How do you Gauge the Level of Expertise of Architectural Metal Fabricators?

When it comes to architectural metal fabrication, Defabco are specialists of the highest order. We can help deliver all types of complex architectural metal fabrication projects, which have been built with unparalleled skills and superior craftsmanship in all regards. In recent years, there has been a massive surge in the demand for architectural metal fabrication services, which can improve the entire look and feel of any place. Businesses in all industries are looking to acquire outstanding architectural metal fabrication services for their office buildings, open spaces, and entrances.

However, one thing that you must always keep in mind to get the best architectural services is that you need to gauge the level of expertise of the professionals before you acquire their services. This is important because to fabricate the metal to meet your architectural requirements, you need to acquire the services of experienced and skilled architectural metal fabricators. Doing so ensures that you get the architectural design of your choice, without having to worry about the timely completion of the project.

The Importance of Gauging Expertise

There is no other way to put this, all builders, designers, and architects realize the value of acquiring the services of an expert architectural metal fabrication professional. When you acquire the services of experienced metal contractors, you gain functionality, beauty, strength, and precision in all aspects of installation and architectural fabrication projects.

An expert architectural fabricator will be able to work with all types of architectural metals, which include brass, aluminum, stainless steel, bronze, and more. They can also deliver clean and smooth finishing welds, while adhering to the highest standards of quality and safety. This is because in architectural metal fabrication, there is no place for sub-standard work, since regular maintenance and complete field repairs must be done to ensure that the systems remain functional, and the metals are kept in the best shape possible. However, we do realize that it can be difficult to gauge the level of expertise for architectural fabricators, since there are so many different services available in the market.

That is why we are going to provide you with some basic tips, along with the questions you must ask architectural metal fabrication service providers, so that you can work with skilled and experienced, metal fabricators and welders. This will also ensure that your architectural project is finished efficiently, safely, and correctly, because expertise always guarantees value for money.

Tips For Gauging The Level Of Expertise

These tips are designed to guide you about the proper way to determine whether an architectural metal fabrication service provider has the experience and skill level to deliver game changing services to you.

1. Find out whether they know differences between metals and how they function

One of the biggest concerns that builders and architects come across is in deciding the perfect metal to choose for the project. Only experienced metal contractors will have knowledge about the differences of metals and how to fabricate each of them properly. The main part of architectural fabrication and installation is selecting the right metal, so that the project is completed in the correct manner. If they lack the knowledge of differences between metals, then it could mess up the entire project, due to the sensitive nature of ornamental and architectural metal work.

1. Architectural metal fabrication is a custom service

Look at the previous projects of the company you are considering to choose for architectural metal fabrication. Only industry experts will have an knowledgeable opinion about the changes that are needed in each material. All projects are unique in nature, and builders or architects must know that they need to customize the service based on the requirements of the projects.

1. Responsibility for maintenance of architectural metal fabrication

To ensure that the project has been completed in the proper manner, maintenance and care for architectural items are necessary. The long-term preservation of metal work is essential, especially if you have acquired stainless steel fabrication, copper, bronze and mirror finishes. This is because mirror finishes can be damaged with umbrellas, purses, or rings, while copper and bronze require coating for preventing oxidation. This is something that an expert architectural metal fabricator would already know about and they will take responsibility for maintenance and cleaning practices.

1. They will use cutting-edge metal fabrication technology

There is no doubt about the fact that industry experts will already be familiar with the latest trends and techniques in metal fabrication. However, there are lots of companies providing architectural metal work who don’t have architectural experts and don’t use the latest technology. Therefore, it is important for you to find experts that have a certified team of metal fabricators and are using cutting-edge technologies. They can also guarantee superior fabrication and installation of architectural metal systems, which are exquisite and durable.

1. Make architectural metal fabrication their top priority

To accurately gauge the level of expertise of architectural metal fabricators, check to see whether they place emphasis on safety and quality requirements. They are integral to the architectural metal fabrication industry, because any company working in this field must guarantee the safety of the employees, and public.

Choosing The Right Architectural Fabrication Service Provider

One of the hardest things to do is choosing the right architectural metal fabrication service provider, when you are constructing or redeveloping a commercial or residential building or space. It is imperative that you choose the right service, but that is confusing for many businesses, since there are hundreds of architectural fabrication service providers in the industry.

This is where expertise plays a huge role in architectural metal fabrication, because everything must be done with the highest precision levels. Any drop in the standards, and the entire fabrication process will produce disastrous results. This is the reason why you need to properly gauge the level of expertise of architectural fabricators. However, you can’t do that just by checking out their website. You need to look at the following:

• Quality
• Experience
• Skills
• Expertise
• Certifications
• Tools
• Equipment
• Team

Trying to gauge the level of expertise is one thing, but to do that, you must first choose the right company. There are times when you end up choosing a metal fabrication service you like, but in the end, they fail to deliver the quality you were expecting. We will discuss why that is the case, and how you can train your eye to find the right architectural metal fabrication service provider.

