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Resolutions That Last

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As the start of another year rolls around, we may find ourselves thinking about the events of the previous year. What went right, what went wrong, what went and never came back, etc. Right?

But for many, a new year is also a reminder that our “supply” of years, months, days, hours, minutes, even seconds are not limitless.

Sure, we may have done good if not even great things in the past year.  But how much time did we waste in those 365 days? Benjamin Franklin once said, “Lost time is never found again.”

That sentiment can be felt much more acutely when we pause to realize that another year is gone, and maybe not as much was done with it as we intended back on Jan 1, 2020!

So around New Year’s Day, most people often decide they want to make positive changes. Raise what you already have or are about to be , writing up resolutions or intentions or goals?  Have you?  Of course, the challenge with these resolutions, as anyone can tell you, is that they typically don’t last.

Perka’s founder, Ed Thevenot, started with his first “sale” (a packet of garden seeds) when he was twelve years old, and he never stopped selling. In his life as a salesman, he was devoted to finding things that did last and would even grow (like those seeds!).

He was dedicated to discovering what was best not only for him and his businesses, but his family, friends, community, the environment, and, most importantly, what was best for his client. That’s why, in late 1980, he decided to start his own “family” business.  And his product of choice? Perka Buildings.

He was the brainchild and creator of Perka’s unique, “hybrid”, wood-and-steel design building system.  Buildings that are intentionally designed to be a “S.A.F.E.R.” (strong, affordable, flexible, easy, and resilient) choice, AND thereby of great value and long lasting.  (They will last much longer than your New Year’s resolution!)

In fact, we are so confident in the strength and stability of our structures that we have just increased our 50-year warranty on our frames, to a LIFETIME WARRANTY!  How is that for Faith?!

 As you contemplate the past, and then the upcoming year, you may be looking to devote more time and resources into your children’s or grandchildren’s future, as well as your own. Perka ‘s Hybrid Buildings are a not only a great investment but will certainly make a lasting impression and appreciation on your family and whoever else you may choose to leave it to in the future.  Your Legacy!   If you are interested in getting a free no obligation consult to learn more, feel free to contact us or visit our website for more information.

  Of course, buildings can eventually wear out, and there are other, more important things which last even longer than any building or material purchase. Some of these are our ideals, core values and “promissory mottos”.

We strive to “Keep It Simple and Stress-free (K.I.S.S.)” in business, in our daily lives and in the lives of the people around us.

Our WHY is:

“To Rise and Shine every day, to be Stress-free Solution Seekers Trusting Sincere, Selfless Service” (#ssstsss)

so that we can all be healthier, Safer, more fulfilled, more secure and GIVERS.”

We started living these intentions ever more diligently after our founder’s death, and it’s because of the impact he had on this family, friends and this company.

He exhibited qualities that we should all aspire to. Qualities like dependability, industriousness, and kindness. As we are entering this new year, let’s think about the impact we’ve made on the world and ask ourselves, “Have I been kind?”

That certainly will be one of my resolutions this year. And I’m going to make sure it’s more than an ideal that I write down and forget about within the first two weeks of the new year. Because kindness lasts longer than a building, longer than a business, longer than a lifetime. Kindness can be passed down for generations, and it leaves a lasting impression and appreciation that can be OUR TRUE LEGACY!

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Peace on Earth, One Customer at a Time

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3… 2… 1… Happy New Year!!! That’s right, folks. 2021 is almost here, and no doubt most of us feel that we are sure ready for something new – and that is not going to be too hard since so much this year has been “new”!  YES?

Check out these last minute DIY ideas for a stay at home type of celebration! 

2020 seems as though it has brought about one messy situation after another. But is it the calendar year’s fault!?  Is it a curse or can it be a blessing?  How we respond and deal with it can make a huge difference.

(Does anyone even remember those Australian fires from January? How about those murder hornets?)

Just because the Earth has made another rotation around the Sun does not mean that everything will just “go back to normal”. Humans have always been faced with challenges and problems (aka opportunities), ever since the very first people walked the Earth.

That is why it is so important to stay connected to friends and family.

This year, more than ever, we might be most served by and for each other in order to keep ourselves positive (and sane). Your friends and family may be a phone call away, a long car ride away, or even a socially-distant-and-masked airplane ride away. No matter the distance, we believe in the significance of strong, caring relationships. The slower times around the holidays are the perfect time to reach out to our loved ones and let them know how much we care.

But maybe this message doesn’t necessarily apply to you. Maybe your loved ones live too far away, and you are unable to be with them. Perhaps the pandemic of 2020 has taken its toll on those who are dear to you. Maybe you even lost a loved one.  May Peace be with you. 

It is possible too that you have just grown apart. Change and pain can be quite problematic aspects of human life (even though very normal), and we would like you to know that our thoughts and prayers are with you and all those who are facing challenges this holiday season.

At Team Perka, we care deeply about our teammates, our friends, our neighbors, and our families. Do you know who else we deeply care about? You!!! You, our fellow man/woman, our potential new personal friend-to-be, are one of the driving causes of what we do.

You are the highest priority of our business.  You are at the TOP of our Team’s organizational chart! 

If there is ever anything we can do from and with the growing resources of experience, “tools” and solution seeking creativity related to almost any sort of “building” question – that we can share, to give you a better experience in any way shape or form, feel free to contact us. Do you need help with a building solution or consultation, even if a Perka Hybrid Building is NOT your first choice? Let us know.

Or you are just not sure where to start? We can help!

Also have you had great a great experience while working and co-creating solutions with us? We would LOVE to hear it! And even if your experience was less than the best, please let us so we can improve. One of our inner team hashtags is #CSI!! Standing for Continuous Sustainable Improvement.  So we welcome ALL the feedback we can get to be able to do that to the MAX!!

We would love to partner with you to make your building project simpler, more stress free and/or easier so you are happier and freer to do what YOU love to do best.

After all, another of our many guiding mottos is “Keep It Simple and Stress-free (K.I.S.S.)”!

In other words, and in the spirit of the holidays, we hope to make as big a contribution to “peace on earth and goodwill to all” as we possibly can — even by one client at a time.

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Harvest: Reaping What We Sow!

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By Olivia Truesdale (Martial Thevenot  Editor)

As autumn “falls” upon us, it’s typically a time where we get to harvest or consume some of our favorite fall foods! 

Today, we’ll be cooking up some pumpkin, apples, and squash to launch us into the fall festivities.

Do you care to join us for some tasty recipes and a “side” of wisdom, too?

Oh, but before we begin, do you want to hear a funny fall joke? “

Why didn’t the chef want to use the pumpkin? 
Because it had been squash-ed when the car ran over it!” 

A groaner I know…   
Maybe, let’s focus on those fall recipes.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Yes! You can eat pumpkin seeds! And they’re quite delicious and simple to make. They only require a few ingredients, and you can flavor them however you want.

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Scoop out the “guts” and seeds from the inside of your pumpkin. Separate them by placing them in a strainer and rinsing. Deposit your seeds into a bowl and determine how you want to flavor them! You could use salt to enhance the flavor, cinnamon, and sugar (or pumpkin pie spice!) for a taste of fall, or any of your favorite spices.

