You've picked your size, signed off on the quote and placed the order. The next big milestone is the day a truck pulls up with your building on it. A little preparation makes that day go smoothly, and it protects the steel you just paid for. Here's what to expect and what to have ready.
How Long Until Your Building Arrives
Most Duro Span buildings ship in about 6 to 8 weeks from the time you order. Some can be expedited, so call if you're working against a deadline. Before your building ships, we send an erection and foundation manual. That gives you time to get the foundation poured and cured while your building is being made, so you're ready to start assembly as soon as the parts arrive.
Use those weeks well. Pull your permit if your area requires one, schedule your concrete, and line up help for both delivery day and assembly. Our
permit guide and
foundation options article walk through those two steps in detail.
Prep the Site Before the Truck Comes
Your building arrives on a full-size freight truck. The driver needs to get close enough to unload safely, and you need somewhere to put everything.
Before delivery day:
• Check the access route. The truck needs a firm, dry path to your site with room to turn around. Soft ground after rain is the most common problem. Watch for low power lines and overhanging branches.
• Clear a staging area. Pick a flat, dry spot near your foundation, big enough to lay out arch panels, end wall parts and hardware without stacking them in mud.
• Have the foundation ready. Ideally your slab or footings are poured and cured, with the base connectors in place per the manual.
• Gather blocking. Have dry lumber on hand to keep parts off the ground. You'll need it for storage (more on that below).
• Be reachable. Make sure the delivery contact number on your order is a phone someone will answer that day.
Unloading Your Building
Unloading is usually your job, so plan for it. A forklift or front-end loader makes it quick and easy. If you don't have access to either, round up a group of helpers. The more people you have, the faster it goes. Wear gloves, since panel edges can be sharp, and carry panels rather than dragging them across the ground or each other. Scratching the coating now is avoidable damage.
Check the Shipment Right Away
Every Duro Span building is inspected three separate times before it ships. Even so, freight can get bumped in transit, so do a count while the truck is still there or right after. Compare what arrived against your packing list. If anything is damaged, take photos and note it on the delivery paperwork before you sign. If a piece is missing or damaged, call us and we'll ship replacement parts as quickly as possible.
Storing Parts Until You Build
This is the step people get wrong most often, and it matters. Galvalume steel that sits damp while pressed against other sheets can develop a white or dark gray deposit called wet storage stain. Throwing a tarp over the bundles is one of the worst things you can do, because it traps moisture against the steel.
If your building will sit outside for any real length of time before assembly:
• Cut the strapping on the arch panel bundles.
• Separate the panels with small pieces of dry wood so air can move between every sheet.
• Fully separate the end wall bundles so no two sheets touch.
• Keep everything up off the ground on dry blocking.
• Store bolts, nuts and small hardware indoors and keep the boxes together.
Follow those steps and wet storage stain won't be an issue.
Line Up Your Crew
More than 75% of Duro customers put up their buildings themselves. A crew of four people is what we recommend. You can work with fewer or more, but four people can typically finish in a matter of days, depending on the building's size. Larger and taller buildings go faster with lift equipment for setting arches.
Schedule your crew for the days right after delivery so parts spend as little time outside as possible, and keep an eye on the forecast. If you're building a garage, our
DIY garage article covers the assembly side in more detail.
Delivery Day Checklist
• Permit approved (if required)
• Foundation poured, cured and ready
• Truck access route firm and clear
• Staging area cleared, with dry blocking on hand
• Forklift, loader or helpers lined up for unloading
• Packing list ready to check against
• Crew scheduled for assembly
Ready to price a Duro Span building?
Request a free quote or call 888-848-2011 to talk with a Duro Span steel building specialist.