When you've got a structural steel project on the horizon, you may be wondering which metal fabrication company you should work with for your upcoming project. There are many choices available and each one seems to offer something a little different compared to the others. What factors should you consider before you make a decision?
Specialty
Probably the most important element to consider is the experience of the company you're looking at. Does it "gel" with the type of project that you have in mind? It's important to focus on this, as many different metal fabrication companies will tend to specialise in one particular area.
Don't automatically assume that a fabrication company that has experience with precise machining in the auto industry will be automatically ideal for a large scale building project. Does the organisation have experience in working with the specific type of metal grade and gauge that you need? If not, another company would probably work better for you.
In-House or Contractor
Also, how much of the project will the company handle in-house as opposed to subcontracting? If skilled staff members have to be brought in from the outside, make sure that the company still has a good handle on the project completion date.
Expert Mix
Expertise is everything when it comes to structural steel and metal fabrication. The company should have a good mix of engineers, assessors and tradespeople who are all good in their craft. This should all be tied together by managers with direct experience in the field.
Method
When it comes to keeping on track with any complex project, the methodology applied by the company will be critical. Many different processes will be involved from design through fabrication and into the finished product. The company you choose should have a clearly defined method to ensure process control.
Quality
While process control will help to keep your project on track as it moves through its various phases, ensure that your chosen metal fabrication company has all the necessary certifications to ensure quality, as well. Timely work is one thing, but corners should never be cut. The business should have visible measures in place to ensure that each point of the project passes inspection, before moving on to the next.
It's worth asking all these specific questions of your candidate, so that you don't have to micromanage or worse, pick up the pieces when things go wrong.