Mix the seeds with whatever seasoning(s) you want; place them on a baking sheet and bake for 15-25 minutes. Pumpkin seeds are best when eaten shortly after they’ve been baked, but they’ll stay good for at least a week, when stored in an air-tight container. Enjoy!

Homemade Apple Cider
 A quintessential autumn treat this is. And now you can make it at home! All you need is a gallon of apple juice, an orange, a teaspoon of whole cloves or ¾ teaspoon ground, and a half teaspoon (or half stick) of cinnamon.

Cut the oranges into slices, being sure to leave the peel attached. If you’re feeling adventurous, you could even add a splash of orange juice to the drink. Dump all the ingredients into a slow cooker and simmer, stirring occasionally. Leave the drink in the slow cooker until it is warm enough to serve and all the ingredients are mixed well. Voila!  Serve warm for a great cozy – fuzzy feeling.


Apple Cake
Here is something you can do with all those extra apples! For this recipe, you will need the following: 4 cups of diced apples, 2 cups of sugar, 2 cups of flour, 2 eggs, ½ cup butter or oil, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, and an optional cup of nuts.

Mix all the ingredients, and place in a 350 degree oven, allowing to bake for 35 to 45 minutes. While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting. You’ll need 6 ounces of cream cheese, 3 tablespoons of butter, 1½ cups of powdered sugar, 1½ teaspoons of vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Combine the frosting ingredients, and when the cake has cooled, top it with the cream cheese mixture. Can you taste it yet?  Yum!

Spaghetti Squash
Yes, I know that this is just a plain squash, with no fancy recipe. That’s because spaghetti squash is so delicious and creative on its own!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, cut the squash in half, and remove the innards from each half. (But don’t throw out the seeds! You can follow the recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds, using those from your squash instead.) Drizzle the halves in olive oil, place them skin-side up, and bake for 30-60 minutes. Check them every so often to make sure you don’t overcook it. To make sure your squash is done, poke it with a fork to see if it is tender enough. Once it reaches the desired doneness, flip the halves over and scrape out the insides of your squash. It will look just like noodles! Top with your favorite pasta sauce or serve with butter and seasonings.  Simple and healthy too.  Bon Appetit!

Well, now you know what to do with some of your bountiful harvest.  Reaping what you sowed!  But you can only eat so much at one time.

So, if you are a grower, gardener, a seller, or just plain PUMPKIN ADDICT, you need a place to store all your delicious fall fruits and vegetables.

Perka has a solution for you! Our unique wood-and-steel building frames and structures have been used numerous times as barns for both produce and livestock. They can also be set up as additional living quarters, right with your “shop”.   Whatever you need!

They make for a very safe, comfortable, stress free place to sow good seeds, good thoughts, good deeds and good harvest.

Feel free to Contact us or visit our website, or our facebook page, and ask us to help in any way we can. And do not worry, we always shoot for “Keeping It Simple and Stress-Free” (#KISS) so that you can get back to doing what you love most with the people you cherish as soon as possible. 

Maybe even head on back to the kitchen and whip up some more tasty treats with your family, while resting assured that we are taking care of the stuff we LOVE TO DO MOST! 

So, we would be more than happy to help you reap MORE of the good things that you sow!  For your building. For your family. For you.

 

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Farms, Food, and Finances

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Farms, Food, and Finances

All of us with Team Perka really LOVE OUR FARMERS! Since our founder “ET” began the TEAM PERKA journey way back in 1981, he always stayed rooted in his own humble beginning as a son of a farmer.  And so, men and women workers of the earth’s fields, always held the highest stature in his eyes! We just can’t exist without our food supply chain… and they are right at the ROOT of it all – (puns intended!)

Perka’s Hybrid Buildings can be used almost anywhere around the farm yard or even in the fields, as farmers have been one of our most valued clients over our near 40 year history.

Unfortunately, and it is sad to see, farmers are struggling right now. There are a lot of questions surrounding farmers and the food they produce. People are ever more curious to know where their food comes from… how it is grown, and then where is it going!? Fear not, O wise ones who read this blog. Today, we’ll be taking a closer look at some of the main questions about what’s happening in the food industry.

Farmer looking at his big farmLet’s begin at the farm, the actual source of our entire food supply chain. (No, it’s not the “store”!!)

Farmers are currently being forced to eradicate months’ worth of work because the demand for their services is not as the same and therefore not as timely as it once was and therefore not as “great”.

But wait… if anything, shouldn’t their demand be greater? One might think that at least the same if not even more people are still hungry and possibly even without supplies or access now than they were before quarantine/shelter protocols. Schools have been shut down, and most restaurants are only open for a drive-through or curbside pickup. People are eating at home more often.

Food that goes to restaurants and schools is packaged much differently than food that gets distributed to the public. Meat, cheese, fruits, and vegetables are transported to restaurants in much larger quantities than that same cuisine being bought at a grocery store. The problem is, sadly for the moment, is that the farmers don’t have the capacity or resources to package their own goods, and much food has been left to rot. That said there have been some bright lights standing out in the darkness of current uncertainties as we try to figure this out.

dairy cattleOne Pennsylvania farmer, Mr. Ben Brown, came up with an alternative to dumping the milk from his many cows. He was fortunate to have access to equipment that would allow him to process the milk himself. He worked long and hard to make sure he wouldn’t have to waste an ounce of his milk… even if that meant waking up at midnight to continue bottling. His farm opened up for people to come buy his milk, and he sold out in a matter of hours.

Pretty inspiring, isn’t it? Thankfully, more of those sort of pivots are happening as we speak!! In our home town here of St. Joseph, MO – people have organized a FREE farm-to-family distribution by volunteers to GIVE AWAY the food that might otherwise get wasted. They meet in our shopping center parking lot – three times a week and cars line up to take fruits, vegetables, dairy products they can use or pay forward themselves.

The next link in our “food chain” is the processing plants. What’s happening there? Unfortunately, over 14,000 cases of COVID-19 have been linked to meat processing plants across the United States. It seems that it has been difficult to maintain social distance and take other safety precautions when working in a meat processing plant. New measures have been slow to implement. If any sick person continues to work at such a place, they not only expose their co-workers, but potentially anyone who eats the food that may have been handled by the sick person. As such, companies like Tyson Foods, https://www.tysonfoods.com/ Smithfield Foods https://www.smithfieldfoods.com/, and JBS https://jbssa.com/ have closed one or more of their plants around the country. Since these processing locations have closed, farmers have had no way to slaughter and distribute the meat they produce; millions of animals have gone to waste.

So as we see this happening, we also see that there is by no means a shortage of food; there is only an insufficiency of processing and handling. Because of the causal difference in a lower supply and still the same demand, meat prices have skyrocketed, and we may not see as much of certain foods (the healthier kind) on the shelves at the grocery store in the coming months.

Rustic Silverware

And this brings us to the final link in the food supply chain: you. The consumer. The “eater”!! What can we do to help your local farmers?

