are you willing to take?

This entry was posted in Pole Barn Design, Pole Building How To Guides, Pole Barn Planning, Building Contractor, Professional Engineer and tagged , , , , on by .

How to Avoid Being Bilked by an Unscrupulous Contractor

Other than being pennywise and pound foolish there is absolutely no reason for those who are hiring a contractor to get bilked should the person they hire be unscrupulous.

Here is a story from www.mlive.com by Cole Waterman which makes me cringe:
“SAGINAW, MI — A Linwood contractor and his wife are charged with a combined 40 felonies due to prosecutors alleging they swindled a six-figure sum out of clients in seven Michigan counties.

Charles W. Riggie, 35, and Kathryn M. Riggie, 32, face 20 charges each — one count each of conducting a criminal enterprise and conspiracy to commit that crime and nine counts each of false pretenses and building contractor trust fund violations. The most serious offense is conducting a criminal enterprise, punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
The Saginaw County Prosecutor’s Office issued the charges against the couple on Monday, Dec. 18.

Speaking to MLive, assistant prosecutors Daniel G. Van Norman and Mark J. Gaertner said the couple operated several businesses under the names Michigan Building Supply, Busy Beaver Builders, and Tay-Live Holding Company. At different times, the businesses were headquartered in Saginaw and Bay counties.

Charles Riggie, a licensed contractor, began his criminal endeavor in the fall of 2012 and continued it through August 2013, Van Norman said. He had been hired by nine homeowners in Bay, Emmet, Huron, Oakland, Monroe, Tuscola, and Presque Isle counties to perform construction projects, mainly erecting pole barns, the prosecutors said.
Riggie performed some degree of work for the first two clients, but did nothing for the latter seven, the prosecutors continued.

“He took the money and didn’t do a thing,” Van Norman said. “In one of them, a subcontractor came out and prepped the site but after that, nothing happened. At another job, he ordered materials and the materials were delivered to the site, but they sat there forever, to the point where some of them were weathered to the point of being unusable.”
Riggie filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in late 2013, but still conducted some of his business after, prosecutors said.
In all, Riggie took more than $150,000 from the nine clients, prosecutors allege. The Riggies spent the money on various personal luxury items, they continued.”

Mike the Pole Barn Guru Comments:
I promised to share how to avoid becoming a part of the situation above – performance bonding. For as little as a few hundred dollars, a legitimate contractor can acquire a performance bond (read more here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2012/07/contractor-bonding/) which will ensure the contractor will complete the job according to the contract. If they fail to perform, the performance bond guarantees no money will be lost in bringing in another contractor to complete the work.

You pay for insurance for health, your life, your vehicles, etc., why leave the construction of your new post frame building to chance?

This entry was posted in Pole Building How To Guides, Pole Barn Planning, Building Contractor and tagged , , , , on by .

The Contractor Factor! When Plans Go Awry!

The Contractor Factor

I hear too many stories where well-intentioned folks hire a contractor to erect a pole barn (post frame building) and end up with less than they bargained for.

This is avoidable, with an ounce of prevention.

Reader DONNA in REMSEN writes:


“I had a pole barn put up in Sept this year, contract said contractor would fill area with gravel to raise the grade as it was being built on a slope. So instead the builder just dumped 4 loads of sand on top of the grass, pushed it around with a bobcat till fairly level, and built the pole barn on top. I live in an area that calls for pole to be 4 feet in virgin soil, the builder put some down 2 feet, in the sand and some 3 feet, in the sand. Now the whole thing has huge pits around the poles and the doors won’t shut any longer, it’s been a month!! Builder says it is normal. I am afraid of what else it will do with the posts not down too deep, any suggestions.”


Hopefully you have not paid the builder. It sounds like you have a plethora of potential challenges going on. This is the order in which I would address them:

First – contact the Building Inspector who signed off on the building inspections. He or she should be asked to prepare a list of corrections which must be completed in order to obtain an occupancy permit.

Second – have the Engineer of Record who sealed the original building plans do a field inspection of the building and prepare a list of deficiencies which need to be corrected.

Third – take the two lists from above and the contract between you and your contractor to an attorney who specializes in construction law. The attorney can then prepare the appropriate documents to be sent to the contractor giving the builder a set time frame (which may be spelled out in the contract documents) in which to correct the deficiencies.

There is a strong possibility the contractor will ignore your attorney, hopefully the contractor has sufficient assets for you to attach in the event you are the prevailing party in legal action. This is one of the reasons I strongly encourage anyone who is hiring a building contractor to require the posting of a performance bond as a guarantee the work to be performed is actually completed in accordance with the contract documents.

More about contractor bonding can be read here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2012/07/contractor-bonding/.

 

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Why We Do Not Recommend Any Builders

Hansen Pole Buildings receives numerous requests every day from potential new post frame building owners, who are looking for a builder (in my terms technician) who can assemble their building kit. I am going to do both of us a favor and explain why we do not recommend any builders.

Hansen Pole Buildings is a supplier and a supplier only. We do not construct buildings anywhere for anyone – even ourselves. Our new post frame building addition of 30 feet x 96 feet is being contracted out to a technician, who happens to do erection work for several of our clients. When you order your new post frame building from us this is clearly reiterated in writing and approved by you:

 

“Purchaser is purchasing a materials only pole (post frame) building package, designed per Seller’s plans. This is not a precut building, nor is the structural design to be determined by Purchaser or Purchaser’s agents. Assembly, by Purchaser or Purchaser’s agents, including measuring, cutting and the use of tools, will be required. Some components may come all or partially assembled (e.g., entry doors are most often shipped as pre-hung), however most items (such as, but not limited to, sliding and overhead doors) require the assembly of sub-components. Steel roofing, siding and trims often require cutting and/or splicing. It is the discretion of Purchaser or Purchaser’s agents to utilize the materials provided so as to minimize splices, as well as the creation of waste or scrap. No overage of any materials is provided for in this Agreement.”

Good clear agreements make for good neighbors. We do not want anyone to have their feelings hurt due to a misunderstanding.

Upon request, once you have ordered your new post frame building kit package, we can assist you in finding the names and contact information of two or more possible builders who can construct within your predetermined budget – however it is totally your responsibility to vet them out. Here are the seven steps to not getting yourself burned by any contractor, follow these: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2013/07/contractor-6/ and require a performance bond and you will greatly limit your risk of not getting the finished product you expected. Here is Performance Bond information: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2012/07/contractor-bonding/.

In a past life, I was a post frame building contractor based in the Pacific Northwest. We were blessed with many totally awesome subcontract crews who did great workmanship, as well as were good at building quality relationships with our clients.

Even with these excellent crews, it seems like about once a year they would absolutely “hose” (technical term for FUBAR) a building. I’d ask them why and the answer was typically they had no idea, just that it went wrong.

I share this because you might very well contract with the builder who has the best reputation for quality and has a fair price. Same builder could have one of those weeks coincide with your building and result in a less than satisfactory experience. We (and I) would prefer not to become a mediator for problems we had no hand in causing, even more so since we had no financial interest in the agreement between you and your builder of choice.

Not my circus, not my monkeys.

This entry was posted in About The Pole Barn Guru, Constructing a Pole Building, Pole Barn Planning, Building Contractor and tagged , , , on by .

Find Me a Contractor to Erect My Building!

Fewer and fewer of our clients seem to have the inclination to erect their own post frame building kits. Here is one and my response ended up being quite lengthy.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do you have about 3 names of companies/contractors that can erect my 40x40x14 hanger kit, once I buy it from you guys. TIM in OSSIPEE

DEAR TIM: Here is how it works......

