Peace on Earth, One Customer at a Time

December 29, 2020 by Paul Gibson Posted in NewBlog Tagged advice, barndominium, building, carreer, contractor, dealer, DIY, Do it yourself, econo, energy efficient, energy saving, envelope, flexible, lumber, shed, shouse, steel building, sustainable, system design, teammate. construction, thanks, truth, welcome

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.

Giving Thanks!

November 27, 2020 by Paul Gibson Posted in NewBlog Tagged building, contractor, dealer, Do it yourself, energy efficient, energy saving, flexible, green, honest, hybrid, pole barn, post & beam, steel building, teammate. construction, truth

Welcome back to the Perka blog!

Today, we are going to be talking about one of America’s favorite holidays. (Here is a hint: It’s happening “NOW” – at least at time of this writing!) That is right; we’re talking about Thanksgiving. Giving Thanks!!

Though it is not a distinctly American holiday, here in the United States, it is celebrated it, in a fashion, as only Americans can. It’s actually one holiday of the year that is truly and purely ALL DENOMINATIONAL, regardless of race, creed, religious belief or otherwise; – THANK YOU can be practiced by, literally, EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN – let alone HUMAN BEING!!

So there’s no wonder it’s such a popular holiday. It is a day off work that is typically used primarily to gather with friends and family, and EAT!

Unfortunately, some of the thankfulness often falls to the wayside during housing friends, preparing the meal, and eating until we cannot hold another bite. And, of course, this year, things are going to look quite different. Now, is that a blessing, a curse, or both?

I’m sure I don’t need to remind anyone of that dreaded Covid-19 epidemic. It continues to wreak havoc upon our world every day. Unfortunately, because of it, many people are not going to be able to safely be with or see their families.

One would think that we just would not be in the mood for giving thanks. However, it is often the most difficult situations that makes us realize the good things all around us.

While we may not be able to go visit our loved ones this year, we live in an age of technological marvels. Anyone up for a family Zoom call? And it’s true that we won’t be able to share special holiday treats with friends and family, but at least we have food available.

(By the way, you should totally check out the delicious recipes from our last blog post!) I know that this all might sound cornier than your aunt’s special casserole, but that doesn’t make it any less true. Even in the midst of Covid-19, we’ve certainly got a lot to be grateful for.

But now, you’re probably wondering how does a Perka Hybrid Building fits into all this. At Team Perka, we pride ourselves on “keeping all we can as simple and stress-free as can be”.

While Covid-19 is not simple or stress-free, nor does it mix well with our favorite holidays, we think we’ve found a very viable stress-freeing solution.

If you have ever owned one of Perka’s unique hybrid buildings, you know how VERY spacious they can be. (They are customizable, with large free and clear spans for breathtaking rooms, and these incredible structures can be as large or as small as you please!)

And if you have never purchased a building or frame from Perka, now is the perfect time to get one! Picture this: Your whole family in one place. Easily 6-10 feet apart of need be. Thanksgiving dinner (or lunch or breakfast). Ample easy ventilation. Great healthy sun or moon light beaming in through grand windows. Everyone with their own “safe space”.

One of Perka’s larger buildings can become the perfect venue to gather your family and keep them safe, comfortable, and still TOGETHER? Yes, you might have to speak a bit louder to project across the room, but let’s face it. You were probably going to do that anyway.

Even if this year’s holidays don’t look “normal”, staying connected is always something to be thankful for. Whether it’s over Zoom, across the room, or using some other innovative way, we hope you find a way to enjoy the holidays with your loved ones.

And, speaking of staying connected, we would love to connect with YOU! Feel free to contact us, check out our website, or find us on Facebook. And if there is anything we can do to help you “keep it simple, safe and stress-free”, whether it’s with new holidays venue traditions or your dream building project, let us know. We would love to be a part of your journey.

One of my favorite authors says,

I’m glad that, even in the midst of these difficult times, we at Team Perka still have incredible customers, neighbors, friends, family, like you. That’s ALWAYS something we will be thankful for!

When Life Gives You Lemons

September 15, 2020 by Paul Gibson Posted in NewBlog Tagged building, dealer, Do it yourself, energy efficient, energy saving, envelope, flexible, hybrid, opportunity, pole barn, post & beam, prefab, sustainable, system design, truth

By Olivia Trusdale

“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

This popular phrase is one of those “easier said than done” things. It isn’t always easy to sweeten what’s been soured, especially in the midst of the unprecedented times we’re living.

During the chaos and seeming madness, we can easily lose sight of the beauty in our everyday situations. (And sometimes, it can be really hard to find or see that beauty!) So how do we stay positive and insightful when we’re living through a literal PLAGUE PANDEMIC?!?!? And societal tensions? And a volatile economy? And don’t forget those murder hornets!

As TEAM PERKA, we are trying our utmost to “Keep It Simple and Stress-free” (K.I.S.S) So in this article, we’re going to be sharing 5 of our favorite tips for positive, hopeful, and connected OPTIMISMS.

