Tag Archives: wall steel placement

Pole Building Gone Wrong

There is Something Wrong with This Picture

building problemsMy disclaimer, this is NOT a Hansen Pole Building. It was advertised on Craigslist by a builder in Kentucky. There are some odd things about this pole building – one of them which is crucial and the building owner is going to hate probably forever.

Maybe longer.

The first odd thing about this building is the builder even put the picture up on the internet.

As you read on, you will find out why.

Look at the sliding door at the center of the front endwall of the building. Notice, the bottom of the sliding doors are what looks to be about four inches above the bottom of the neighboring walls.

This four inch hold up is ideal for pouring a nominal four inch thick concrete floor using the splash plank as a perimeter form.

There is a plethora of information out there on the internet about pouring concrete slabs on grade. I am not the world’s most knowledgeable person when it comes to concrete, so I have gleaned information both from my own reading as well as talking to the experts. Here is my take: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2012/05/concrete-slab-2/

Now, if you will, please look immediately adjacent to each side of the sliding door. The wall steel is run all the way to the ground.

This is directly from the steel warranty of American Building Products : https://www.abcmetalroofing.com/Learn-More/Warranties/

  1. g) Damage to the coated Metal caused by contact with corrosive substances, or allowing panel cut edges to be in continual contact with water, damp insulation, soil or vegetation i.e. setting wall panels directly on the concrete sheeting notch or base trim.

I changed the font to BOLD to make a point – the bottom edge of the siding is going to be in contact with the ground. Voiding the warranty.

Walk your eyes around the corner of the building photo to the entry door (formerly man door, which was deemed politically incorrect). See the steel siding below the entry door?

Building Codes require a landing outside of entry doors (here is the proof: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2015/02/landings/ ).

When the landing concrete is poured, it will not be directly onto the wall steel – again, not good.

When something so important is not only neglected, but promoted as examples of good work, it makes me wonder if more things are done improperly or just plain left out.

To their credit, I can say at least they (this builder) do have a website, not just a Facebook page. I give them at least this amount of credit and place them above Chuck-in-a-truck.

There are also two very important reasons I would never consider having them build a building for me. They are not Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org) members in one. Although the BBB might be slightly off kilter at times, it does lend credibility to a business – and it is not expensive, so why cheap out?

The other reason?

They are not members of the National Frame Building Association (www.NFBA.org ). If one is not willing to invest in the success of their own business, what does it mean for the success to you of your new building?