FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
RETAIL SALES HELP WEBSITE
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1. How do the building materials get delivered to my job site?
BETTER BUILT BARNS may pre-build components such as rafters, wall panels, and our door at our local facility. These components are then loaded onto our trucks, along with the other materials and tools required to install your building. Then our experienced builders will drive the material to your job site to start installation.
2. Do I need a concrete slab, or what type of floor is included?
In most cases we don’t build on a concrete slab, but we can build on a slab as long as it is perfectly square and level. Our floor systems are built on 2x4 floor joists, spaced 12” on center with 5/8” plywood flooring on top. This sub floor rests on 4x4 pressure treated skids and under the skids are 12”x12”x2” pad blocks. This provides a solid foundation off the ground to support the walls and roof. The floor is off the ground a minimum of 10 Inches and it leaves room for air to ventilate underneath the floor keeping it dry. The site must be level within 6” for BETTER BUILT BARNS to build. Gravel is not required, however it is beneficial in some cases because it keeps the job site less muddy, and will help with drainage in soggy areas.
3. How many skids are under a building?
6ft and 8ft wide buildings come with 2 pressure treated 4x4 skids underneath the floor joists, 10ft wide buildings come with 3 skids, and 12ft wide buildings come with 4 skids under the floor. They all run the full length of the building with the floor joists crossing them on 1’ centers.
4. Is this a Kit?
At this time BETTER BUILT BARNS does not offer any kit buildings and all products are installed on-site.
5. Is there any Assembly cost?
Our Standard buildings include all assembly costs in the base price, except for work done outside the normal installation process. Examples are: site leveling, hauling away debris or old sheds, packing building materials for more than 120’, moving the floor or building after it has been built and blocked.
6. What about Accessories?
There are many accessories available for a building. You can find them in the brochure.
7. What kind of Siding do you use?
We use a durable and solid, premium Smart Side Panel™ siding with a 50 year limited warranty. It has vertical grooves and deeply embossed wood grain texture that will provide a quality look and feel for years. Lap siding available, please call for pricing.
8. Can I purchase this product with my store card?
Yes, depending on your personal credit limit and present balance.
9. What does the standard model come with?
The standard model comes only with one 41” standard door. No other options are included unless there are special promotional offers.
10. How are the walls constructed?
We use full dimension lumber for all framing, meaning there are no splices in the bottom plates, top plates, and shelving lumber. By not splicing, we’ve increased the strength and integrity of our quality of our buildings. Our walls have studs 16” on center and double top plates. Window, and door headers are full dimension and meet building code requirements.
11. What type of trim will it come with?
Standard trim is Smart Trim™ that is pre-primed and comes with a Mfg. 50 year warranty. It is a house trim material and is a coordinating product to the Smart Side Panel™ siding that we use. This ensures that your building will look it’s best. We do offer a 5/4 trim upgrade to make the trim thicker for lap siding applications. The Big Country Barn has a few trim materials that are not primed including the “wing” boards on the sides, and the outside truss shaped trim on the ends walls.
12. What kind of Roof do you use?
Our proven construction materials and methods are the same ones used in home construction. The rafters are pre-cut 2x4’s positioned over the wall studs and joined at the center. Roof decking is 7/16” OSB covered with roof felt and composition Owens Corning 3-tab roofing. Our products include #15 felt vapor barrier between the roof decking and shingles. A protective drip edge is used on certain models where the trim is not in place to seal the edge of the OSB sub-roofing.
13. How long must I wait for my building?
Delivery times typically vary between 1 and 4 weeks due to seasonal demands. After you purchase from Lowe’s, a BETTER BUILT BARNS representative will receive a notice of your order, prompting BETTER BUILT BARNS to contact you to coordinate a date for installation. The call that you receive will include questions about your selected site and its readiness for the build. Build days are Monday-Friday except holidays. In some markets, Saturday delivery may be available for an additional cost. We ask that someone responsible be at home on the day of the build to help determine the exact location of the building and sign the final paperwork upon completion.
14. How many hours will the builders be on my property?
The builders will typically be on site from 4-8 hours depending on the size of the structure. Floor joists, doors, wall sections and rafters are pre-cut or assembled before delivery to speed up the build process. In the markets where they are available, Garages and larger buildings can take considerably longer depending on the amount and type of work to be done. For any larger or more complicated buildings please contact a BETTER BUILT BARNS representative to have them talk with the customer.
15. What type of warranty comes with the building?
BETTER BUILT BARNS stands behind its products, and offers warranty coverage of 10 total years for material defects and workmanship. The building must be painted within 90 days and BETTER BUILT BARNS must receive proof by photo in the mail or email at which time we will issue the first 5 year segment of the warranty. After 5 years the customer must re-paint and re-submit the newly painted shed picture for the second 5 year segment of the warranty.
16. What are the delivery charges?
The first 20 miles from the store where the building was purchased are free of delivery charges. The additional costs beyond the 20 mile delivery are $2.00 per loaded mile. Other delivery charges may include ferry charges.
17. Will I need to get a permit for this building?
This depends on the local building department regulations and what they have determined are the square foot limitations within their jurisdiction. In most markets, the customer is responsible for obtaining and paying for any required permits. Permits costs are determined by local building departments. Garages almost always require permits. Smaller sheds and sheds built on rural property are less likely to require permits. Additionally, there may be covenants and restrictions for your neighborhood regarding acceptable building size, style, height, location, etc. that should be considered also.
18. What should I do before the delivery?
You will need to determine where the property lines are, and select the appropriate build site. Finally, you need to prepare a clean and level build site. This step is the most important and lasting impact that you can have on your building project. If you have to build up a site be sure that the soil is compacted to avoid later settling. Provide at least 24” of workspace between your shed and any fences, trees, or other immovable objects on all sides and above. If your build site is not clear or level, we may not be able to construct.
19. What does clear and level mean?
“Clear” means that the build site, the surrounding area and the pathway to and from the build site are clear from all obstructions, debris, boulders, branches, animal droppings, etc. To obtain the maximum performance from your BETTER BUILT BARN building, the structure needs to be level within 6” throughout the entire build surface , the highest point to the lowest point is no more than 6”.
20. Who do I call should I have a warranty claim?
Contact the store where you purchased the building, and they will contact Better Built Barns, Inc. to make arrangements for the warranty work to be done.
21. What about caulking and painting the building?
At this time Better Built Barns does not offer painting or caulking of your storage shed. The finished building will be primed and ready for paint and caulk. Most buildings even include primed Trim materials, except for a few boards on the Big Country Barns.
22. What does the customer need to provide?
The customer will need to provide electricity. If there is no electricity available at the build site BETTER BUILT BARNS will provide a generator for a fee. They also need to provide a clear and level build site, any permits and make sure to tell an associate if the pack for the materials is going to be more than 120’.
23. What other fees might be associated with this purchase?
If the pack is unexpectedly difficult, if the site is not leveled properly, if there are debris or animal droppings un-removed, if there is no power available, if we have to move a building or floor once it has been leveled, there will be additional fees assessed on site.