About Hansen BuildingsYou get the details of your building worked out with a Hansen Pole Buildings' Designer and get a building order placed. If you need a builder, you can stipulate to Hansen Pole Buildings providing the names and contact information of three or more builders who can construct the building shell for 60% of the price of the materials or less within seven days, else your investment is refunded 100% and we part as friends (unless you then decide to do it yourself - which frankly gives you the best outcome). This agreement can be stipulated right on the face of the Invoice for the building, so no questions. Keep in mind, this is a service provided to you only - we refer these builders to you, we do not recommend them. It is totally up to you to thoroughly vet them out.

If you follow all of the steps listed here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2013/07/contractor-6/, you will be much more likely to get the builder of your dreams, than of your nightmares.

Why don’t we tell you who the builders are up front?

I shall share a short story, please humor me….

Probably ten years ago, our office got a phone call from a person who purported to be one of our clients. He was sure he had ordered a building from us. He was having problems with the builder who erected his building kit. The builder was not responding to the client’s calls to do the needed repairs under warranty.

Now this builder had constructed about 200 Hansen Pole Buildings. In fact, he had gotten the name of the tragically flawed new pole building owner from us! The client was looking for a builder – so we gave him the contact information for the builder.

The builder decided to cut Hansen Pole Buildings out of the deal.

He put together his own “plans” for the building, ran around and purchased materials and sold them and his labor to the client.

And then there were problems…..

Even the most reputable contractor can play shenanigans once in a while – this one got caught and the client got stuck holding a bag which was not the one he expected he was going to get. There are some items which are ONLY available with Hansen Pole Buildings – like the use of powder coated color matched diaphragm screws. As far as we can tell, we are the only people who offer these for every building with steel roofing and/or siding.

Why would this be important?

Because we want your new post frame building to outlast you and still look great. Most other screws will either not perform to provide the needed wind shear resistance, they will rust and decay – causing leaks, and the paint will chip off the heads, leaving row upon row of bare shiny galvanized soldiers

This entry was posted in Pole Barn Questions, Pole Barn Design, Constructing a Pole Building, Building Contractor and tagged , , on by .

Sharing the Pole Barn Blame

Sharing the Blame

Welcome to 2017!

As you may recall, 2016 ended with me sharing an email from a builder who is constructing a new Hansen Pole Building and may possibly be a legend in his own mind.

Our company policy, when a challenge arrives, has always been to begin by looking to see what, if anything did we do wrong. In this particular case, we (and yours truly) share in some of the blame.

For you, gentle reader, I will paint a picture of the building in question, so you may get a better feel for the entire process.

The building is a 40 foot clearspan in width, 100 feet long with an eave height of 16 feet and five inches. It is designed under the 8th edition of the Massachusetts State Building Code, with a 90 mph (mile per hour) design wind speed and a 50 psf (pounds per square foot) design flat roof snow load.

It features 12 inch enclosed overhangs on all four sides, as well as three 14 foot wide by 14 foot tall overhead doors on one sidewall.

The most practical design solution actually (which is a rare case) turned out to be based upon the traditional “East coast” style of post frame construction, with a single truss spaced every four feet on top of “truss carriers” (beams) spanning sidewall columns generally every eight feet (other than at the overhead door locations).

This building happens to be narrow in width in relationship to length (1 to 2.5 ratio) and is fairly tall. As such, the wind load was great enough to exceed the shear resisting capacity of the steel roofing in the eight feet closest to each endwall.

In order to carry the load, the building was designed so the trusses in the affected areas would have a traditional ¼ inch butt cut (educate yourself on what a butt cut is here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2015/05/truss-butt-cuts/), while the balance of the trusses would have 11/16 inch butt cuts. This would allow for the top of all truss carriers to be placed at the same height, and 7/16” OSB (Oriented Strand Board – https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2013/10/osb-versus-plywood/) to be installed on top of the lower heel height trusses.

Pretty darn skippy sounding ……. Until we get to tomorrow!!

Yep – yet another cliff hanger!!

This entry was posted in Pole Barn Design, Building Overhangs, Steel Roofing & Siding, Building Contractor, Trusses and tagged , , , , , , on by .

Builder Shaming

The Builder Knows More Than We do…. After Hansen 18k Plus Buildings

Very few things in life frighten me. Among them are heights (growing up in a family of framing contractors and having vertigo issues were not a good mix) and builders who tell me, “I can build anything”.

This last one usually sets off the alarm bells in my head which I interpret this to mean, “I won’t read your plans or follow your instructions, but when things go sideways – I will be blaming you for it”.

Now my lovely bride tells me I can be a bit harsh when it comes to writing about builders whose competency skills I may find to be ‘challenging’. I’ve written previously about the phenomena which a few of these folks are afflicted with (and I would encourage you, gentle reader to delve further into the subject by reading: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2015/01/dunning-kruger-effect/).

For your reading pleasure I will share with you, in its unedited glory, a recently received email from a builder:

“Building one now and plans for trusses were wrong. I explained to the guy that I knew exactly what needed to be done to fix it. He didn’t seem to be interested in what I thought. Mind you I have 14 years of full time framing experience (new construction) condos and custom homes.  Done a bunch of remodeling also worked on bridges for 4 years, framing also, bridge end post forming, radius walls framed and poured etc etc. I’ve been in the field for 21 years. Anyway blah blah. Guy from Hansen wants to have the drawing done and wants me to look at it and go by it. Haha. I already no what needs to done!  I’m in the field building the thing, I no the material list!  Now the material comes for the new facia and the new WRONG drawing of the soffit support, and 2 by 8, which we didn’t need but since they shorted us on 2by 4 we used. The WRONG drip edge piece came but we are using that also. He’s now going to eat the 5 1/2″ facia metal because of the WRONG drip edge piece sent, he has to buy bigger facia pieces. I guess what I’m trying to say, is that, if you had listened to the licensed builder that has framed miles and miles of buildings in the first place. I could’ve easily put a material list together, showed you the cost, ordered it locally and probably saved you money on the material, and us the headache of dealing with wrong stuff. By the way The soffit nailer doesn’t change from the original height in the drawing. It still tucks in exactly 3 1/2″ with the 18 degreee bevel. The only measurement that changes with the 2 by 8 truss is the 16’5. The only thing it changes is the size of the facia.”

Construction ManualFeel free to ponder this over your New Year’s Holiday weekend. Next Tuesday, I will dive into….the rest of the story!

Be safe, don’t party and drive, and I will catch you in 2017!

This entry was posted in Professional Engineer, Building Department, Constructing a Pole Building, Building Contractor, Trusses and tagged , , , on by .

Just Say No!

You Want It When?

A week from Tuesday is going to find a life milestone has been passed – it will be after Labor Day. Or as we know it in the pole barn industry, the Panic Point.

When I was a post frame (pole) building contractor in the 1990’s based in Northeast Washington state, we could tell how far south the first snows were falling by all of the phone calls we would get. Generally these would start sometime in October and carry forward into November.

They would go something like this:

Remember the pole building I talked to you about in April? Well we are ready for it now do you think you could start next week?

We seriously did not mean to be rude, however we got so many of these calls we just could not help but laugh!

Why?

Because by October and November our building crews would be booked solid until April and May!

For whatever reason, we humans tend to be procrastinators – we wait until the last minute (and frequently after the last minute) to move forward and get things done.

A popular reason for needing a new pole building is to avoid the pain of last winter’s weather, be it deep snow, freezing cold, high winds or miserable rains.

10-18-12-Monitor-in-Winter-150x150Winter weather can prove to be ugly.

Considering a new pole building for construction this Fall? Make a few calls around, eventually you will find someone who can come right out and built it now. Pretty darn exciting, as you didn’t think you were going to be able to beat the weather.

Just….Say….No!!!

This time of year there is only one reason a good quality pole builder or building kit package supplier can “get right on it” and the reason is they offer one or more of the following – poor quality, poor service and/or high prices. Usually it is a combination of the three.

How to avoid the pain you endured last winter?

Pickup your phone and call (866)200-9657 and ask to speak with a Hansen Pole Buildings’ Designer who can assist you with crafting a design solution which meets your needs, your budget and (in most cases) can get materials delivered on your site in time to beat this winter’s monsoons and blizzards.

