By Hook Or By Crook: How Are You Getting Your Construction Materials?

Construction is all about getting the materials you need to the place where you need them. Sometimes that is fairly simple and straightforward. Sometimes it is not. So, do you know how your supplies are getting to you? Have you looked into all the ways you can get construction supplies in case you have an immediate need and cannot get stuff locally? Maybe it is time you built that resource file everyone needs. Start with the following.

​Freight

Find five or more freight companies that are willing to ship, pick up loads of materials, and drop your loads anywhere you want them. Freight shippers are especially important if you need a (literal) ton of lumber or ten tons of steel I-beams. These folks will move all of your biggest, heaviest stuff, and having more than one to choose from means that one of them will always be available to help you out when you call. Sure, you can still be loyal to one shipper, but the fact remains that one shipper cannot always provide service to you all the time. Have some backups, and then you know exactly where your supplies are coming from and who is going to bring the supplies.

Local Flatbed Delivery

Local flatbed delivery is fairly common, especially if what you order is coming from a lumber yard or a steel producer. The flatbed trucking company loads your supplies onto the truck via a "hook"—the hook end of a crane, that is. Then the materials are delivered to your site in about one to three days, depending on what crook in the lane the truck is traveling by.

​Cargo Van or Pickup Truck

​Smaller hardware stores offer delivery of supplies, too. If you want fasteners, rental equipment, or more tools, all of these are loaded into the cargo van or truck and brought to you. You pay for them or for their use upon arrival, which helps your crew stay on the job and continue to work until more supplies/tools arrive. When you are dealing with orders that involve a lot of the smaller supplies, this is far better and far cheaper than hiring freight companies to bring you a drill and ten thousand threaded steel bolts. 

Drone Copter

​Yes, this sounds funny, but it is completely doable. Maybe all you need is a couple boxes of two-inch flathead carpenter nails, but you cannot run to the store to get them. No problem; you just order them to have them delivered by drone copter. There are many stores that are already doing this or are doing this in beta testing markets.  

Reach out to local companies for more information about construction material delivery.