Metal Building Installation: Staying Ahead of Winter Weather

Are harsh winter conditions impeding your home renovations and business expansion?

Winter weather can indeed complicate installation, and involves several real risks. It takes a professional metal building company with specialized knowledge to ensure your structure goes up safely and smoothly.

By following these steps, you can do everything possible to ensure a flawless winter metal building installation:

• Plan your building layout and site location early
• Set your foundation ahead of time
• Be flexible with your schedule

Let’s dive into why installing a metal building in the winter can present challenges and what you can do about it.

Why Building Installations Slow in the Winter

Depending on your exact climatic conditions, winter installation issues will vary. Here are some of the most common reasons:

Trucks slow down due to weather conditions

Trucks carrying building materials are much more likely to face delays that slow travel times, or have to cancel or reschedule due to road conditions.

Smaller staff size

Some construction crews reduce their staffing in the winter due to the unsafe weather conditions and generally lower demand. This can result in the few who need to install their buildings quickly waiting longer than is typical for installation.

Below-freezing temperatures slow down installation

The logistics of installing a metal building in below-freezing temperatures can be complicated and, if rushed without proper precautions, dangerous for the crew. This can also lead to working crew members getting sick more often from working in the cold.

Metal Building Installation in the Winter

Although weather conditions are largely out of your control, there are a few key steps you can take to set your winter installation up for success. 

Plan building layout and site location early

It’s critical to choose your site location and building layout well in advance. Speak with a metal building specialist about your intentions and uses for your new metal building, as buyers often misjudge the size and space they will need. Choosing the correct size from the beginning is essential, as this drastically reduces cost and installation time. You’ll also need to decide where your metal building will be placed and how it will be situated. For example, considerations include how you want it to face on your building site, wind, and sunlight.

Choose your foundation ahead of time

Decide on which type of foundation you’ll use before winter weather sets in. This is especially true if you choose a concrete foundation - a sturdier and more durable option in most cases - since you can’t pour concrete in freezing temperatures. Any work being done in the winter becomes much easier as soon as your foundation is set.

Be flexible with your schedule

If you have a hard deadline, allow your metal building installation crew a few weeks of leeway. A building company with winter installation experience is a must, but even the most knowledgeable team can’t control inclement weather conditions that compromise safety.

Don’t worry about your metal building kit

Rest assured that your metal building kit is sturdy enough to handle any weather condition. Even if unpredictable weather means leaving the kit half-installed for a few days, your metal building will be just fine. Steel building’s durability is made to withstand the harshest of conditions.

How Alpha Structures Installs Buildings in the Winter

If you’re planning a metal building installation this winter season, the right building company can make or break how successful you are. Alpha Structures has years of experience successfully installing metal buildings during winter weather by prioritizing resources to ensure a fast and safe installation time.

While some companies have to cut back on winter staff, we work with manufacturers that increase staff and installation crews in the winter to continue providing quick installation times. We work hard to get all of our supplies out as soon as possible before harsh weather hits, and we stay on top of earlier orders to ensure that delivery is on time and that trucks and crews are available when needed.

In the following States, these are the winter delivery times you can expect for installation:

• North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia: 2 weeks or less
• Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Louisiana: 2 weeks or less
• Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, California, Mississippi, and Missouri: 4 weeks or less
• If you don’t see your state listed, give us a call or request a quote!

Final Thoughts

Installing a metal building in the dead of winter offers its own set of unique challenges. Whether you urgently need to expand your business or farm into another building, or finally have the land and finances to build your dream home, there is sometimes no other choice than a winter installation.

Review your priorities, do as much to prepare as you can, and don’t wait to call your metal building company to ensure the turnaround you need is doable.

Always put safety first, keeping in mind that ice or severe snow storms can create unforeseen delays. Start planning early, prep your foundation, and you’re on your way!