Every day you wait, puts more and more people ahead of you in line – effectively costing you two or three days (or more) which could have been used to get you out of the weather!

This entry was posted in Building Contractor, About The Pole Barn Guru, Constructing a Pole Building and tagged , , , on by .

Just Another Reason to Love Builders

Please keep in mind, I was a post frame (pole) building contractor in a past life. With as many as 35 crews erecting buildings in six states – if something could possibly go awry, one of my crews would find a way to achieve it!

Seriously.

Some of them were creative in methods which I could not even have imagined (you would have had to have been there).

In some ways, they reminded me of my beloved Seattle Mariners, always seemingly finding a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

oregon-builders-150x150In today’s episode of “How the Stomach Churns” we find Builder Bob (the name has been changed to protect those who probably don’t read my articles anyhow) industriously working away in the wilds of Colorado – where he determines the sidewall steel above a sliding door is four inches too short!

Could this happen?

Well anything COULD happen, but in all likelihood the Hansen Pole Buildings’ Instant Pricing™ system is pretty darn accurate when it comes to steel takeoffs – so probably not.

I always work from the theory somehow we have screwed up, so I go through the scenario longhand, to the joy of all involved:

Eave height = 16′ above grade (all of my long term and loyal readers fully understand how to measure eave height: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2015/02/eave-height-2/; builders, not so much as it does involve having to read, at the very least, the plans).

Drop across 1.5″ wide eave girt and J Channel (3/4″) at a 5/12 roof slope = 0.9375″

So top of wall steel is at 15’11.0625″

Top of sliding door track board is at 10’10” above grade

15’11.0625″ – 10’10” = 5’1.0625″

Steel above sliding door is 5’0″ long

This leaves just over 1″ of sliding door track cover back flange exposed – which is perfect

If it is 4″ too short, I am going to guess one or more of the following has occurred:

Eave height is too high (maybe measured from top of slab, instead of grade)

Sliding door header and track board are not properly located (at 11’0″ and 10’10” above grade to tops, respectively)

In the event the eave height is too high, there are solutions. However, all of them are going to involve some sort of investment in more materials by the builder. If the challenge is door number two, the solution takes only time and a good cat’s paw to remove the nails holding the sliding door header and track board – properly position the two and reinstall.

Voilà! A door that fits and steel sent by Hansen Buildings is indeed the right length.

This entry was posted in About The Pole Barn Guru, Constructing a Pole Building, Building Contractor, Pole Building Doors and tagged , , , on by .

When Everything Doesn’t Go Perfect Part I

When Everything Doesn’t Go Perfect (and the sky falls)

not perfectThe key to any successful construction project is not necessarily how everything went perfect, but instead it is how the things which did not go perfect were resolved. When one considers the average post frame building kit package materials have been touched by in excess of FOUR THOUSAND pairs of hands, it is truly amazing anything ever gets built!

Here is a true recent true story:

DEAR POLE BARN GURU:  I read many posts in your blog prior to purchasing a kit. I have contemplated hiring the erection of my building to a local contractor. When I requested information on suggested contractors, I found there is only one in my state. He is approximately 400 miles from my location. Here is my question: Where in the heck do you get your range of costs for constructing a building? You blog suggests up to $5 / square foot. I have multiple quotes and they are in excess of $16 per square foot. I have had nothing but problems with this purchase. Materials were not delivered per the plan. Every delivery I was told that I had to accept the materials in less than 24 hours from notification. I never knew ahead of time if I needed to have a forklift to offload the materials, so I had to make arrangements each time to be sure that the offloading could occur. The lumber substitutions from 4×6 to 6×6 complicates the build because the dimensions don’t agree with the plans. I will have to purchase additional 2 x 8 material because the full dimension 6×6 posts need to be straddled by two 2x12s and have a web between them. The plans call for a 2×6, but I don’t dare have a ½” to ¾” gap in the setup. There is no one I can talk to within Hansen. The material scheduler merely sends out the same form letter each time. The salesman has forgotten who I am. These issues are not mentioned in your blog.

DEAR CLIENT: Thank you for your investment in a new Hansen Pole Building. I will endeavor to answer your questions as thoroughly and completely as possible. To begin with, our business is the success it is because we both value input from our clients and we take it to heart. We endeavor to have only satisfied clients, and for the most part have been very successful with it.

I appreciate your having read many of my blog articles. I strive to be both entertaining and informative.

Where in the heck do I get my range of costs for constructing a building? In a not too distant past life, I was a post frame building contractor, with as many as 35 crews constructing buildings in six states. The general rule of thumb is the cost of labor should run no more than 50-60% of the price paid for the materials package. This was developed from my years as a general contractor, where we took our materials cost and doubled it, with us getting 25% for being great and wonderful contractors and the construction crew getting the other 25%. The cost of materials for your building was roughly $18,444 – from experience a knowledgeable crew of installers should spend no more than 154 person hours to complete this building. 50% of your purchase price of $18,444 would be $9,222 divided by 154 person hours pays each installer roughly $60 per hour – not bad wages. (for more reading on this subject: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2014/03/contractor-costs/)

At $16 per square foot, my guess is your quotes are coming from general contractors (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2014/11/builders/)  who are going to have subcontract labor do the assembly. 1600 square feet at $16 would be over $25,000 and I sincerely doubt any installer would be worth over $160 per hour. At those wages, I would consider strapping on my nail apron, getting out my screw gun and going back to physically doing construction.

So how do you go about finding an actual technician who can construct your building? If you do need a contractor, I recommend placing an ad on Craigslist under “labor gigs” such as:

Contractor needed to assemble pole building kit package on my clear level site in X County. 40’x40’x9′ fully enclosed “monitor style” barn with prefabricated 4/12 roof slope roof trusses in the 16′ width raised center. (1) 12’x14′ and (2) 8’x7′ sectional steel overhead doors and (1) prehung steel entry door. I will provide all materials except for nail gun nails. Willing to pay around $9000-9500 depending upon experience and references.

I’ve used this approach personally to find the actual “nail pounders” in all parts of the country, with great success.

Come back tomorrow folks, to hear…”the rest of the story”.

This entry was posted in Pole Barn Questions, Constructing a Pole Building, Pole Barn Planning, Building Contractor and tagged , , , on by .

A Worthy Builder

A Worthy Installer

I deal directly with very few clients as a Building Designer – just enough to be able to make sure things are flowing through our system as I expect they will.

I’ve truly been enjoying my recent interactions with a client who took the time to really share with me what his needs were and allowed me to custom design for him buildings (two) as if they were going to be for me. The larger of these buildings (30’ x 60’) is going to be an addition to his home. His original idea was to have a concrete floor in the building. We discussed the long term comfort of a wood floor over a crawl space, rather than “living” on concrete – the elevated wood floor won!

He was also going to have a flat level ceiling, until he found out how affordable a vaulted ceiling was! As I have a vaulted ceiling in the top floor of my own pole building at home, I told him he will never regret the decision.

Pole Barn ContractorsOne thing my client did need is a builder, he is a busy business professional and just does not have the time to do his own work. I did some quick research and came up with about a dozen builders in his area, who are willing to provide construction services for 50% of the cost of materials or less.

So we are down to ordering time…..today’s email from the client:

“Mike – everything looks good!  My big concern now is being sure I have a worthy Installer/ builder.  If I am going to be completely honest… I do not have a lot of faith in builders in this area.  We do have several Amish and Mennonite families in the area that install / construct these buildings… and have a great reputation, but the other guys are quite scary.  I would feel much more comfortable knowing I have a builder set up before paying for these building in full.  If you remember… I had originally quoted these buildings with you and searched for a builder myself… I had no luck finding someone I felt comfortable with.

