Finding a dependable building material supplier is essential to your success. When looking for building supplies in Burlington, you know that the quality of your work is impacted by the quality of the supplies you use.
You also know you are at the mercy of your suppliers to deliver materials quickly to remain on schedule. Finally, pricing for materials affects your ability to provide value to your customers with competitive quotes.
In this article, we will share 12 tips for finding the right building material supplier to ensure that you consistently exceed the expectations of your customers.
1. Inspect the quality of building supplies
You have a responsibility to your customers to ensure the building supplies you use are safe, compliant, and durable. Once a job is complete, your customers will trust that the materials you use are of the highest quality and meet all legal requirements.
Your first order of business when finding a dependable building material supplier is to inspect the quality of the materials they provide, including:
- Ensuring all structural components are new and have not been repurposed or recycled.
- Reviewing warranties and guarantees behind the products.
- Checking that materials have passed all the necessary inspections.
- Shopping for reputable brands and third-party suppliers.
- Checking the sourcing certificates.
2. Ask for referrals to dependable building material suppliers
The construction industry can introduce you to contacts who can provide references for reliable suppliers. Recommendations for the best suppliers help make your search easier and provides names that you can research. Word of mouth is always the most dependable form of advertising, providing authentic information from people who have worked with the supplier and used their building supplies.
3. Join industry associations
If you have yet to make contacts in the industry, consider joining a local construction or builders association. Not only will you expand your network, but you can often gain access to local directories to source building supplies in Burlington.
4. Steer clear of suppliers with notably lower prices
Although helping improve your bottom line is always top of mind, prices that seem more than just competitively low are a red flag. There are a number of reasons some suppliers might have extremely low pricing, including stolen goods, repurposed materials, or cast-offs due to inspection and quality issues.
5. Beware of suppliers over-promising and under-delivering
Less honest building material suppliers tend to over-promise on things such as their stock levels, delivery dates, and ongoing competitive pricing. If someone seems too accommodating, you might find out the hard way that they are exaggerating about their services to make a sale.
Ensuring all pricing is firm, and stock is visible at their site helps avoid delays and additional charges. You need a supplier with dependable vendors that meet your quantity requirements and the infrastructure to deliver Burlington building supplies to your sites without issue.
6. Years in business
It is not unusual to encounter fly-by-night building suppliers that fail to establish their business, leaving you in the lurch when their company fails. Always go with reputable companies that have a proven track record. Do your research and ensure they have been in business for at least a decade to feel confident they won’t disappear overnight.
7. Consider the vendor list and relationships
Depending on what type of construction or contracting services you provide, finding suppliers that specialize in the types of materials you need is essential. If everything you need is on special order, this delays delivery and also tends to cost much more. You want a supplier with an extensive, transparent vendor list to ensure they have a broad range of materials available consistently throughout the year.
Having long-lasting relationships with vendors also tends to positively impact cost, and those savings are passed on to you. As mentioned, vendors should be well-known, high-quality brands recognized in the industry. Also, your building supplier representatives should have intimate knowledge about the products they sell.
8. Conduct a credit check on your short list of building suppliers
Once you narrow your choices to one or two suppliers, conduct a credit check on the business using a credit bureau. This is critical as it will confirm the company is financially sound and not at risk of going under after taking your payment. After choosing a supplier, it is also important to continue monitoring their performance to avoid complications.
9. Research their reputation and integrity
A company’s reputation provides insights into its integrity and ability to meet your needs. Some elements to research include:
- Insurance maintenance and upkeep.
- Regulatory compliance offences and other wrongdoings.
- Cyber security incidents.
- Constant defaults or business failures.
10. Ask about their after-sale service terms
When purchasing materials or equipment from a building material supplier, you want to know they stand behind their merchandise. Some examples of after-sale service terms might include the following:
- Level of ongoing assistance with proper use or care of materials.
- Replacement of damaged goods following delivery.
- Flexibility to change orders prior to or following delivery.
11. Ask about their delivery logistics for Burlington building supplies
Although you might find a supplier that offers high-quality building supplies and competitive pricing, if they can’t deliver to your site, they pose a serious challenge. Depending on the types of jobs you perform, delivery logistics can become complex. Tight areas at city sites and high rises are a perfect example.
Ensure your supplier has a fleet of top-of-the-line trucks equipped with hydraulic lifts to accommodate delivery services to high elevation points such as condominiums, high-rise apartments, and rooftops. You also want to ensure they have a wide delivery area to accommodate job sites throughout Ontario.
12. Multiple locations
Delivery is critical, but where those deliveries come from can impact the price. For example, a single massive warehouse might seem impressive, but where that warehouse is located in relation to the various job sites you are managing is important.
Multiple locations near your service areas is key to reduce costs, make it easy to order additional materials as needed, and provide the level of customer service you require.
Contact the Building Supply Experts
These tips will ensure that you find a reputable building supplier capable of providing high-quality products, competitive pricing, and dependable delivery anywhere in Ontario.
At Yvon Building Supply, we have been delivering high-quality building materials to Ontario construction companies, contractors, and builders since 2011. We have a fleet of top-of-the-line trucks equipped with hydraulic lifts and seven locations across Ontario ready to serve you. For more information about our building supply delivery, click here or contact us online.
