What Developers Should Know Before Choosing a Butler Builder
What is a Butler Builder?
When it comes to pre-engineered metal buildings, Butler Manufacturing ™ is one of the preeminent suppliers of complete building systems. A Butler Builder is a contractor that has been certified and authorized to use Butler components, techniques, and software. This places certified Butler Builders in an exclusive group that investors and owners can rely on to provide the best in materials and workmanship.
Advantages of Being a Butler Builder
Being a Butler Builder puts contractors in a network respected throughout the construction industry. Butler Builders have access to Butler’s proprietary techniques, systems, and tools, along with support through the duration of a project. Products unique to Butler Manufacturing include the MR-24 roof system, factory-punched frame components, and tailored thermal wall cladding. Combined, these result in buildings that are strong, durable, and esthetically appealing.
Advantages of Working with a Butler Builder
Only a relatively small number of contractors are qualified Butler Builders. After careful evaluation, those that make the grade are thoroughly trained to implement Butler’s unique proprietary systems and methods. That training continues throughout their association with Butler Manufacturing. During the construction process, Butler Builders are expected to adhere to the high standards that are associated with the Butler brand.
The Way of the Future: Design-Build
Butler uses a modern design-build approach, integrating design and construction phases into one seamless process. This eliminates the miscommunication and confusion that sometimes result when the design team is separate from the people building the structure. With design-build, some construction can begin while the design is being finalized. This contributes to the fast turnaround time that owners expect from PEMB projects.
The Benefits of a Single-Source Supplier
Butler is a single-source supplier, which means that the main structural elements of a building including primary framing, roof system, wall cladding, and secondary components, are all provided by a single entity. This can help eliminate uncertainty, miscommunication, poor quality, components that don’t fit, and delays.
Butler PEMBs vs. Generic Metal Buildings
A generic metal building will typically use components obtained from various vendors at the lowest possible prices. Too often, the result is a haphazard product of dubious quality. By contrast, a Butler pre-engineered metal building (PEMB) uses components engineered and produced in an indoor factory setting, yielding precise dimensions and a secure fit.
Butler also specializes in retrofitting existing buildings to meet today’s high standards for sustainability and energy-efficiency.
The result of all these features is a structure that meets the highest standards of workmanship and materials quality, and a much speedier and more efficient construction process.
How to Choose the Right Butler Builder
There are more than 1.400 Butler Builders worldwide, with the greatest concentration in the Midwest, where Butler is headquartered. But Butler Builders are present in every U.S. state. That can make choosing the right one a challenge for project owners. Here are some guidelines to narrow down the process:
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Verify the contractor’s status. Make sure the contractor is really a certified and active Butler Builder. That will ensure they have access to the best, most up-to-date training and materials.
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Check out the portfolio. Nothing beats experience, and a reliable Butler Builder will have a strong portfolio of previous projects to show you. Especially, look for experience in the particular type of structure you have in mind.
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Look for local experience. Every locale has its own distinct terrain, climate, building codes, and zoning requirements. Using a contractor with deep experience in the local construction scene is invaluable, providing vast potential savings in time and money.
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Review the team. Builders typically use subcontractors for a variety of jobs, from pouring the foundation to applying the window trim. A good contractor will have a roster of proven, reliable subcontractors to call on, reducing the risk of poor workmanship, delays, or the many other problems that can arise from using unknown entities.
Butler and Rainwater: A Long-Term Relationship
Rainwater Construction Company has been a Butler Builder since 1956. As the relationship of trust between our two companies has deepened, we’ve been privileged to take on more and more Butler-related projects, working together to erect millions of square feet of commercial space.
Here’s a letter that our founder, Cecil Rainwater, received from Butler’s president and vice president way back in 1969:
This letter summarizes the mutual reliance and respect that our companies have shared. The results of our relationship can be seen in multiple projects through the years.
Working Together for Better Results
One of the Butler innovations that Rainwater has used in several projects is the LogistX building system. This solution speaks to the unique needs of warehouse construction by using a hybrid approach that combines the efficiency and low cost of PEMB with the benefits of traditional construction.