Wherever you can, buying locally grown food, like from the people who supported Ben Brown – can make a huge difference – right up front.
Also, we can mindfully choose to follow recommended quarantine protocols, so that we can aid in mitigating and hopefully ending the spread of COVID-19; if there could come a day, sooner than later, where we can confidently say that we have contained the spread (till safe medicine is available) this will most definitely help our farms and food industry bounce back sooner.
And if you decide to plant some of your own fruits and vegetables while you’re more at home these days with more telework and certainly less travelling, we would love to help you with any possible building add on needs! Perka’s hybrid buildings work well for greenhouses, crop storage, or any form of agricultural, farmer, rancher needs.
If you are interested in more information about the food shortages in America, check out these related articles: Tyson, pigs, vegetables, plants closing.
And, as always, for more information about Perka Buildings, contact us. We’d love to help you as and if you embark on your new or next food, farming and financially friendly adventure!  

PRICE IS TOO HIGH? Price is too much? Overpriced?

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overpriced

How can that be?  They are the same model…  or they are the same size.  Or it’s for the same service.   They are both the same thing…  or is it?  How can there be such a price difference?  That price is way too high?  OR IS IT?

While it may not be so “obvious”,  some suppliers may indeed have difference costs of doing business, more insurance, more levels of quality assurance, better service protocols, different values of their overhead – or even just different markup percentages as per their calculations for what they need to stay in business, let alone prosper some.

When all is said and done however — one really CAN NOT get SOMETHING for NOTHING.  There is a natural law of business balance that will always be maintained.   At least over time.

If you are into “WIN-LOSE” deals – then the game becomes one of trying to (consciously or not) “outwit”, if not even “fool” the other into LOSING and you winning?   Though less and less these days – it is a “game” that still gets played.

All too often however, it is played at the detriment of BOTH parties.  If you “take from another” to advance your agenda, you are definitely in a competitive mode —  and, inevitably, a time will come when either the cards will be reversed, or sooner yet, even the one you contracted with – may just not be able to ((satisfactorily)) fulfill his/her obligation or promise.   And  then, NOBODY wins.   This is not naive.  It’s part of our natural laws.  The Golden Rule.  What we sow we reap.  What goes around comes around.

If one is of a CREATIVE perspective – then it’s more about COLLABORATING TO FIND THE BEST SOLUTION for the product or service need, with a WIN-WIN agenda; while staying within the allowed resources (funds available), and also taking into account as much of a “longer” term perspective as one can.  Cost over time must be part of the initial cost! 

For example, cost/value changes like: after the sale/service maintenance costs, the appreciation or depreciation in value of the asset, the actual use value (which may not be quantifiable per se), the profit from use value if a business of any kind, any future “changes” costs, insurance costs, “recovery costs”, etc., etc.   If you don’t do, even a bit, of that exercise analysis – you may very well be in for some fairly large “ADD ON” costs in the future — and those are inevitably and effectively PART OF YOUR (accrual) COST “TODAY”!

Over and above those considerations, one must be as sure as one can be that the comparison of quality, features, benefits, between your choices, are indeed “apples to apples”!!!  It’s easy to say that yes – this 4 wheel drive pick up is $25,000$. And that 4 wheel drive pick up is $27,000, so I’ll buy this one.   But are they really the same?

With regards to a building:  Is a 40 x 60 building going to be the same price regardless of what it’s made of?  How it’s made?  For what it’s made for,  or even by who it’s made? etc.?

There really are dozens, if not hundreds, of “options”, and “features”, and “benefits” that you can put in, or out, of a building package (initial) price offer.  And in each of these they may, or may not, be a SERVING benefit for you.   If you don’t need to have enduring strength to withstand the wrath of our sometimes harried climate conditions – then maybe you don’t have to have that pre-built in and therefore pay for it!  If you don’t need to have things designed in to make life easier and quicker for you or your builder when you install, refine, modify, or even later upgrade, retrofit or remodel, then why have those features priced in now? More at paydayloanfence These can be the very reason why the prices differ.

Furthermore, do you know the value or even the potential VALUE that each special feature has?  If no, is it therefore really MORE EXPENSIVE?  What are you comparing?   What if certain options can actually save you hours and hours of time in install?  What if it saves you hundreds if not thousands of dollars in extra materials, or hired hours; – or what if they can save you hundreds if not thousands in energy costs?  Making it less costly a bit later on!??  What if it saves you unnerving, debilitating stress, unfathomable worry and even heart ache!  What price do you put on that?

This is not to say all suppliers or service people will not have YOUR overall best interests at heart.  From experience one can say that at least half will, — maybe even 75% if you are optimistic!  But the challenge then is which 50 or 75%?   How will you know? How can you tell? 

Just because the representative is happy, sincere, polite and kind (which is not always the case anyway) — does that make the product or support the ONE FOR YOU?  There is POWER in education… and there is even MORE POWER in using the “education/information”…

One of the BEST ways to get VALUE for your hard earned money and time — as well as peace of mind — is education… information.    It almost always is worth the investment of your time.   Be an informed purchaser.

And, if you can find it, it’s even better if you visit this link TEAM you can trust, who has experience, is passionate about their vocation, loves to do what they do and is sincere about being of selfless service.

And as a bonus, if you do have that kind of support – that will surely make a huge difference in your overall stress level and well being —- now, how much is that worth?

Yes, BE informed!

Cheers,

ICS

 

 

pricevquality

 

Rigid buildings and your future

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Before I even start this blog post – I will admit that I AM BIASED!  I was raised by parents who demanded I be truthful, honest.

They only wanted the BEST for me –  but also taught me that I HAD to BE and DO my BEST to earn it.    They showed me what it looked like to be a good steward, to NOT WASTE, to do things right and do the RIGHT thing.  They encouraged me to THINK, to not just TAKE things as fact just because someone said so, but to do MY OWN homework and research.  They showed me the importance of making sure the things meaningful (to me) in my life had value, integrity, durability, quality and purpose; from the people I could choose to be, work , live and play with to the “things” I choose to own, operate, use, share and/or have stewardship over.   So quality, value, durability, integrity, flexibility, adaptability and sustainability, just to name a few, would become constants in the measuring of whenever we had freedom to make choices.

And so goes with the products as TEAM PERKA, that we offer, the teammates we attract, the service we aspire to give, the care with which we undertake life’s moments with.

So in this biased sense we feel the PERKA BUILDING’s ‘system’ – offers the highest value as an investment, the most strength for withstanding the elements, the best affordability over the long haul, the most flexibility to adapt to any building need now, as well as being easy and simple to deal with for any modifications, finishing, maintaining be it during the build process or even months, years or decades in the future.  Those are the sort of things we hear that are important to builders and building owners alike.

Take the RIGID frame (plate beam) type of building design.   It’s own name pretty much says that they are not going to be very “easy or flexible to deal with”.   And boy oh boy has that been our experience.

Despite being totally committed and convicted about the many many great things in a hybrid building, we are not always able to convey the information, experiences and testimonials needed to help some folks fully understand.   So we still have looked for the best, most affordable “rigid frame” type building sources so that we could still offer this alternative to clients who still want to deal with a company that has the integrity to stand behind their commitments and obligations.

In the couple dozen or so Rigid Frame buildings we supplied over the last few years we can say in total honesty that every one of them has offered up at least one challenge that either cost our client or ourselves MORE money than we originally counted on spending.

