6 Questions To Ask Competitors

As you know with machinery or vehicles, not all brands are the same. The same applies to sheds. When you begin the process of purchasing a new building, you are likely browsing different businesses to compare products and price. While you search for your new shed, you may find a business that is offering a lower price than what Now Buildings can offer.

We understand that a low price point can be attractive however it’s important to know that price is not always the best way to choose a product. A shed is a financial investment into your property and your future, so it’s important that you be armed with all the information that will allow you to make an informed decision. As such, we have created the below quick checklist to help you compare our quality against others.

1. Is your quote for high-grade Australian steel?

Made using five layers, the COLORBOND® steel range has the Australian standard steel base, a corrosion-resistant metallic coating, a pre-treatment layer to assist in adhesion, a corrosion inhibitive primer and finally, a baked-on topcoat of BlueScope’s specially designed exterior grade paint. It has then been tested in a variety of Australia’s harshest conditions, from Rockhampton QLD where roof temperatures can exceed 60 degrees, to coastal Bellambi NSW, where the marine environment can be extremely corrosive to steel products. Their dedication to ensuring that their product is superior in strength and durability is just one of the many reasons why we choose to use BlueScope® Steel for our buildings.

2. Will your building be fully manufactured in Australia?

We believe in supporting local and supporting Australians. All materials in a Now Buildings shed kit are proudly manufactured here in Australia, helping to contribute to and support the manufacturing industry which currently has over 900,000 employees nationwide.

In addition to supporting our nation’s economy, by having our materials made locally we are ensuring our products are made to withstand the Australian climate.

3. Does the shed company provide testimonials from both customers and builders? Are they happy for you to organise to talk to someone if needed? We have thousands of happy customers across the country and 21 independent shed builders that love to build our sheds.

We can rave about our buildings and tell you how great they are, but what business wouldn’t rave about their products to a potential customer? We understand the reluctance in trusting what you’re being sold by a salesperson, or the hesitancy in making a large financial investment online, which is why we are more than happy to connect you with past customers, along with our referral builders, for you to speak candidly to. We stand behind our product, and our business, so if you’re considering purchasing your shed from another business and they are not open to you contacting customers, it would be beneficial to ask why.

4. Is the design of your building to Importance Level 2 and Terrain Category 2? This is important as your building could be designed for a much lower wind speed.

The Buildings Code of Australia regulates how strongly buildings are constructed to resist the loads they are expected to experience?and?requires that regional wind speeds of specific probability be used for building design. In accordance with the importance levels for annual probability of exceedance for wind speed, importance level one is set against farm sheds meaning sheds are designed for 1:100 non-cyclonic winds and 1:200 cyclonic winds. Alongside the Importance Levels sit the Terrain Categories, with shed companies having to meet a minimum of Terrain Category One.

We understand the everchanging landscape of Australia, so we have designed our buildings to exceed the BCA requirements and meet an importance level two and terrain category two, meaning your shed is designed to 1:500 non-cyclonic and cyclonic winds and able to be more exposed to open terrain, providing an extra piece of mind when it comes to your structure’s stability.

5. In an open gable end shed, do you have knee braces in the design that will get in the way?

Where possible, we have designed our buildings to avoid knee braces without compromising its structural integrity. This means that our customers have a strong building with optimal storage and usage because when a shed has knee braces in the design, it can reduce or limit your storage possibilities. With tall machinery or vehicles not being able to sit flush to the side interior of the building, they are forced to be stored in the centre of the shed, causing you to possibly lose valuable space. It begs the question: what is the point? You don’t buy a tractor to mow the lawn, so why buy a shed that cannot properly store and protect all of your goods?

6. Do they provide site-specific engineering with an independent engineer signing off that your shed is suitable for your site? The independent engineer also needs to have Full Professional Indemnity Insurance.

Once you have selected the right shed for your needs, it is designed using 3D calculations by our in-house team of Engineers and Drafts people, and then passed onto our independent Structural Engineer for approval and sign off. Our entire team will work to accommodate your site needs, taking into consideration a variety of factors such as soil and environment types, to ensure the building is designed perfectly for your climate. By using people and not just technology to design and certify your building design, we can ensure that everything is just right for any council approval needs along with the longevity of your building.

Regardless of which shed company you choose we wish you all the best and hope you have an easy and successful build.

*ABS Cat. no. 6291.0.55.003, Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly, August 2020, EQ06, Employed persons by Industry group of main job (ANZSIC.) Seasonally adjusted