Buying architectural products like molding, columns, railing systems etc. can potentially put a big dent in a projects budget; but it does not have to! Small little changes can add up to big savings in the long run if you stay consistent with them.
Tip 1: Buy in Bulk
Did you know that the more you buy the less expensive your items? For instance, if you purchase one column you may pay $200 for that column but if you were to buy 20 columns you might only pay $175 per column. This is a savings of $25 per column which can be a savings of thousands in the long run. In addition to these individual saving per each unit you will also save money on shipping costs. If ordering five column you might get billed $200 to ship the five. If you ordered 20 columns the freight might be $500 which equals to $125 for the same example of shipping five.
Tip 2: Buy American Made
Most Architectural Products require delivery to be made by a freight truck. Do you know how much it is to ship something from overseas? Many companies do not make their products in America and you are having to pay astronomical shipping charges in order to get them to your door. Many places do not show you what they are charging you to ship the items. They will add the additional cost into the price of the unit cost and you will never know. Make sure you purchase from a company that not only makes their products in America; but itemizes the estimate to show you a detailed price layout. In addition to these freight charges from a foreign country you may also lose valuable time should the item not be in stock or if it is custom and can’t be shipped via small package. Lead times on some items can be 12-16 weeks when waiting on the “slow boat from China.”
Tip 3: Time is Money
Did you know that some architectural products can be custom painted, custom cut to an overall length, or even preassembled? A great benefit to ordering from an American made company is the ability that company has on controlling the manufacturing process. In most cases, some of the products can be custom painted with a color and sheen you specify. You will save an enormous amount of time and money not having the setup, paint, finish, and clean up your project vs. if your product wasn’t custom painted. Fiberglass porch columns can be custom trimmed in the factory to specific heights for a project even if multiple heights are required. This will save you time from having to measure and trim your columns on site.
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