Whether it was not having a door positioned in the right place and then having to go through hoops and loops to resolve; or dealing with part after part that was NOT pre-assembled, NOT properly labelled,  not fabbed accurately or just NOT there.  The fact that we had these issues was not the worst of it — the worst part was what we needed to do to “fix or resolve”.  It was not a matter of pulling out the saw to cut a few pieces and fasten them up with some wood grip fasteners.   No.   We had to first get clearance from engineering to make sure we were not altering the integrity of the building SYSTEM since the buildings TOTAL LOAD capacity is pretty much 100% dependent on EVERY part being the part it’s suppose to be and in the place it is suppose to be and installed the way it is suppose to be installed.  ANY deviation of any of these can lead to reduced load capacity and potentially compromise the building’s ability to withstand snow, wind or seismic loads.

Are Rigid buildings strong?  Sure they are —  but only as strong as they are “built” to the exact specifications of the manufacturer.  NO DEVIATIONS.  No modifications.  No after the fact changes.   At least NOT without getting things cleared.

Are Rigid buildings flexible?  Yes, but only to the extent you have torches and welders to modify AFTER you get approval and able to afford the typically HIGH COST of beefing up, from the extra labor and the need for more or newer (STEEL) parts to accommodate the change.   Which typically can only be purchased from manufacturer.  “No substitutes”!

Are Rigid frames EASY and SIMPLE?  Only if you know EXACTLY what you want UP FRONT, and basically “never” want to change ANYTHING.   If you don’t meet those two criteria…  count on complexity, difficulties, delays and worst of all alot MORE MONEY.  Not just a little.  ALOT!

Are Rigid frames aesthetically pleasing?  If you like the main option being JUST STEEL. Yes.  Oh you can COVER these with decorative materials —  but don’t think about “saving” the steel to put something else on to save money.  It won’t happen.  You will either have to leave the steel sheeting on, and PAY EXTRA to cover it – or pay alot more for special engineering and structural beef ups to be able to remove the sheeting to allow you to put something else more aesthetically appealing instead.  Not exactly a “value added” option!

Are Rigid Frames less costly?  Yes –   again if you know EXACTLY what you want and DO NOT PLAN to change pretty much ANYTHING!  (I guess that’s why they call them RIGID frames!!!).  Otherwise —  NO.  Pure and simple they will cost MORE.   And in some cases, as we experienced, ALOT more.

Do your homework.  They can be the best solution – but you MUST know what you want and WHO you are getting it from.  Otherwise —  CAVEAT EMPTOR!!

 

Cheers.

 

 

When it comes to buildings, I may very well be “RIGIDLY” BIASED.

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Unbiased-Software-Selection1-229x241Before I even start this blog post – I will admit, I MAY BE BIASED… and somewhat ‘rigidly’ so too.

I was raised by parents who demanded I be truthful, honest, transparent.  They only wanted the BEST for me –  but also taught me that I had to be and do my (personal) best to earn it. (#bestbuildings)

They showed me what it looked like to be a good steward, to NOT WASTE, to do things right and do the RIGHT thing.

They encouraged me to THINK, to not TAKE everything as fact just because someone said so, to do MY OWN homework and research to make up my own mind, within a context of lasting-over-time.  i.e. “Be in it for the long haul”!!

They showed me the importance of making sure the things meaningful in my life had value, integrity, durability, quality and purpose, and that that would only come if I GAVE to them in the same way…  from the people I could choose to be, work, live and play with, to the “things” I could choose to own, operate, use, share and/or have stewardship over.

So quality, value, durability, integrity, flexibility, adaptability and sustainability, just to name a few, would become constant barometers in the litmus tests of whatever and whenever I had the freedom to make choices on or about. (#strongbuildings).

And so it goes for anything associated with TEAM PERKA, from the products we offer, the teammates we attract, the service we give and the care with which we undertake each of life’s moments. (#integrity)

So in this biased sense, we are committed to the goal that the  PERKA BUILDING ‘system’ offers the highest value as an investment, the most strength for durability over time, the most flexibility to adapt to any building need, as well as being easy and simple to deal with for any modifications, finishing or maintaining needs.  Whether it be during the build process or even months, years or decades in the future; your PERKA BUILDING will be able to grow WITH YOU!

Those main attributes of strength, flexibility, value and simplicity are the things we hear time and again, of what is important to builders and building owners alike…

 

RIGID FRAME BUILDINGS

Now let’s take the RIGID frame (plate beam) type of building design for example.   It’s own name pretty much points to fact that they are probably not going to be very “easy or flexible to deal with”.   We realize that it’s a technical and engineer based description, unfortunately our experience has also made it the descriptor for other things as well.

Despite being totally committed and convicted about the many many great things in a Perka Wood Steel Hybrid Building, we are not always able to fully convey the information, experiences and testimonials needed to help some folks fully comprehend the many benefits and longer term returns on this type of Wood/Steel Building investment.

In an effort to still be able to serve as many clients as we can, we still look for the best, most affordable alternative and sometimes yes, even “rigid frame” type building sources, so that we could have yet more options for those who still want to deal with an organization like TEAM PERKA, that has a long standing history of integrity for standing behind their products, commitments and obligations.

In the many (Perka) Rigid Frame buildings we supplied over the years we can say quite candidly that the majority of them has offered up at least one significant challenge that either cost our client or ourselves MORE money than we originally counted on spending. (And this does not even take into account the generally speaking larger foundation requirements needed that should be part of the decision up front, though often forgotten check out: http://www.perkabuildings.com/more-on-rigid-frame-designs-caveat-emptor/.)

Whether it was not having a door or window positioned in the right place and then having to jump through hoops and verifications to resolve it, or dealing with part after part of the building materials, that was NOT pre-assembled, NOT properly labelled,  not fabbed accurately, not pre-welded, not pre-punched or just NOT there.  The fact that we had these issues was not the worst of it… ‘stuff happens’, we can adjust to that.

— Unfortunately the worst part was what we needed to do to “fix or resolve” these issues.  It was not a matter of simply pulling out some tools to modify a few pieces and fasten them back up the way they were suppose to be.   No.   We had to first get clearance from engineering to make sure we were not altering the integrity of the originally designed building SYSTEM, since the building’s TOTAL LOAD capacity is pretty much 100% dependent on EVERY part being the part it’s suppose to be, in the place it is suppose to be in and installed the way it is suppose to be installed.   ANY deviation of any of these on a RIGID FRAME SYSTEM DESIGNED BUILDING, can lead to reduced load capacity and potentially compromise the building’s ability to withstand their intended snow, wind or seismic loads.  That process is generally not an “easy or simple” one.   The flexibility, if any, of this design, in our experience, is virtually non existent.

Here are a few more observations.

Are Rigid frame buildings strong?  Sure they are —  but only as strong as they are “built” to the exact specifications of the manufacturer.  NO DEVIATIONS.  No modifications.  No after the fact alterations, changes, add ons…   at least NOT without getting things cleared.  And you may as well allow a chunk of time and most often a good chunk of some more hard earned money for that process.

Are Rigid frame buildings flexible?  Yes, but only to the extent you have torches and welders to modify things AFTER you get approval, and able to afford the typically HIGH COST of beefing things up; from the extra labor and the need for more or newer (STEEL) parts to accommodate the change.   (Which typically can only be purchased from manufacturer.) “No substitutes”!