• It’s all about quality and experience

When searching for an architectural metal fabrication service provider, you need to focus on their ongoing as well as previous projects. Most businesses only choose fabrication services that are offering them what they want, but this  isn’t recommended, since looking at their project experience is more important. It also gives you a great idea about their experience in fabrication, and the quality of work you can expect.

You should also check their certifications, and ask the right questions to understand their architectural metal fabrication process. You can also ask them to design a plan for your entire project, so that you can gauge their expertise in project management and production.

• Important to identify skills and expertise

You don’t need a second reminder about the importance of identifying expertise and skills when choosing architectural metal fabrication services. However, we found it important to address that all fabrication companies have their own specialties. Some are experts in rebar fabrication and that is where their expertise shines, while others have expertise in architectural metal fabrication.

You shouldn’t jump the gun and hire them based on their previous experience, because you need to find out about their fabrication process and whether they have the skills to handle your project requirements. The skill of their team members is also important to address, because even small errors in architectural metal fabrication can prove costly.

• Find out what tools and equipment they are using

Most metal fabrication companies can acquire projects based on their skills, expertise, and experience, but times have changed. Nowadays, to deliver quality work, fabrication service providers must use state-of-the-art tools and equipment. If they don’t use the latest fabrication equipment for your project, you won’t get the quality you expect in your project. They may also struggle to replicate great accuracy in finishing the project on time, if they are trying to create something unique.

That is why you should also verify whether the fabrication company has the production capacity to finish the project on time and within your budget, whether they have a skilled and experienced team, and if they work with the best materials in the industry.

Questions To Ask Architectural Fabricators Before Working With Them

So, you have decided to select an architectural fabrication company to work with for your project. However, don’t commission work to them before you ask them some important questions that will help you gauge their level of expertise as architectural fabricators. Everyone knows that they must ask the service provider some basic questions before acquiring services from them. However, what most people don’t know is what are the right questions to ask the service provider.

We have outlined the right questions, which will affect the value and quality of the product. You must ensure that you acquire honest and detailed answers from all architectural fabricators you approach, so that you can make better decisions. You can obviously ask them all types of questions based on the requirements of your project, we have only addressed the most important ones:

1. Do you have any certifications?

Any architectural fabrication company that has certifications must comply with the quality and safety standards set for them in the United States. However, not all metal fabrication companies have the necessary certifications to deliver different services. Therefore, asking them about their certifications helps you learn whether they have the necessary expertise or experience to deliver the type of architectural metal fabrication services you require for your project.

1. Do you use hot-zinc spray coating or dip-galvanization?

All metal fabrication components need some level of coating to protect them against basic corrosion, weather damage, and rust. The best way to do that is through dip-galvanization, which is the industry standard but isn’t the only method used by metal fabricators. Galvanization is an expensive process, and must be done with specialist equipment, which is why some fabrication companies prefer hot-zinc spray coating. It is important to know about the process the metal fabrication company is using, so that you can make your decision based on the method they specialize in.

1. Do you apply anti-corrosive finishing?

Ask your architectural metal fabrication company whether they also apply any anti-corrosive finishes, apart from the galvanization process to extend life and durability of the components. This is because depending on your project, the metal components being used may benefit from two additional coatings:

• Engineering coatings

These coatings protect against water and heat damage, wear and tear, and preserve the structural integrity of the metals to maintain their strength.

• Anti-corrosion coatings

These are spray and powder treatments which are also known as decorative treatment. These are used for protecting the metal from surface rust and are great for outdoor metal parts.

Adding an additional layer of coating after galvanization ensures that the metal won’t need any maintenance for the next 10 to 20 years. That is great for projects in high-traffic areas or where there are adverse weather conditions, because the building gets lasting corrosion protection.

1. What steps do you take for anti-contamination steps before coating/finishing?

The quality of the spray treatment and galvanization will be affected by surface contamination, which include silicon, dirt, and grease particles. They can disrupt the quality of the metal fabrication process and reduce the life of the coating by exposing the metal to more corrosion. The environment plays a great role in architectural metal fabrication, because global warming has become a major issue. This means that you need to ask about anti-contamination steps the fabrication company is taking.

Any quality architectural metal fabrication company that has expertise in the industry and specializes in architectural fabrication will take the following steps:

• Use high-quality metal components.
• Use different cleaning processes to eliminate contaminants.
• Set up a safety system to product a sanitary working environment.

Final thoughts

We understand that it is difficult to gauge the level of expertise of architectural fabricators, but you shouldn’t settle for sub-standard work, when it comes to architectural metal fabrication. There is no shortage of specialist metal fabrication services in the industry, you just need to find one that specializes in your architectural metal fabrication project. Hopefully, this blog will help guide you to pick the right architectural fabricators in the industry.