Thoughts? “

To which I responded:

Having been a builder myself for a decade (I ran 35 crews in 6 states), and being the son and grandson of builders, I can give this advice:

Any builder you talk to is going to give only good references, face it, it is a reality. If you go to see their work, they are only going to show you good projects. It proves nothing.

I’ve dealt with the Amish before – in general they do not follow plans or instructions and when things go wrong it is everyone else’s fault. (A little Amish story here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/blog/2014/11/barn-raising/)

Regardless of who you hire – keep control of the situation, never pay out more than the work which has been successfully completed, and pay in increments:

No more than 10% when holes are dug and pass inspection (I actually prefer this after posts are set);
No more than a total of 1/3rd when everything is framed up;
Up to 90% when final inspection is passed and any “punch list” has been completed;
Balance of 10% 30 days after completion – provided any workmanship issues are completed.

Do not do anything without a written agreement which fully spells out the responsibilities of both parties. You can ADD some of your own stipulations, such as….

Any alcohol or drugs onsite and agreement is immediately terminated without further payment.
Failure of builder to be on jobsite working for at least xx (I usually use 20) hours in any calendar week Sun-Sat results in immediate termination without further payment.

Things I object to – crews throwing out their trash on my site, bringing their pets, borrowing my tools.

Even the scariest of builders can perform well, when you keep control of the situation. You can also require a performance bond, although you might have to agree to pay a bit more for a builder as they are not free: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/blog/2012/07/contractor-bonding/

 

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Dunning Kruger Effect

Most of us have never heard of the Dunning Kruger effect. Although you may not recognize the title, there is a better than fair chance you know one or more people who are affected by it.

Wikipedia defines the Dunning Kruger effect as “a cognitive bias wherein unskilled individuals suffer from illusory superiority, mistakenly rating their ability much higher than is accurate.” In other words, the more ignorant some people are on a particular subject, the more likely they are to think they know more than the best-trained experts.

Dunning-KrugerThe phenomenon was first tested in a series of experiments published in 1999 by David Dunning and Justin Kruger of the Department of Psychology, Cornell University. The study was inspired by the case of McArthur Wheeler, a man who robbed two banks after covering his face with lemon juice in the mistaken belief, as lemon juice is usable as invisible ink, it would prevent his face from being recorded on surveillance cameras. They noted earlier studies suggested ignorance of standards of performance lies behind a great deal of incorrect self assessments of competence. This pattern was seen in studies of skills as diverse as reading comprehension, operating a motor vehicle, and playing chess or tennis.

Dunning and Kruger proposed, for a given skill, incompetent people will:

fail to recognize their own lack of skill;

fail to recognize genuine skill in others;

fail to recognize the extremity of their inadequacy;

recognize and acknowledge their own previous lack of skill, if they are exposed to training for the skill.

Dunning has since drawn an analogy (“the anosognosia of everyday life”) with a condition in which a person who suffers a physical disability because of brain injury seems unaware of or denies the existence of the disability, even for dramatic impairments such as blindness or paralysis.

“If you’re incompetent, you can’t know you’re incompetent. […] the skills you need to produce a right answer are exactly the skills you need to recognize what a right answer is.” —David Dunning

When it comes to pole (post frame) buildings and barns, there are numerous instances of this effect. I find them on many information sharing boards, where the information being shared is often so bad it borders on ludicrous.

The Dunning Kruger effect is also pervasive among pole building contractors, as well as building suppliers. I didn’t say “all”…but yes, too often pole building contractors are my most frequent subjects of “what went wrong” during construction.

Moral of the story – take what you read on the internet, or are told by others with a block of salt. While we at Hansen Pole Buildings (and me in particular) don’t know everything, we do know a lot of stuff and are always stretching ourselves to learn more. After over 15,000 buildings I still consider myself a “work in progress” and a good day is when I learn something new

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My Pole Barn is Hosed!

Readers –
 The following is from the Dear Pole Barn Guru questions I get weekly, and the issues are so important when it comes to dealing with a contractor, I wanted to take time out to hi-light a few of them.

garden hoseDEAR POLE BARN GURU: I have some serious issues with a pole barn I recently had built! I hired a general contractor to build it for me knowing it would be a little more expensive but that way if there was any issues it was his responsibility to deal with subcontractors.  Well it’s been a nightmare ever since the sub he hired to construct it didn’t set the man door at the right height so when the concrete crew poured the floor they went off the bottom of the man door instead of the garage doors which is the proper way to do it. Well when they went to do the apron they discovered the siding was three inches below where the concrete had to be so they had to cut the wainscot three inches.  I decided to start taking measurements! This is a 30×40 building and none of the posts are on center. They are anywhere from 16 inches off to 2 inches off center on an 8 foot span. The roof joists are supposed to be 4 foot span but they are all over the place too!  Anyway he’s trying to tell this is ok it’s still structurally sound and I shouldn’t worry about it! Anyway you get the picture. He wants his money and I am refusing to give final payment till I get another contractor to look at it and give me a cost estimate to fix the problems his sub screwed up on. What’s your thoughts on the way I’m handling it? CONFOUNDED IN CABLE

 

DEAR CONFOUNDED: Most people who hire contractors to construct their new pole buildings are living in a delusional world where unicorns bound happily through fields of flowers and the sun always shines. They have the idea the contractor is going to handle everything to their satisfaction, it will be a pain free situation and their new building will be perfect.

I now give you permission to return to reality.

Statistically, only about 50% of all new building owners are pleased with the performance of their contractor… ½ … not very good odds.

On to the question posed – what my thoughts are on the way the situation is being handled.

I am not an attorney, so my answers are not to be construed as legal advice, consider them as being words of wisdom based upon decades of judicious experience. Hopefully issues can be resolved before money has to be poured into the sinkhole which is our legal system.

If you have not done so before, carefully read through the written agreement signed between you and your contractor. In most cases, this agreement and ONLY this agreement is going to be the basis for any legal standing you would have in court. Make sure to read all of the fine print, as well as the terms and conditions on the back.

Poorly written or vague contracts protect only the contractor – not you. Pretty much anything not specifically spelled out in writing, isn’t going to happen.

If you are not feeling bad yet – it is probably only going to get worse.

You may have some recourse on structural issues. Call the inspector who has been doing the inspections on the building, and have he or she meet with you to compare the engineer sealed plans for the building, against the building as it has been built. The inspector’s duty is to “red tag” the building and provide a list of structural defects which need to be corrected by the contractor prior to the building being occupied.

In the event your building did not require a building permit, or you are in a jurisdiction which does not provide structural inspections, you may very well be at the mercy of what the builder claims is “good”. If this is the case, you could try contacting the engineer who designed the building, providing he or she with a list of structural deficiencies – the engineer may put some pressure on the builder to correct them, or may provide a sealed letter which says the building is structurally sound as constructed.

Outside of the above two paragraphs, if the building conforms to what is outlined on the agreement and the roof doesn’t leak – your best bet is to swallow the bitter pill and pay up. Consider it a sad lesson learned the hard way.

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Builders – Paying for Convenience

Builders – Paying for Convenience

Most of us are fairly willing to pay a few extra dollars for convenience. We know it costs us an extra dollar a gallon for milk at the C-Store, but it was right there, we didn’t have to drive two minutes out of our way, find a parking spot, and trudge through a big store. It was worth it!

How about paying out a LOT of dollars for convenience?

pole barn contractorBelow is an actual email from a potential client. These were the kind of folks who put huge smiles (all of the way to the bank) on my face when I was a pole building contractor!

“My Husband wants to go with the WHOLE PACKAGE which means he is looking at Companies that have THEIR OWN BUILDERS – We REALLY liked your price but just DO NOT feel comfortable with you supplying us with a list of Builders and we have to set it all up – He just wants to keep it simple and all together so ….   I would like to thank you for your time and quote.”

Why would this have made me so happy?

Because 25% of what they were going to pay me for the convenience was going straight into my pocket!