Are Rigid frames EASY and SIMPLE?   Sure, but only if you know EXACTLY what you want UP FRONT, and basically “never” want to change ANYTHING.   If you don’t meet those two criteria…  you may as well count on complexity, difficulties, delays and worst of all alot MORE MONEY.   Not just a little.  In some cases, ALOT!

Are Rigid frames aesthetically pleasing?  If you like the main option of your outer shell to be JUST STEEL. Then yes.  Of course you can COVER these with decorative materials —  but don’t think about “saving” the steel to put something else on instead, to save some time and money.  It won’t happen.  Unless you planned this from the start, you will either have to leave the steel sheeting on, and PAY EXTRA to cover it – or pay more for special engineering and structural beef ups to be able to remove the sheeting to allow you to put something else more aesthetically appealing instead.   It is not exactly a “value added” option!

Are Rigid Frames less costly?  Yes.  Sometimes.  –  And again this is dependent on you having to know (TODAY) EXACTLY what you want, and with NO PLANS to change pretty much ANYTHING!  (Hence “RIGID frames”??!!).  Otherwise —  NO.  Pure and simple they will cost MORE.   And in some cases, as we experienced, by the time you get the job totally completed, ALOT more.

In this day and age, where our society faces regular concerns about threats of harsh weather conditions, insecurity about finances, rapid changes in individual and collective life situations be it family, work, technology, location or purpose, it appears vital that our better choices will be able to offer strength to endure adversity and change, flexibility to be able to adjust whenever and however to whatever conditions that pop up, and to do this affordably, with an awareness for sustainable practices and a continued commitment to maintaining our assets for the long haul.  Yes.   In it for the long haul!

And you know what?  Perka Buildings can LOOK GREAT TOO!

How does it get better!?

Building for the Future, NOW.

Martial L. Thevenot

merz

 

DSC00320

 

Want a fancy porch?

Want a fancy porch?

 

Nice and cozy...

Nice and cozy…

 

I know this is a church - but it shows brick finish and architecture...

I know this is a church – but it shows brick finish and architecture…

 

 

 

More time/money VALUE ADDED benefits with Perka Prefab Wood Steel Hybrid Buildings

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It's ALL inclusive!

It’s ALL inclusive!

If you are able to take a bit of time to learn ALL about Perka’s design ideology you would be very pleasantly surprised by the many benefits, advantages, positive features, money saving ideas, waste preventing forethought and just plain amazing simplicity of their steel frames.  Add to that a genuine desire to serve selflessly, to assist generously and to share whatever wisdom, tips and experience the Mates at TEAM PERKA  have, and you have a pretty low downside and HIGH UPSIDE product package!

To help you sift through some of that “time” – here is a list of just some of these big MONEY ($$$) affecting PLUSES!!

1. You don’t have to leave your vehicles, equipment, assets OUTSIDE in the weather!  They will last longer, need less repair and will be worth more money if and when you decide to trade them in!!

2. You don’t have to work on or repair things out in the cold, wet or heat.  You can have a nice comfortable dry place – which will save you time, money and trips to the doctor!!

3. You will use LESS concrete, and spend less money, in your foundation as compared to any ALL STEEL rigid frame option.

4. The building will be easier to assemble,without mis fits, do to it’s PRE-FIT process.  That will  save you time and money!

5. All Perka clips are pre-punched and pre-welded on the frame.  That will  save you time and money!

6. If you purchase a full kit package from Perka – you will get a takeoff that is conscious of waste and you will get all you need to build your building according to your approved drawings and nothing more.  The building is priced accordingly so you will save money and not waste materials needlessly!

7. Perka Hybrid Buildings are designed with ease of assembly in mind.  That will  save you time and money!

8. Perka Hybrid Buildings are designed with ease of interior in mind.  That will  save you time, materials and money!

9. Perka Hybrid Buildings are designed with ease of insulation-ability in mind.  That will  save you time and money!

10. Perka Hybrid Buildings are designed with efficient use of the least amount of “energy” to heat or cool.  That will  save you money!

11. Perka Hybrid Buildings are designed with quality, durability and no compromise on design safety.  The frames come with a 50 year warranty and over the long haul that will  save you time and potentially alot of money!

12. Perka Hybrid Buildings are designed with quality, durability and no compromise on design safety and than can also save you on repairs from weather damage and possibly even on insurance premiums.  That can save you time, money and aggravation!!

13. Perka Hybrid Building Frames are generally pre-engineered but never un-modifiable.  Perka’s in house engineering, design and detail team can easily, quickly and inexpensively custom design ANY frame to meet YOUR exact needs. A custom building at pre-engineered price.  That can save you time, money and future aggravations!!  

14. Throughout the process from order taking, fulfillment, to production, packaging, shipping, construction and after sales service – TEAM PERKA aspires to always carry out the intention for an ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE AND FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE product.  AND THAT WILL SAVE YOU MONEY!

Full circle closed loop thinking...

Full circle closed loop thinking…

And these are just a few of many benefits…  Search and browse our blog and sights for more —  or just call us at 800-467-3752!  WE LOVE TO HELP!

Cheers

PERKA’S HYBRID BUILDING DESIGN OFFERS VALUE BENEFITS AND REAL MONEY SAVINGS

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With a Prefab Perka Wood Steel Hybrid Building you not only get VALUE by the many great benefits and very asset driven features — but you get ADDED VALUE by the many aspects that eliminates waste in terms of time, money, convenience, comforts and even in potential liabilities or loss.

As you can see from the up to 21 great reasons (benefits) why you should consider building with a Perka Hybrid designed building that you can find here: http://www.perkabuildings.com/why-a-prefab-perka-hybrid-wood-steel-building/, here: http://www.perkabuildings.com/7-more-great-reasons-to-help-you-build-strong/, and here: http://www.perkabuildings.com/how-about-another-7-good-reasons-to-build-a-perka/, Perka’s unique approach to buildings offers you a very viable alternative to conventional buildings.

That said it also offers you MANY great SAVINGS from money, to time to just plain STOPPING ‘waste’!

If you just take a few minutes and look around WHERE YOU ARE sitting or standing this very minute, I am sure you can instantly see or count a number of things just being “wasted”.   Anything from unfinished spoiling food, to cleaning up after damage from a storm, to a leaky faucet, to an open or unsealed door or window — often valuable resources, hard to find time and hard earned money are just literally being, and usually most reluctantly, and certainly rarely un-wilfully wasted away.

The men and women at Perka would like to think that they do whatever they can to help with a consciousness about these things.   A kind of “closed loop” thinking…  After all, “waste” just so happens to be a fairly important “pet peeve” of the stewards leading the way at Perka.

 So what does that mean to you? 

From the production/service standpoint Team Perka takes pride in a consciousness that encourages a total minimization of “waste” – taking into account the whole “system or process” of that effort.  For that our costs are controlled while being able to still “afford” high levels of conscientiousness for quality.

