Your Essential Checklist
Choosing a sheet metal fabrication company can be difficult, especially if it is the first time you have ever done so. Rather than just going with the first team that you find, it’s important to take the time to ask some questions so you can be sure that you are choosing the best fabrication company for your needs. So, here are some of the things that you need to ask before you make your decision.
Have you worked on projects similar to mine?
This is a really important thing to double-check before you choose a fabricator. They might have all the right skills and knowledge on paper, but if they haven’t applied them to a job like yours, they could not know how to work around certain challenges. So ask them plenty of questions about their past work.
What is your turnaround time?
If you are working within a tight timeframe, you should have clarity from the very start on how long you expect the work to take. If the job is very complex or you run into issues, the turnaround time could, of course, change, but a great team should be able to tell you, on average, how long they will need to get the work done.
What materials and processes do you have experience with?
Not all sheet metal fabrication companies are created equal, and you will want to be sure that yours has the right kind of tools and expertise that your project needs. If you are interested in CNC laser cutting, for example, ask if they have experience in that area. This will ensure that nothing has to be outsourced, either, leading to fewer delays.
What are your quality control measures?
You will want to work with a team who has a solid quality control strategy in place, so ask them about it! What kind of inspections do they carry out to ensure that everything meets their high standards? What happens if the work doesn’t meet your specifications and needs to be repeated?
What are your prices?
This is the biggest and most important question for many people. The price you pay is often what helps you to make the final decision when choosing a fabricator. Ask them what their rates are and request a full breakdown of costs once they have given you a quote. You are looking for transparency rather than rock bottom prices, as the latter can be a red flag.
You’re all set!
As you can see, there are plenty of things to ask a sheet metal fabrication company before you go ahead and work with them. If there is someone else that you have on your mind, don’t forget to bring that up too. A great team will have no issues answering your questions. In fact, their openness and honesty at this stage will give you a clear indication of how easy it will be to work with them.