Materials List: Scary Disclaimer

From time-to-time our potential clients will send us a quote from another provider to compare.  Often it includes a materials list. Typically this happens when Brand X is “thousands” of dollars less expensive for what is supposed to be (but rarely is) the same building size, quality and features.

One such company, provides only a list of pieces, and nowhere on the materials list does it state the dimensions of the building, or the load carrying capabilities (wind, snow, seismic).

At the bottom of these lists is the following disclaimer:

You may buy all the materials or any part at low cash and carry prices. Because of the wide variation in codes, Xxxxxxx cannot guarantee the material list will meet your code requirements. These post frame buildings are suggested designs and materials list only. Some items may vary from those pictured. We do not guarantee the completeness or prices of these buildings. Labor, concrete flooring, some finish materials and delivery are not included. Some special order truss sizes may be jobsite delivered. Delivery is extra. This post frame may have been altered from the plan’s original design.”

Personally, I find this statement to be seriously disturbing, if not totally misleading.

Provided the potential client has verified the loading requirements with their permit issuing jurisdiction, any competent provider should be able to guarantee to provide a building which will indeed meet the given loading requirements as well as clearly stating on the quote, what those loads are.

Amazingly this particular company runs advertisements for buildings, and includes prices. How is it then they can say in good conscience, “We do not guarantee the completeness or prices of these buildings”?

Regardless of who might be quoting a given building, it would be my strong encouragement to run, don’t walk away from any prospective provider who will not clearly state on their quote the dimensions, full code and load information.  There also should be an explicit guarantee to fully provide the required materials to complete the building, per the plans. Any not included items should be clearly stated and all price quotes should include jobsite delivery.

Don’t become one of those horror stories where thousands of dollars of materials had to be added because they were left out of the original materials list.  Carefully read every word on the quote you are given, and if you don’t understand it, ask questions.  The one question you didn’t ask may well be the one which cost you thousands of extra dollars “out of budget”.

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