For example most of the paper used at Perka headquarters is reused or recycle.   From using the back side of no longer “good” paper, to using shredded paper for packaging, to bringing paper to the recycling stations.  We keep costs in check – we can keep our price to you in check…  That said – it must still nonetheless be done with an awareness of the total resource cost (entire loop) of doing so.  i.e. if used paper is damage, filled with staples or otherwise not good for immediate use – there is awareness of the cost to “make right” that paper for re-use.  So sometimes it’s not “worth” re-using or recycling if it will cost more to achieve that objective.  Do you get the idea?

Similarly with its Building designs, fabrication, delivery, field assembly to materials use – a similar mindset is constantly encouraged and striven for.  Of course we don’t live in a perfect world and “perfection” of this ideal is probably not a reasonable expectation.  But the idea that there is awareness for this goal is tantamount to achieving any goal to minimize waste, maximize resources and optimize product output, use and satisfaction.

Stay tuned for more Blog posts in the coming days that will sharing more benefits about Perka Building designs that are not only asset optimizing but also waste and liability minimizing.

closedloop

One insulation application – three heat transfers addressed – YOU $AVE!

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We recently received a GREAT question that lead to a fairly well presented and quite concise reply.

So we thought it would be a good thing to share it as part of this blog effort aiming at EDUCATION as much as any form of product promotion!!

J.C. Asked this question on a FACEBOOK post of building project we were doing: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152168635999104.1073741866.254254764103&type=1&comment_id=32159373&offset=0&total_comments=4&notif_t=photo_album_comment

What’s the difference between the insulation you sell with your buildings vs a spray foam?

p2000-photo

PERKA BUILDINGS REPLY:  

“Great question J.C.  Actually on this particular building, for budget reasons, the insulation supplied was a lower cost (and unfortunately also a lower performing) conventional FIBERGLASS batt insulation with vinyl backing.  This insulation type has the traditional R-Values that most people are accustom to having.  The unfortunate part about that is it pretty much ONLY addresses conduction heat loss/gains, with some resistance to convection, (re: from the overlap).   So while it may meet “codes” for R-value — in the big scheme of things it generally under-performs compared to other types.

The other main insulation PERKA BUILDINGS offers is affectionately known as P2000 Insulation.  It is comprised of an Expanded Poly Styrene core board, of varying thicknesses, with either both sides covered with MYLAR or one with Mylar and one with a strong white Vinyl Barrier.

What this does, in effect, is directly addresses all three forms of heat loss/gains. While it does not actually carry a significant R-value like fiberglass does – it still quite effectively “stops” conduction much like how a foam cup prevents our hand from being scolded with hot coffee in it.  (And that is with only 1/8″ thick uncovered EPS – we typically use 5/8″ to an 1″ WITH COVERINGS!!).

Simple math!

Simple math!

Secondly to address Convection we TAPE ALL JOINTS with the same MYLAR type material and a strong DUCT TYPE TAPE on the white side. THAT pretty much will SEAL all the possible ‘cracks’ for any convection air flow.

Finally with a MYLAR (plastic) reflective material on at least ONE side – we also, very effectively, control heat loss/gains from RADIATION. i.e. in winter we KEEP any radiant type energy INSIDE the building and in summer prevent the HIGHLY penetrating SUN rays from virtually cooking everything inside!

So with our best offer, the P2000, you get a material that can address ALL THREE forms of heat transfer, and all with just ONE APPLICATION.

Note also that the EPS that is used in P2000, is a CLOSED cell type of foam – which has virtually an infinite shelf life from decomposition or drying.

Now, depending on the type of SPRAY FOAM you get – you will address at least two of the heat transfer types… (Note however some foams are not closed cell and can thus dry up and decompose over time.)  A thick enough foam will give great R-value and being fully applied throughout all the nooks and crannies,  will definitely prevent convection heat transfers.  Unfortunately without a radiant barrier of some sort, be it MYLAR or aluminum… you will still experience radiant heat penetrations.

One last note on the difference between MYLAR and ALUMINUM radiant barriers. Both can more than adequately reflect the radiation from any heat source, the main difference is that aluminum is also a METAL and can add BACK some conduction properties. While MYLAR is more like a PLASTIC (and by the way is also the same material used by NASA for most space insulators)… it actually has shown experiential properties of DIFFUSING the radiant heat as much as reflecting it back OUT!

One added thought here:  ADD to all these great benefits and features of a great insulation material like P2000 – a building that uses WOOD for the purlin/girt runs and you get an ADDED Thermo Break from wood being a HUGELY less (if significantly) at all conductor especially as compared to STEEL.  So this will also great help with your overall building’s insulation-ability!  

EASY TO APPLY!

EASY TO APPLY!

Make sense?  If you have ANY questions about any of this – feel free to call and speak to any TEAM PERKA Mate.  It is worth understanding this as it can literally save you hundreds of dollars in not only your installation costs but your overall energy costs as well!

Stay comfortable friends!!

REAL COMFORTABLE!

REAL COMFORTABLE!

 

 

Pole Barn Comparison with Perka Hybrid Open Joist Building Models

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Look over these illustrations comparing a typical Perka Model 4000 Hybrid System Building Frame and a Pole Barn.

woodvsperka1 woodvsperka2

What do you see?

1. Do you notice a difference in head room?  Is this important to you?

2. Do you notice how you can get a HIGHER – BIGGER door in a lower profile (eave height) building?  Is this important to you?

3. Do you notice the extra space you might find in BETWEEN each frame or rafter?  Could this be of importance to you?

What else do you see?

We invite your comments, suggestions, opinions which you can share by emailing to perka@teamperka.com.

Or feel free to call and discuss with any of our PERKA TEAM MATES at 800-467-3752.

WE LOVE TO HELP!

Cheers!

 

TEAM PERKA

 

staff

Are you thinking of a farm Quonset Building or a Staightwall?

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Good choices indeed.

In fact when we (Perka) started back in 1981, Quonset Buildings were REAL popular.  They were cost effective shelter buildings, fairly easy for the do it yourselfer and readily available with dozens of manufacturers making them all over North America!

Fast forward 30+ years —  and they are still relatively cost effective (though alot less so) and not much has really changed about them so they are still relatively easy to put up, if you like putting in thousands of bolts to put it all together!

Back then they were “sold” without much engineering calculations to support them.  Today there is much more of that available – but of course it closed the gab in the cost range.   If you are going to build something to CODE – it must be able to withstand the earth quake, wind and snow loads…  So they had to beefed up in many cases to do that.  Just like with Pole Buildings or Stick Built structures – if not built to code — SURE THEY WILL BE CHEAP!  If they are — the price will go up – and sometimes quite significantly!  So it’s always about EDUCATING yourself and KNOWING what it is you are really buying!

With alot less manufacturers – shipping costs can be a significant add on too.  Something else to watch for.

Another thing to be careful about is – actual “size comparisons”!!!   A 40 foot wide Quonset will not have the same VOLUME of space as a straight wall.  And even between straight wall designed buildings some have BOTTOM CORDS with TRUSSING all above that and so you will get LESS HEAD ROOM!  Get some sketches with dimensions if you can!

Below is an example comparing the Quonset sizes on a “40-19” model vs and 40-14 Perka Model 4000 Hybrid!

The moral of this story here is: —  ASK QUESTIONS.  Know what you are buying — hopefully BEFORE you do that!