With an average constructed pole building ranging from $30 to 40,000 – I will take the 25% every time someone hands it over to me!

Maybe some folks just cannot wrap their heads around what happens when they contract with a company who has “their own builders”.

First, the materials are the materials. There is no magic “free lumber tree” out there, nor is there a pot of roll formed steel siding at the end of the rainbow. For the most part, the cost of the materials is going to be a direct reflection upon their quality and what is included in the design.

The majority of builders are going to do everything within their power to increase their profit margins, it is for this reason you do not find builders who are willing to work on a “cost plus” a flat percentage.

Second, the installers are the installers. Whether hiring them direct and paying them yourself, or paying a general contractor to pay them, they are the very same people. When you hire them direct, you have the advantage of being able to properly vet them yourself. You know beforehand who is going to be driving the nails.

When hiring a general contractor, you have no advance idea if you will get a crew on the hundredth or their first building!

Read this again and ponder it: “When hiring a general contractor, you have no advance idea if you will get a crew on the hundredth or their first building!”

The rookie crew “hoses” (technical construction term meaning it was really, really bad) your building and the general contractor is going to scramble to save his own profits first. Chances are small your building is going to turn out the way it truly should have.

Third, general contractors do not work for free. They need to be paid for their time and efforts, even if the time and efforts mean they drive around in a nice new four wheel drive pickup all day.

Before taking this multi-thousand dollar convenience leap – think long and hard about it. The money you save could go a long way towards your new pole building!

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Fire Your Building Contractor

One of our clients has been speaking with Hansen Pole Buildings’ Designer Rick about a new post frame building.

Building Designer Rick CarrRick related to me this from the client:

“Talked to a client Saturday that is going to walk away from the $1,900.00 he put down to get plans from this guy, for a lot of reasons.”

I just cringe every time I hear of someone getting nothing for something in our industry. It makes it so much more difficult for the majority of those who do really care about the clients.

I asked Rick, “For what reasons?”

“Oh, I heard them. Takes a week to get on phone, asked to borrow client’s f-350 to move equipment to site, requested that an additional 4 feet be cleared behind the pad to allow for scaffolding for a 10 foot building, after the work has already been done.  Wants more money to have his friend come and do it.  I think there were more, but that’s enough.

Client is in stage four cancer and wants to be sure the building goes in before the snow to be used this winter, has no confidence in this guy at this point.”

I’ve related over and over how to find a reliable contractor, in the event one is not doing their own work. You can find several of these articles at:

https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/blog/category/building-contractor/

Red Flag #1 – can’t get prompt responses to calls, texts, faxes, emails – whatever the communication method of choice is…..if it takes over 24 hours, more than once, there is a problem.

I’ve spoken with far too many folks who are just shopping for a new building – and can’t get a response for a week or more!! Communication is the key to any good relationship, and crucial to successful construction.

Red Flag #2 – contractor wants to borrow anything from the customer! I was a registered contractor for years, and in several states. As a builder, never ask to borrow anything from a client. Not only is it unprofessional, but it is a near guarantee of whatever is being borrowed – will be returned broken.

Red Flag #3 – wants more money for a “friend” to do extra work! If extra work actually is needed, it should be up to the client’s discretion of who to pick, and what to pay them.

Please – if considering purchasing an entire building (materials and labor) from a contractor, start with a visit to their website. If the website looks cheap or unprofessional, it is a pretty good indicator of the work which will be done on your new building.

If they are not a member of the Better Business Bureau (just because the BBB logo is on their website, does not mean they are a member – click on the logo to confirm it links to the BBB) and the National Frame Building Association (www.NFBA.org), my humble opinion is to run (do not walk) away from them as quickly as possible.

As the sage Benjamin Franklin once said, “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”

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Japanese Framing Part II

Continued from yesterday’s blog…..

The Typical House

Besides introducing the Japanese to glulam lumber, we worked to promote 2×4 construction. For centuries homes have been built in Japan with 90mm x 90mm (approximately 3-1/2 inches) square posts and beams. The small-dimension materials are not very strong, so the posts are usually only about 6 feet apart. The same material is used for diagonal bracing.

Setting a beamOnce the roof (usually tile) is on, the structure is reinforced with 2×3 studs toenailed vertically between the posts and the bracing, and flush with the exterior. That leaves the areas between the posts crowded with studs, making it more complicated to get in there with insulation, plumbing and wiring. The 2x3s are covered on the interior with a thin plywood or grass-cloth skin, leaving the posts and bracing exposed. Sound travels through walls as if they weren’t there.

We tried to convince the carpenters that a heavy plywood could handle the shear movement, thus eliminating all that diagonal bracing. But traditions die hard in Japan and although our suggestions were greeted with bows and smiles, nothing changed.

Trenches for concrete footings are dug by the smallest crawler-backhoe I’ve ever seen. No description fits them better than “cute”. But their work is precise since forms are rarely used, although a batterboard usually set for grade. Once the footings are in, form panels are set 6 to 8 inches above grade, and the foundation is poured 1 inch lower than its final height.

That last inch is composed of a rich, hand-mixed topping cement. Instead of using a screed, a series of 1x8s are shot in level with a transit and nailed to the green foundation walls to serve as a guide for the 1-inch final pour. After this has hardened, holes are drilled and anchor bolts set.

All this struck me as an incredible waste of time, In fact we had meetings about it for two days. But in the end, I was told that although our way is probably better, they intended to use their own methods. I bit my tongue.

Tools

While some of the finest power tools available are made in Japan, a lot of the work is still done by hand. Since most of the country uses only 100 volts, we didn’t bother to take our own power tools. But we were up the creek once we got there and realize standard tools, like routers, weren’t available at the site.

If we asked for a power tool it usually appeared. But at times, when they didn’t understand our need for it, our hosts would tell us the tool wasn’t available. We would counter with, “You make it over here and you tell us you can’t get it. Let me see the catalog.” After pointing out what we wanted, the unavailable tool would materialize. Once we demonstrated how we used that tool, they were quick to adopt and even improve upon our methods.

To the Japanese, a 16-oz. hammer is considered big. They were shocked by our 22-oz. scored-head framers. A few tried them but quickly went back to their smaller ones.

Getting an adequate air supply for our nail guns was another problem. They had either small compressors that forced us to wait every few shots for the pressure to catch up, or huge ones normally used to run jackhammers. We ended up using the guns to start the nails while a man followed behind finishing the job by hand. Next trip, my 1-1/2 hp Emglo goes with me.

A Tradition of Craftsmanship

There are two classes of carpenters in Japan: those who learn traditional building techniques through apprenticeships and those who are trained largely as they work. For the latter, production is the key. Used to working with manufactured housing, their skills are more like those of assembly line workers.

Apprentice carpenters, on the other hand, go through a rigid apprenticeship lasting about nine years. During their training, apprentices learn to fit materials together so skillfully that it looks as if the wood grew that way. To watch them work is to learn a whole new respect for craftsmanship.

During my trip to Fukuoka, the carpenters used about 400 4x4s for girders. These were crossed with 2×6 floor joists about 16 inches on-center. All of these were fit together with a joining method similar to dovetailing. It was hard to believe the number of cuts involved – each with its own peculiar angle.

The top Japanese carpenter and his apprentice spent most of a day using a pencil and a square to mark the cuts. The next day he simply picked up a saw and, without even bothering to set the blade angle, cut the notches as fast as his assistant could turn the beams. Though he never changed the setting, his mastery of the saw bordered on the artistic. Most of my crew gathered around to watch for a while. Before returning to work, we honored his skill with a spontaneous round of applause.

Topping Out

Our framing work at each site ended with a traditional “muneage” or topping-out ceremony, to thank the gods for letting us raise the structure. The building was draped in American and Japanese flags and a band played while many toasts were drunk with Japanese rice wine. True to their ways, our hosts planned every second of the ceremony, from the number of drum beats to accompany the lifting of the last beam to the time it took for us to attach the beam in place with gold-plated brackets and bolts. Then a cannon was fired, nearly blowing us off the building.

