We all personally could probably pick our favorite season if we had to, I know I could! Every region and state have their own yearly weather patterns. From seasons changing to complete 180’s in weather day today. The weather plays a huge factor in the Metal Buildings Industry and can be diametrical to timelines being meant. Customers should always take a few key questions into consideration when buying a building;

1. What time of year do I want to build?
2. Is this time of year practical with the climate?
3. Will the weather prove to be problematic?

Too Hot to Handle

You may want to build in the summertime thinking ‘oh the weather is great that time of year’. Yes, the weather may be wonderful but that may not be the case when working with steel. On a beautiful Sunny and 85-degree day, our erectors literally feel the heat and especially if the humidity is high. With the steel being exposed to direct sunlight the energy from the sun is absorbed quicker. This is when delays happen in a project and these ‘Acts of God’ are out of our control, obviously. As much as we would love to control the weather, we can’t. The heat alone can delay a project by days just because performance level goes down because keep in mind when people are in the heat for a long period of time they too can get overheated just like the steel. This is not saying don’t build in your summertime. This is simply saying your timeframe might expand a little because of the temperature.

Too Cold for Comfort

Heat isn’t the only weather we worry about. Cold/freezing temperatures can also take a toll on a project. The cold could make the ground unworkable if it freezes over. If the snow starts flying and/or wind chills are at dangerous temperatures that becomes a safety hazard for our crews. With snow and wind, you are always at a higher risk of ice forming and that gets extremely dangerous for our crews when they are working on any part of your building. These weather elements could cause us to demobilize and have to return when the weather is workable and we have no safety concerns about the weather. Because at the end of the day our number one goal is the safety of our crews.

Weathering the Storm

Yes, heat and the winter conditions can put a damper on a site but a huge element that affects our industry is rain. This is because every region most likely experiences it at some point in the year. Rain can have a huge impact on timelines due to the simple fact that rain can accumulate very fast and turn a nice firm job site into a mud boggers dream. Job sites that get rain can easily be delayed days depending on how much fell. When the ground becomes soft it affects our machinery from maneuvering around a site. Mind you we do everything in our power that we can do without the equipment but it can get to the point where a work stand still happens. Trying to go on without equipment after doing what you can is like asking a football player to play without a football…you can’t do your job without the correct tools.

Yes, I know that you will get excited when planning out your project. Who wouldn’t? But with everything said above just make sure you make your dream realistic as in the timeframe you want it. Take the time to wait for your area’s “building season”, this alone can make your building go up more smoothly and mitigate delays.