The Common Law of business balance by Ruskin sums this up best:

“There is hardly anything in the world that someone cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price alone are that person’s lawful prey. It’s unwise to pay too much, but it’s worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money — that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot — it can’t be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better.”

The question is will you be able to afford actually paying for it LATER (usually more), if you don’t put some extra in NOW!

Make sense?

Here is that comparison!

COMPARE BEFORE YOU BUY!!

COMPARE BEFORE YOU BUY!!

If you have ANY questions about ANYTHING regarding buildings — there are some pretty good chances TEAM PERKA can help!  We have over a century of industry experience here and been actually putting building SOLUTIONS together for OVER 30 years!

Feel free to call 800-467-3752.  WE LOVE TO HELP!

Introducing a Perka ECONO model…

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Save_Money2 (1)More and more folks are finding themselves on tightened budgets these days. Concerns about economic slow downs, cut backs, and job insecurity has got people really counting their pennies and not spending them faster than they absolutely need to. And that is perfectly understandable!

Most people are also aware of the fact that you can only GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!!!

PERKA’S HIGH STANDARD OF QUALITY

As many of you may already know PERKA is synonymous with quality, integrity, reliability, accuracy, service, dedication to client satisfaction and much more. These are inherent values you will ALWAYS get from PERKA products.

Now many people will say we are kind of like the “Cadillac” of the building world. We have many standard options that are ALREADY included. We hold to very high standards of design, workmanship, inspections and accountability from start to finish. Of course all these virtues do add more time and attention to the product process and thus give it even more value.

THE LAW OF BUSINESS BALANCE

According to John Ruskin the law of business balance simple states you just can not get something for nothing – so all of Perka’s value added elements end up built into the cost of producing the product and providing service.

In today’s world, more than ever, this is not always an easy aspect to accept! Many people hope they can get all this extra attention and commitment and essentially get it for the lowest price going out there! Believe me, we’ve tried to trim in various places to help bring the numbers down to help more folks get into a PERKA BUILDING. And let’s face it – most people love the “luxury car” feel and amenities – but can’t always justify or accept the extra initial cost on their budgets. (Even though in many cases there is a substantial saving on maintenance, depreciation and wear and tear items.)

Well all this to say PERKA is not about to compromise any of their value added elements. So there really is no room for cost cutting there. We have decided however, that we can modify a few things to make the Perka Econo Building more comparable to many lower priced alternatives and yet still offer all the major benefits of the PERKA STANDARD for quality and service.

 

7 FEATURES TO HELP SAVE ON YOUR BUILDING BUDGET

The new PERKA ECONO MODEL is a small variation of the present Model 4000 system. Same basic look, same quality in workmanship. But to help us be able to be more comparable to plate beam, “pole barn” or “post and beam” buildings which can be lower priced, we are now choosing to do a few things to close if not even eliminate the gap.

#1. Eave Height

The standard eave height on a Model 4000 is the dimension to the top of the truss’ steel. So by the time you add the purlin and sheeting – the actual height is 8″-10″ taller. So the Perka ECONO MODEL will now have a nominal eave height dimension that includes the purlin and sheeting. Just like most of the lower priced alternatives.

#2. Dead Load

Perka’s standard allowance for dead load has always been a minimum of 4 pounds. This allows for the weight of the purlins and the sheeting and as much as an extra 1.5# for more weight – be it insulation, more roof material or even small collateral load items. Now we will design in the same loading of 2.5 pounds found in most of these lower cost alternatives.

#3. Girt spacing

Another Perka Design Standard for their HYBRID wood/steel design buildings has been to always hold to a 24″ spacing on the purlins and girts. There is not much we can do about the roof since the 24″ spacing is minimum needed to meet snow loads. However, on the walls, a 48″ spacing (and even more in some cases) is more often used. And another thing that is found in many pole barn or post & beam buildings is the girt is often only a 2″ x 4″ and many times laying flat with it’s weaker axis taking the windload. Now we’re not prepared to go to the extent of using 2″ x 4″ for girts – but we can still meet minimum windload requirements and have our typical girts clips (still pre welded and pre punched) at 48″ centers and still receive 2″ x 6″. Another lower cost saving! Just like most of the lower priced alternatives.

#4. Frame Warranty

The standard warranty period offered by Perka on their frames is presently 50 years. Like any form of insurance – there is a certain small percentage of every “order” that must be allocated to the cost just in case. Since most of the lower priced building alternatives carry little or NO WARRANTY, and if they do, it is one offered from pretty much a BRAND NEW company or from the contractor themselves! (Remember: you get what you pay for!) Now we can’t erase our 30 year history of providing quality buildings but we can take away part of the allowance for the warranty to help with the cost. While you may not be getting an actual written warranty with this option – you are still getting the building frames from a 30 year old company who is high on integrity, honesty and good will.

#5. Sheeting warranty, trim package and fasteners.

If you are purchasing a building material package to include sheeting, trims and fasteners – Perka has always supplied the higher quality sheeting and trim alternatives.  Always with the higher warranty.  Like right now it’s at 40-45 years depending on the actually manufacturer we get supplied from. That being said – to compare with the lower priced alternatives, we can offer at a much reduced cost the typical 10 year warranty alternative. Furthermore – all Perka Material Packages have come with a deluxe trim packages which includes closure strips, eave trim, base trim and gable trim that is typically NOT included in lower priced packages. Also Perka generally only uses color matched #10 wood grip fasteners – these are screws. Of course supplying standard roof nails costs a bit less. So another place to lower the price!

#6. Fascia, gable and corner finishes

When you get a building material package furnished by Perka you will have wood material to support your mid bay girts on buildings with over 14′ bay spacings, and for the finishing of your fascias on the gable ends, as well as for your corners to make it easier to fasten your sheeting and trims. Whether you are a do it yourselfer or a seasoned contractor, this is just one of those “luxury” options that makes the builder’s life easier. Of course you will not necessarily get this with the lower priced option!

#7. OPTION 1 – NON EXPANDABLE WOOD END FRAMES

Typically when a material is offered we can give the client 3 basic options.

  1. All steel frames for the mid 2 bay load bearing frames with wood construction non-expandable frames on both ends.
  2. All steel frames for the mid 2 bay load bearing frames with wood construction non-expandable frames on one end.
  3. All steel frames for ALL the frames in the building.

By choosing OPTION 1 – you see we can lower the cost a bit more to be even more comparable. This way you still have STEEL WHERE STEEL IS NEEDED AND WOOD WHERE WOOD CAN SERVE BEST!

In conclusion – by adding all these feature adjustments into the PERKA ECONO BUILDING, we can, in most cases, lower the cost enough to still be able to offer you the peace of mind of using PERKA quality and integrity but being able to pay a little less to get it while getting no less than what you would from the lower priced alternatives!

Check it out for yourself. Visit other sections on this website —  www.perkabuildings.com for more info about standard designs… feel free to call direct at 800-467-3752.

Cheers

More of what others are saying about TEAM PERKA!!