In both Osaka and Fukuoka, the ceremony also symbolized the cooperation required to get the structure framed. In spite of different languages, tools, and traditions, we were successful at completing our work. We also learned a lot from one another and had a lot of fun.”

Posted in memory of my Uncle Neil– truly a skilled framing contractor – and craftsman.

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Dear Guru: Should I Use Road Base Gravel?

New!  The Pole Barn Guru’s mailbox is overflowing with questions.  Due to high demand, he is answering questions on Saturdays as well as Mondays.

Welcome to Ask the Pole Barn Guru – where you can ask questions about building topics, with answers posted on Mondays.  With many questions to answer, please be patient to watch for yours to come up on a future Monday or Saturday segment.  If you want a quick answer, please be sure to answer with a “reply-able” email address.

Email all questions to: PoleBarnGuru@HansenPoleBuildings.com

DEAR POLE BARN GURU:Hello, I see you are head quartered in Browns Valley MN, but do not have any Certified Builders in your home state. Why is this?

Thanks. READY TO BUILD IN MN

DEAR READY: As Browns Valley is a border town, we are actually physically located in South Dakota – which is neither actually here nor there. Strangely enough, we provide more pole building kit packages the further we get away from our office – areas like Washington, Oregon, Colorado, New York and Pennsylvania have always been among the states where we seemingly deliver the most buildings.

The why? Most future building owners in Minnesota (and South Dakota) seem to be more than capable of constructing their own buildings and prefer to do the work themselves. Whether you hire a builder or do the work yourself varies greatly from region to region. Hansen Buildings designs custom kits for the average homeowner to construct their own building. Our expertise is in getting you exactly the building you want and need, and not a “standard” or “canned” kit. We are not contractors in any state. If you are not so inclined, and need a builder, your Hansen Building Designer can assist you in finding one.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU:I am now considering using road base gravel for the flooring, packing it tight with a plate compacter. I am told that our property taxes depend on flooring and if cement it is considered a “permanent” structure and taxed by its square footage, finished or not. If dirt or gravel it is simply an agricultural building and not taxed the same way.

Are there any recommendations for using road base gravel flooring like this ?? MEANDERING IN MONTANA

DEAR MEANDERING: I’d never make my choice of floor based upon whether or not I had to pay taxes on it or not. It should be based upon what is going to provide the most satisfactory surface – which is usually going to be a concrete slab on grade poured over a compacted base and a quality vapor barrier.

In the event the choice ends up being road base gravel, I’d recommend having the top of the gravel even with the bottom of the pressure treated splash plank – because odds are good the concrete slab is eventually going to be desired.

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Dear Pole Barn Guru: Wood or Steel Trusses?

Welcome to Ask the Pole Barn Guru – where you can ask questions about building topics, with answers posted on Mondays.  With many questions to answer, please be patient to watch for yours to come up on a future Monday segment.  If you want a quick answer, please be sure to answer with a “reply-able” email address.

Email all questions to: PoleBarnGuru@HansenPoleBuildings.com

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Should I go with wood, or 12 or 14 gauge steel trusses? DELIBERATING DEE

DEAR DELIBERATING: I came from the prefabricated wood roof truss industry, having spent nearly two decades either having built them myself, been a designer, managing or owning roof truss manufacturing plants.

 In my experience I learned prefabricated wood trusses are amazing products. Not only can they be utilized for a myriad of different application, they also are a highly engineered product. Every component of a wood roof truss is put through a rigorous computer analysis, which verifies all members are capable (when properly installed and braced) to be able to withstand not only the snow loads to which they will be subjected, but also wind loads. The entire process is remarkably complex, involving the most up-to-date research available. Because of this, wood roof trusses just do not experience failures, within the parameters of the design loads.

 Besides all of this, pre-fabricated roof truss manufacturers are required, by the Building Codes, to be inspected quarterly by an independent firm for quality control. These inspections are done without any advance notice – the inspector just shows up unannounced. The truss company must supply the engineer sealed drawings for every truss the inspector wants to review. No engineering and the trusses must be destroyed. The inspectors are so thorough, they even take a micrometer to the steel roof truss plates, to confirm they are the correct thickness! The size and grade of every piece of wood in the truss is verified to meet or exceed what is specified on the drawings, and all of the joints between the wood members are checked to make sure they are tight. Even the placement of the steel plates must match what is shown on the drawings.

 The inspector also looks to make sure completed trusses are adequately stored to prevent deterioration of the wood members and to prevent damage to the truss plates.

 In other words, the inspections are rigorous.

 When I owned my first business, in Oregon, we hired a very nice gentleman to be a pole building sales person for us. Originally from Arkansas, Stan’s father built light gauge steel truss frames for “pole” buildings (in their case, the entire structural framework was made of steel, so they actually were not pole buildings – but rather light gauge steel frame buildings).

 Stan discussed with me his interest in building the same type of frames and distributing them in the Pacific Northwest. While I didn’t see this as a fit for our particular niche (we were pole buildings only), I did give Stan my blessings to head out on his own and start his own business.

 Apparently things were a little different where Stan was from – the steel truss frames there were made of steel angle iron for the top and bottom chords, and rebar was welded in between for the internal webbing. Engineering was never a requirement, Stan’s daddy just built them using seat-of-the pants – with the assumption if they worked in the past, then they would work in the future.

 The Pacific Northwest was not quite the same as Arkansas, as Stan quickly found out. In order to acquire building permits (required on most uildings in the West), Building Departments required engineer sealed drawings for the steel truss frames. Having to engineer the trusses resulted in upgrades to the designs – no more rebar for truss webs, they had to use angle iron there as well. Plus, it required certified welders having to do the fabrication. These requirements added exponentially to the cost of the frames, and made them have to play by rules similar to the prefabricated wood roof truss industry.

Stan long ago sold his interest in the company he founded, but it continues to fill a place in the market. The buildings are generally 15-20% more than post frame construction.

 As to the choice of trusses, most people are very comfortable working with wood as wood tends to be very forgiving. Attaching wood roof purlins to a steel framework is not as easy or straightforward as wood to wood.

 Part of the answer to your question is – what is it going to cost? In order to get a direct comparison, make sure the proposed light gauge steel trusses being quoted come with wet sealed (not photo copied) structural drawings. The drawings should also include the requirements for bracing. Steel trusses normally take diagonal steel struts from the bottom chord of the truss, up to the roof purlins, to prevent buckling of the trusses in the weak direction. The bracing, as well as any connectors should be included in the price. Detailed instructions should be provided so the trusses are adequately attached to the columns, and for installation of the bracing.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do you have someone to install your buildings? TEXAS JEFF

DEAR TEXAS: Hansen Pole Buildings is a supplier of pole building kit packages only.

 You do not need to hire a contractor to build your pole building. Our buildings are designed for the do-it-yourself person. Most of our clients do their own construction. We believe our drawings and industry-leading Construction Guide are clear enough to make the task relatively simple, even for the first-time builder. Keep in mind this is a material kit, not a completely pre-fabricated structure. Assembly, including measuring and cutting, will be required. You will be required to have (or borrow or rent) various hand tools. If you are not comfortable with putting up your own building, a contractor should be available at a reasonable price. We have found the average person who can read and understand English can, and will, build a better building for him or herself than most contractors. Why? Because it’s YOUR building and you will take the time and care to do it “right”.                                                                                  

We are clearly not contractors in any sense of the word. We do not construct, build or repair buildings (or portions of buildings) anywhere for anyone. Should you need a builder, we DO have a list of builders for nearly anywhere in the country. Please call our office to receive a builder referral.

