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Project Description

Client: Angelica Marrufo Location: Seattle, WA

How did we construct the warehouse for the client? We used the following warehouse construction guideline. The warehouse you choose to build depends on the materials it’s made from, its size, and what you plan to store inside of it. Here’s how to construct a warehouse that can stand up to the test of time and provide you with years of reliable service. 1) What is a warehouse? A warehouse is an industrial building for the storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial parks or outside city centers. The biggest warehouses are giant regions bigger than football fields with rack upon rack of high stock volume products. Smaller warehouses may be single-story buildings within factories or office complexes. 2) Site Selection Site selection is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when constructing a warehouse. Often overlooked, choosing where to build your warehouse can have serious ramifications on your bottom line. If you fail to choose a good location, you could waste money and resources on unnecessary construction expenses or even lead yourself into bankruptcy. Here are a few things you should consider when choosing an ideal site for your warehouse. Location The type of building will influence your site selection process in several ways. Factors such as its shape, size, and use all play a role in where you decide to build it. Determine how much space you need before committing to a certain area; once you know what size building best fits your company's needs, determining whether it will fit well with its surroundings becomes easier. 3) Site Preparation When building a warehouse, one of your first considerations should be determining how to prepare for construction. Make sure you start with a clear plan of what needs to be done. You’ll need not only an idea of how you want your finished building but also where it will go. For any new construction or retrofit project, site preparation is essential. Proper planning and forethought make all the difference when constructing a warehouse. Skipping site preparation can lead to costly problems down the road and run into serious money issues. The ground below your warehouse must be prepared according to specification in order for everything else to fall into place without issues later on. 4) General Construction Considerations If you’re considering building a warehouse, several considerations will make your construction project safer and more efficient. First, think about how you want to use your warehouse. Are you planning on renting out large portions of it? Will there be multiple tenants? Is it going to be used for storage only? All of these factors play into how big of a warehouse you need and also affect warehouse cost. Keep reading below for tips on getting started with your warehouse construction project. 5) Building Exterior Walls After you’ve dug and poured footings for your foundation, it’s time to build exterior walls. The process is similar for insulated and non-insulated buildings; all you need is some wood (usually 2x4s), sheetrock, nails, metal siding (if you choose that route), aluminum or vinyl shingles (if you choose that route), and trim. There are two basic kinds of insulation: fiberglass and cellulose. Cellulose can be blown into space between wall studs from outside, while fiberglass must be installed from inside after sheathing has been applied on walls. Fiberglass is generally considered superior due to its fire resistance, but we recommend using both if at all possible. In many areas of North America, spray foam insulation must also be used in roof framing as well as walls because older building codes require fire-retardant roof assemblies with minimal openings. If an attic is framed with trusses instead of rafters, spraying closed cell foam directly onto those trusses from below helps control heat loss through ductwork more effectively than air sealing alone would. 6) Building Interior Walls Interior walls are generally constructed of sheetrock, concrete block, brick, or steel. To hold up these materials, they must be securely fastened to wooden or metal studs that line both sides of interior walls. The most important part of any structure is its foundation. Your warehouse’s foundation is built by pouring concrete into molds called forms that are shaped like each wall section. Skilled workers use jackhammers and saws to cut shapes in these forms so they match floor plans. 7) Floor Framing Considerations A well-built roof is critical for protecting your warehouse and its goods. The rafters and beams you use play an important role in protecting your goods and can even affect your ceiling height, so don’t skimp on their quality. Look for good framing materials such as 2x12s or heavier grades of wood if possible. If you choose lighter grades, be sure to double up on them when you frame out your warehouse construction guide so they can handle more weight than usual. You will also want to make sure that your walls are reinforced with steel sheeting before any insulating material goes on. This step ensures that your warehouse maintains its integrity against extreme temperatures; otherwise, it may lose energy efficiency over time. It also helps prevent fire hazards during hot summers. You may even consider installing sprinklers inside your warehouse if you think it might see particularly high traffic or storage volume. 8) Roof Framing Considerations You want your warehouse roof framing system to be both safe and structurally sound. This requires that your steel brackets, connectors, and trusses all line up correctly. To do so, you’ll need a blueprint showing their exact locations. If you don’t have one from an architect or engineer, you can create one yourself using CAD software. Make sure any changes are approved by an architect or engineer before proceeding.

The Challenges

What challenges did you face with commercial warehouse construction?

When our client wanted to build a commercial warehouse, we had to think about how we were going to take on this job. Although the customer had been doing business with us for over 5 years, they were really picky about which company they worked with on this project, so we needed to ensure that all of their needs were met as much as possible in order to keep them happy and keep them coming back to use our services again in the future! Here are some of the challenges we faced with warehouse construction and how we worked through them.

Commercial Warehouse Construction Challenges

We’ve been in business for over 6 years, and have built dozens of commercial warehouses. There are a few surprises that always pop up during every build. In honor of National Warehouse Safety Month, we’re listing out our top 3 warehouse construction challenges: Poor communication between building departments can delay a project by months, but having a single point of contact can help resolve these issues quickly and efficiently. We make sure to communicate directly with architects and engineers to ensure our timeline stays on track. Miscommunication with clients is another challenge that plagues warehouse builders. Before construction starts, it’s vital to sit down with your client(s) to establish expectations—what are their needs/wants/expectations? What materials will they need access to after construction is complete? Construction should be treated as one big project; otherwise, it can lead to confusion and other issues down the road. Our third warehouse construction challenge is poor weather conditions. A lot of warehouses are being constructed in harsher climates, so it’s important to take climate-specific conditions into account before moving forward with your project.

Why Choose Us For Commercial Warehouse Construction

It’s worth noting that due to its size, commercial warehouse construction costs tend to vary dramatically. The last project we worked on was a three-story complex that cost upwards of $1.5 million to complete, while another nearby business owner recently got her one-story building for less than $200,000.