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greenenergy

 

Reply by RM on July 25, 2009 at 11:54pm

Team Perka as an organization/business has great customer service that gives the contractor instant credibility with his clients.
Team Perka’s willingness to embrace alternative building techniques greatly helps them become leaders in the growing green sustainable buildings industry.  Keeping costs down in this building climate and showing them a home or building that saves money, and not just a little but allot is so needed, still quite rare but so WELCOMED from TEAM PERKA.
Perka’s Hybrid designs saves people money from the very start and this really needs to highlighted and appreciated. As a nation and industry that spends BILLIONS of dollars every year, we really need to wake up (educate) ourselves to SUSTAINABLE building concepts.  Getting contractors to use designs like Perka’s prefab WOOD STEEL HYBRID buildings is very important… because they understand your stance on sustainability and green technologies.
In my opinion, the soul of a company is just as important as the quality of the product. Supporting companies that are going the extra mile to help save resources and promote a movement towards responsible and aware construction is more important then just looking at up front costs/price.  A more long term look at costs (waste, Trusted Roofing, energy, maintenance, etc.) must be take.
With that said, the complete Perka designed Hybrid package becomes an affordable product… and one that is now being marketed by a company that has a solid and thoughtful green outlook.
I just wanted to offer my view point from the customer side. Team Perka’s staff is just great and I am inspired by the Team Leader’s enthusiasm for the next generation for our collective building industry.  Having the wisdom to see whats around the corner is going to ensure a great position and standing of visionary leadership in the building industry. RM
For more info contact TEAM PERKA at 800-467-3752 or email to perka@teamperka.com or visit www.perkabuildings.com.

What some people are saying about Perka Buildings!!

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advantage

 

A few years back we asked contractor/builder folks what they thought about Perka Buildings.   You don’t have to take our, albeit biased, opinion…   here is just one reply we received…

Reply by K.M. on March 2, 2009 at 5:46pm

The benefits of using Perka frames in almost any building (commercial/residential) are endless. Here are just a few of them!
1. Perka Buildings vs other Metal Buildings.A. Being able to make changes on sight because of wood purlins and girts…
B. Ability to insulate and sheetrock for true inside finish.
C. Two story buildings. Perka can add multi-story floor joists in. For others, the cost is staggering for this. It’s more cost effective to build a building inside a building (which is not cost effective at all compared to the time, materials and financial savings with a Perka building).
D. Ability to design the building exactly the way you want.   You can get a custom building that iss not at custom pricing.  It’s not just cookie cutter buildings like others sell.  If you want a custom metal building from others, either the cost is prohibitive or they flat out just can’t do it.
E. Ability to side the building with non-metal products.

F. Owner-Builder friendly.   Enough said on this one.2. Perka Buildings compared to stick (wood) framing.

A. No perimeter or interior footings required.  Savings on cement.
B. No load bearing walls. Savings.
C. No door headers. Savings.
D. Ability to put interior walls where ever you please.
E. Much less studs to drill for wiring and piping.
F. Model 4000 Frames can be purchased (in some areas like the east and west coasts) for the cost of wood trusses alone. WOW!!!
G. They are really low cost and super fast engineering.
H. Major labor savings on construction.

3. Perka vs residential stick building.

A. All of the above plus:
B. You can get no hassle open beam vaulted ceilings
C. Ability of frames to be built for sloping land.  The cost savings here alone on cement footings can be staggering.
D. No hassle perimeter decking, second floor balconies, covered porches, etc,etc,etc.

Like I said the list above is just a few of the benefits.

On selling/promoting Perka Buildings:

I know this was not part of this discussion but I can’t stop when I’m on a roll!

The biggest thing for me is not to go head to head with other metal buildings.  I don’t sell metal buildings if I can help it.  They are a pain to put up.  A pain to work with.  You always need to consult engineering for any type of change.  I’d prefer to sell Perka Metal Building frames.  If someone just wants a non insulated, plain jane, metal building and they are just price shopping regardless of quality or benefits then that’s going to be a challenge.  If they are wanting and understand value, benefits, long term investing, then they just opened the door for Perka Building.  You may need to do a lot of prying (ask questions) about their project.  I probably shouldn’t use the word prying but sometimes that’s what it is.  For myself I’m always truly interested in the persons project, their preferences, their wants and desires.  They can tell that when I talk to them.  And I can do this with confidence knowing the Perka can back my ability to serve them.    The first and foremost thing I truly do is rack my brain to find ways to save them money and be able to show them that on paper.  For instance I can space the frames at 15′ and not need to have as many frames as stick buildings.  Spacing the frames at 15′ also meant bigger floor joists and roof rafters.  Since I’m such a good economist (cheap son of a gun), I decided to see how much it would be for an extra frame so I could use smaller lumber. To my surprise the total price with extra frame was the same as without.  Since there was not as much load as the bigger spacing the metal required for the framing was less.  Wow, see what I mean —  the flexibility allows me to be able to try the different scenarios and come up with the BEST one.  I am not locked into to just ONE way!!

Two stories.  One of a sale and one of a non-sale.

Non-sale: A customer of mine from my other business was telling me that her and her husband were adding a garage (for storage) with living quarters above. I told her that I could save her a lot of money if she used Perka frames.  Unfortunately she already had a contractor hired to build the stick framed building.  He was behind by a couple of months and hadn’t started their building yet.  She got a hold of the contractor and he said he would take a look at the Perka frames.  BTW, this contractor had built several buildings for these people before.  I designed some frames that gave her way more usable space plus added a huge second floor deck (his plans had no deck).  All for more that $50,000 less than the contractor’s project finish price.  I only lost that one because once the other contractor to a look at my plans and numbers, he saw that he would make a lot less money.  Namely that $50,000.  All of a sudden he was no longer busy and started to build their building while they were gone on vacation for four weeks!  They did not have a contract with the builder but were friends so they just let it go…

Sale: This was actually to another contractor. He was building a residence plus hangers for private airports that has became quite popular around the country.  This was actually a building he wanted for himself. He was going to stick build the two story residence with a workshop below part of it…  but wanted metal frames for the hanger that was connected. I was actually bidding against other metal truss builders (Perka knock offs) for pricing . When I saw his plans I said “how about I price out the whole building for you with Perka multi design Frames. He said no because the building was already engineered and through planning, and he wanted to stick build because he was a contractor and he thought he could do it much cheaper.  He said don’t bother you would be just wasting both of our time. I didn’t listen to him. I priced out the hanger frames but I also priced out the whole project with (custom) Perka Frame.  He pretty much just had a un-attractive same height square box before. I designed him a beautiful split roof with high windows HOME. With the same footprint he gained 900 square feet in his second floor living quarters plus a added second floor observation deck to oversee the runway. He had clearer shop space below (less load bearing posts).  I also showed him where and how he would save money and labor over his design.  Once he saw my idea in a colored pencil drawing I made (just the shear better looks of my building design sold him on it I believe), he had to meet me in person to go over it.  After we met and saw what I was saying was true, he scrapped his project. He tried to shop other building frame manufacturers to try to get a better price than mine.  But nobody else he contacted would not even entertain putting a similar package together. He was sold!  Sometimes it pays to show a person different ideas, even if at first they are set in their ways.  He is extremely happy with his building now and told me it went together without a hitch!!

For more info – visit www.perkabuildings.com, email perka@teamperka.com or call 800-467-3752.