 Keep in mind, a referral is not an endorsement on Hansen Pole Buildings part of the particular builder’s skills or lack thereof, As none of them work directly for us, we can’t guarantee the quality of their work, We DO have a “one strike and you’re out” rule for our referral list. Simply, if we receive even one verifiable and legitimate negative complaint about any particular builder, we will no longer give out their name to our clients. While this is not a fail-safe method, it does afford some degree of protection, it is always a good idea to speak with other customers the builder has done work for in the past, to get an idea of the builder’s professionalism.

 

 

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7 Ways to Avoid a Shady Contractor

Consumers can protect themselves from unscrupulous, often unlicensed pole building contractors. By following the following suggestions, it minimizes the possibility of becoming a victim to this all too common problem.

Carefully watch how your money is being spent

Deal only with a licensed contractor.

Many states, as well as smaller jurisdictions require contractors for construction services to be registered or licensed. The license number should be displayed on all business cards, proposals and any other contractor materials.

Verify the license.

Do not just assume the registration is valid. I once hired a contractor who provided a copy of his license to me. Only later (when there was a problem) did I find out it had expired and had been altered. Call the issuing agency to confirm it is valid.

Require Insurance.

Require both a certificate of insurance showing liability insurance coverage AND proof of workers compensation insurance for all workers. Some contractors are registered with an industrial insurance account, however they report their workers as having zero hours, and pay no premiums. The workers are NOT covered.

If someone is hurt, and uninsured, the building owner can very well be held liable.

Know Who You are Dealing With.

Doing business with a Contractor who has a good reputation for doing the job right, in an ethical manner, at a reasonable cost is the ideal situation. Ask for references and then verify them.

Understand What You are Getting.

Before agreeing to any work (as well as making any payment), require a written proposal describing in plain language what work will be done. A statement regarding compliance with applicable Building Codes should be included. If the contractor is doing building permit acquisition, it should be stated in writing and a copy of the permit should be provided prior to work starting.

A total price should be as inclusive as possible. Any unforeseeable work or unit prices clearly addressed (like what happens if holes are difficult to dig). If the contract is not understandable, have it clarified in writing. Maintain all paperwork, plans and permits when the job is done, for future reference.

Familiarize Yourself With the Terms.

Contractor’s proposals and Contracts should contain specific terms and conditions. As with any contract, such terms spell out the obligations of both parties, and should be read carefully. Be wary of forms which are extremely short or are vaguely worded. A well written contract should address all possibilities and may very well take more than one page. Payment terms may vary, however most will require payment in full upon completion of all work. Do not pay for all work until the Contractor has finished the job.

Don’t Let Price or Warranty be Your Only Guide.

Many building owners subscribe to the idea of obtaining three bids and if they all appear to be roughly the same, take the low bidder. This is simply not always a good practice, especially if there is a large disparity between prices. Be extremely cautious of prices which are substantially lower than others. It can mean a mistake has been made, or something is being left out. The Contractor may be planning on shortcuts in quality which can make the building owner the ultimate loser.

Be wary of unusually long warranties as an enticement. It is reasonable to expect a year or two of warranty for labor.

Keep in mind a good contract is written to provide clear communication between two parties.  It also protects both parties, and should never be “one sided”.  From my years as a general contractor, a well thought out and spelled out contract (in writing) made for the smoothest projects. When clients followed all of the above suggestions, I knew they cared enough to do “their best” and I was on the same playing field….the one where both of us “played fair”.

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Do You Speak Contractor?

Most contractors didn’t become contractors because they love to communicate. If they did they would be like Bob Villa and have their own TV show.

Contractor TalkingSometimes what they say seems completely obvious to them, but makes no sense to you. Of course most of what I say seems completely obvious to me, but makes no sense to my darling bride either.

A contractor might speak euphemistically to dance around difficult topics. These tips should help translate some of the euphemisms and somewhat curt statements you might hear, so the most is gotten out of the client-contractor relationship.

You Hear Nothing. If a contractor doesn’t call back, he’s just not into you. Don’t chase a contractor who’s too busy to return calls, unless you’ve given him money (in this instance, you and your money could be in trouble).

Let’s do it my way instead. No, no, no, no, no. The pole building plans and instructions should be followed explicitly. Just because a contractor has “experience” and has built lots of pole buildings (none of which have fallen down yet), does not give license to go off on a random path.

I’ll get started late next week. Manana. If a contractor sets a start date, he should be able to keep it. But many times several jobs are juggled at once and often unexpected circumstances arise. At best expect them only to come close to their start and completion estimates.

The price is… Unless the scope of work is changed, a contractor won’t expect to negotiate a lump sum price quote. Think the price is too high, get another quote for comparison. While prices vary because of differences in approaching the project or overhead costs, a contractor won’t stay in business unless he prices competitively.

I’ll do my best. There is a good chance a contract will fall short of your expectations. I once took a class on how to write construction contracts. The attorney who taught the class said any builder with a 50% customer satisfaction rate, was doing well!

Generally building owners ask for too much. Have realistic expectations.  Should they do a good or even great job?  Of course. But if your project is a week behind because it rained every day for 10 days and your building site was a mud hole, it may not have gotten done by the time you had hoped.

There are three elements to any project: The level of quality, the price and the time it takes to complete the project. Pick two of these which are most important, as all three do not happen in concurrence. Need everything perfect by a certain date?  Be prepared to pay more.

The design needed some tweaking. Often, this means the builder didn’t follow the plans as they should have. This does not bode well, as in most cases any warrantees are void.

I don’t think this is a good fit. If a contractor declines to quote a project it could be for a lot of reasons. Maybe he has concerns about the budget. You and your contractor will be talking a lot, so maybe he just didn’t think you clicked. It could also be he’s too busy, and he won’t be able to devote enough time to your project to do it right.

We are going to need to do some value engineering. Caviar dreams on a cheese and cracker budget? Be careful when the “value engineering” term gets thrown out.  Value engineering is when the team thinks creatively about how to rework the project to lower costs. All to often this results in a substandard finished product.

Let’s walk through and make a punch list. This was my pet peeve as a builder, when clients were unable or willing to provide a one-time complete list.

A contractor wants and deserves to know everything which needs to be done to have a client satisfied with the work. Every trip to the job costs the contractor, so make an effort to come up with a complete punch list —a list of to-do items which need to be completed for the project to be considered complete — instead of sending it bit by bit over time.

As I said, I was a contractor for a good number of years, with 17 crews in 6 states, so I’ve seen both sides of the coin.  Make sure you are on the side that gets what you want, for what you expected to pay for it.  Or at least close enough both you and the builder are celebrating the completion of your building – together.

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Homeowners Association Horror

Halloween has passed, but the horrors still lurk everywhere.  This is one of those Paul Harvey type tales which has “….and the rest of the story…”.

One of our clients is going to be constructing a new Hansen Pole Buildings kit. His hurdle – his local HOA (Homeowners Association).

Even though it added significantly to his costs (not to mention the having to maintain it), he didn’t grouse about having to use wood siding, as opposed to steel. IMHO (in my humble opinion) over the long haul, no one would object to a tasteful color of steel siding. Having to have had my own wood sided pole buildings repainted recently, I can attest to wood siding being an error I would never make if I had to do it all over again.

Our client’s idea was to use resawn plain T1-11 for siding. To add to the curb appeal, he proposed using 1×4 battens vertically every 16 inches to give the look of board and batten siding…without the cost (budget does play a part somewhere in most projects).

To his surprise, the Homeowners Association turned him down! Even though he had rolled over to go with wood siding, they want him to use actual cedar boards to create the board and batten look. Pretty well creates an instant doubling of the costs for his siding, not to mention a tremendous amount of extra time in the labor to construct.

Not to be daunted, our client pressed on.

He wanted to know the reasoning of the HOA. To his surprise, but not necessarily shock, there was a culprit to the siding game. Early on, he had contacted a building contractor to give him a price on a constructed building. Our client decided the builder’s proposal was not within his means, so opted to do the work himself. The builder happens to live in the same neighborhood and put the bug into the Homeowners Association to make life miserable for our client.

My recommendation to the client – push the HOA to exclude the builder from the discussions, as the builder has a conflict of interest.

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Building Plans: Why it Pays to Read Directions

One of our clients recently sent us the following by Email….

“The main issue we have is that the sidewall pieces and wainscot only add up to 8’7″, leaving almost 7″ of uncovered space between the top of the metal siding and the fascia all the way around.  We thought maybe it was a mistaken size that had been shipped, but now realize that the plans include the concrete pad in the 10 ft. high walls, rather than starting at the top of it, so the walls wouldn’t really end up being 10ft high, but closer to 9’4″.  But now everything has been framed based on calculations from the top of the pad. The endwall pieces will have the same problem.  What do we do now?  You can contact the builder (Joe xxxxxx) at xxx-xxx-xxxx with any specific questions.

My readers may recall back in March (Blog #199???) I addressed the subject of eave height. I wrote, “Eave height is: the measure from the bottom of the pressure treated splash plank, to the intersection of the underside of the roofing at the outside edge of the sidewall columns.”

When clients receive quotes, or place orders with Hansen Pole Buildings, they all state explicitly eave height is not interior clear height. This gives clients a pretty fair idea of what to expect.

To clarify matters, every building package comes with two sets of multiple page, two foot by three foot building plans. On at least three pages of the plans, in seven different places is stated, “Eave height = bottom of skirt board to intersection of roof steel and outside edge of sidewall columns”.

Assuming the building plans were somehow ignored, the correct measure of eave height is also stated repeatedly in the Construction Guide provided with the purchase of every post frame building kit.  There are diagrams and pictures with clear marking of dimensions, along with written encouragement for anyone not understanding eave height, to “call us”.

In this particular case, our client hired a builder to construct her new building. The builder’s error – he placed the roof trusses six inches higher on the columns than specified on the building plans and in the instructions.

Historically, clients who construct their own buildings rarely make this error – they read the provided documents. Considering hiring a builder? If so, find one who will read and pay attention to the plans and instructions.  Most of all, hire one who is not afraid to ask questions and clarify things if he’s not familiar with constructing a building kit from your chosen vendor.  Just like any other do-it-yourself kits, they are not all “the same.”

This entry was posted in Constructing a Pole Building, Building Contractor and tagged , , on by .

Do You Need a General Contractor?

The goal of post frame (pole building) construction is to be able to get the most building, for the dollars invested.

When a general contractor is hired to provide a constructed building, normally about 25% of the cost is going to the general contractor, who never lifts a tool or picks up a board at your building site.  This is not the same as a regular building contractor, who heads up a team of builders, but who also drives nails along with his crew.  A “general contractor” could be someone who drives nails, but usually doesn’t.  They often sit in an office and act as coordinator. Sometimes they visit the building site, and often do not. They may have a salesman who actually visits the jobsite.

If you are not a “hands on” person or one who is willing to invest a few hours of your own time to save thousands of dollars, then maybe hiring a general contractor is your answer.

When people start thinking of “General contractors” visions of dollar signs, disappointment and reality TV shows start floating through their minds.

In most cases, you don’t need or can’t afford a general contractor to be involved in your new pole building. If you have a very complex project, which involves numerous different trades it could be worthwhile to hire one.

Remember those hours the general contractor will save you on the jobsite? Plan on spending twice the amount of time to find a good general contractor. Do your due diligence and hire someone with excellent references and the professionalism to do what he was hired to do.

What exactly is due diligence?

Before even picking up the phone to call a contractor (both general contractors and those who drive nails) – check online to verify they are registered to do business in your state and to verify their contractor’s registration is current. Check their rating with the Better Business Bureau, as well as on Angie’s List. Google them, by looking for, “Phreds Construction complaints” (obviously Phred is a made up name, but you get the picture). If they have complaints, read through them, as sadly people are quick to complain about minor, or even imagined incidents.

Once you have narrowed your potential contractor choices down to no less than three, have them meet with you in person, at your building site to discuss your new pole building. Unless you are absolutely 100% certain as to the dimensions and features of the building you want, you are best to tell the contractor your needs (what problems is the building going to solve) and ask for recommendations as to the best design solution.

Each contractor is going to have different recommendations, so be prepared, after round one, to go back to each one of them, with your final design.

By now, you should have started to form relationships with these general contractors. Time to start asking for documentation from your “leading” candidate. You want a copy of their contractor’s registration, a certificate of liability insurance with you named as additional insured, all warranties in writing, three written references, and the names and phone numbers of their accountant, banker, and at least three major suppliers. It is up to YOU to call all of these people and verify they are financially stable, they do not bounce checks, they pay their bills on time, etc. If the “little voice” inside of your head starts to whisper bad things to you – move on to the next candidate.

The general contractor is supposed to be your lifeline to everything you need done. He supposedly knows the right people to hire, the best places to get supplies, and he is the one who will coordinate all the tiny jobs which need to be done so you aren’t on the phone constantly trying to coordinate what should be happening.

If I sound completely negative on this subject, remember, I was a General Contractor at one time.  I ran 35 crews in 6 states and I had really good crews….and I had those who had no business pounding nails.  What I am saying here is to be careful – and check out everything you can on a General Contractor, before you hire him.  I appreciated every client who did due diligence and  checked me out from top to bottom before they hired me.  I knew they would treat me with the same professionalism as I treated them.

If you begin without unrealistic expectations and do your homework, you can have a satisfactory experience when hiring a general contractor. Just remember, it isn’t free.

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Bid Jobs: How Do Contractors Blow Budgets and Still Get Paid?

How do Contractors Blow Budgets and Still Get Paid?

Bid jobs are a miracle all in themselves. Usually they begin from an interested party at an organization realizing, “Hey, we need a new building”.

Bid Jobs

Eventually they will get enough of their cohorts involved to reach a critical mass. One of them will then go forth and (after doing some level of research), obtains some price quotes.

At times, some things tend to be overlooked in the early stages of the process. The most overlooked – between the beginning and the time the project goes out for bid, an architect or engineer will probably be hired. This will generally astronomically increase the complexity of the project. Next most overlooked – if this is a publicly funded building, labor to construct it will probably be governed by the Davis-Bacon Act. This act, dictates prevailing wages and benefits must be paid to laborers who work to assemble the building. This, in itself, can significantly raise the price of the completed project. In many cases, unusual insurance and/or bonding stipulations are required (usually at an architect’s insistence), further bumping up costs.

Assuming all of the previous bid job pitfalls have been survived, the project goes out to bid.

Now reality sets in – as generally the project bids will overrun the initial budget. Often by two or three times budget. Why? Reflect back to the overlooked items above.

The budget either gets bumped up (usually the case, as by now, all are convinced the building has to be built), or the scope of the project is reduced.

And it goes out for bid again…..

I’ve been a general contractor, so I will explain how the results turn out in reality, rather than how they should turn out.

In most cases, the lowest bidder will lose money on the project, exactly as the project is specified in the bid documents.

The answer to this dilemma?  Make darn sure you know exactly what you want in the beginning, and don’t make any changes.

Carefully watch how your money is being spent

After being awarded the bid, the low bidder first does the “OMG – I got the bid”, as they know the lowest bidder has to work like crazy in order to turn a profit.

And how do they turn lemons into lemonade? First, the bid documents are scoured to minimize the cost on every possible item. No stone is left unturned, and if it means a sacrifice in the quality of the finished project, so be it.

The number one way to salvage….Change Orders.

The contractor has been awarded the bid to provide the materials and construct the building. Any changes will be expensive…what is the alternative? Have someone else come in to do some very small portion of the work, or provide an individual item or items? It isn’t happening.

You and your organization have no real practical choice, you have “bought the proverbial farm”.

Change Orders are the low bidders’ salvation; they count on them to guarantee a profitable outcome on any bid jobs.

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