Tip 1: Post positive sticky notes around your work and living spaces. It’s almost impossible not to smile when you’re looking at a cheerful note, from you, for you, to you! According to a Time Magazine article, posting constant visual reminders of positive thoughts or even inspiring photos can significantly improve your mood, your outlook and increase your confidence.

Some fun ideas for these happy little notes are “Smile!”, “It’s going to be a good day!”, and “You can do it!” You might also want to utilize your favorite quotes and Bible verses. There are endless possibilities. Focus on reviewing these positive messages frequently. Anything that sends you happy thoughts and “good vibes” does affect the psyche. (And if your happy sticky notes are spread throughout one of Perka’s hybrid buildings, that provides an extra burst of positivity and good MOJO!

You can virtually have a quantum vortex of optimism from a quality building, affordably constructed, comfortably furnished, AND boosted by happy thoughts posted all about the premises. How does it get better?

Tip 2: Stay connected with friends and family. Countless studies have proven that spending time with friends increases your happiness. Even though you may not be able to physically gather with the people you love, there are many other platforms that make it possible for you to stay connected. Skype, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet are popular and fast evolving online choices.

And there is always the old fashion phone call, postcard, letter or even a telegram! Yes telegrams are still possible – but maybe more so as a novelty! And of course there is a new digital app attempting to replicate the Telegram “feel” as an online chat messenger!!

Whichever way you choose, it’s important to keep communications open with the people you care about, and with anyone you basically have a meaningful relationship with. Just having that assurance of knowing that you aren’t alone helps you feel better about yourself and your situation.

Also being informed in a timely fashion of any “important or change in circumstances” can totally remove uncertainty that leads to “stress”! — The truth is, we’re all going through challenges of various degrees, right now, in real time.

We as TEAM PERKA are also living through this very same volatile yet expanding world like you. A GINORNOUS component of our culture – most of which pertains to creating more joy and less stress — is all about COMMUNICATING!! WE have a “hashtag” acronym we use every chance we get — #DWC. No, it’s not Dancing with Canadians or Drinking with Cowboys… it’s DON’T WAIT COMMUNICATE!!! We would love to be a part of the stress-free solution “lemonade” making that life is presenting to you. Contact us and let us know how we can be of service!

Tip 3: Let others know that you care about them and what they’re going through. While this piece of advice is not necessarily an obvious idea to foster positivity, reaching out to others can make a big impact on your own happiness, not to mention theirs.

When you help others, something happens in our brains and heart that promotes a realization of how blessed you are, inspiring gratitude and furthering more caring generosity. Plus, investing in other people (whether it’s with your time, talents, money, words, etc.) can be extremely gratifying. And you will just feel better, knowing that you’ve made a difference in someone’s day and life. Not only does it make you feel more positive, but they grow in positivity, too, because they received kindness from you. It creates a ripple effect. Which, if paid forward, can literally become perpetual in kinetic potential! Try it. If it’s not working just yet… increase the dose. This ideal is an important element in our Team’s culture as well!

Tip 4: While it’s good to reach out to others and connect with friends and family, don’t forget to take some time for yourself, too. Taking a break and having some fun- at the appropriate times- can help you refresh, relax, recharge, reignite, refocus and thus work (or play) more efficiently, especially when it’s time to begin again on your necessary tasks.

You shouldn’t ignore your problems, but brief distractions can help you return to them with new ideas and a fresh perspective.

Team Perka seeks to be a trusted advisor to help you look at your situation from as many perspectives as possible. From over 200 years of combined experience from the advisor team alone – you can benefit from the wisdom that life offers from making mistakes… and while there is a lot of training and education built in to our team – there is little to replace someone who has been through many relatable situations and has “seen a thing or two”!!

Tip 5: Stay flexible! BE flexible… this is one of those things that is less skill and almost all ATTITUDE!!! It’s a CHOICE!!! Being loose, calm, open, go-with-the-flow-, NO PANIC can really make a difference when seeking out STRESS FREE SOLUTIONS!

What is happening or is going to happen, is often just going to happen. The main thing you have control over is the way you respond to it. You can treat everything as a “problematic” challenge of extreme proportions or consequences OR you can see it as a new opportunity/way to serve and grow.

Worry less about “if you make a mistake”, or can’t respond “on some particular time line” per se; but yes do the best you can, with the resources you have and COMMUNICATE!! #DWC. Keep all concerned parties up to date and aware of the roadblocks, challenges or obstacles that need to be overcome!

Some things just are or are not in total synch with our moment to moment needs. Stay calm, poised and open to any, all and even “other” solutions! You will always receive the gift of knowing or understanding more about how to or not to possibly do or say something. Own it. Apologize if it serves. Make amends, reparations and KEEP MOVING. Keep evolving. It’s a secret to Happiness!

With TEAM PERKA, seeking to be calm, poised, reflective and specifically flexible is one of the five core values in our “S.A.F.E.R.” solution manifest. Flexibility means adapting in the midst of difficult, changing, unexpected, unplanned, or challenging circumstances and being open when change comes to work WITH IT. To seek out and then deploy a solution… Own it. But still grow with it.

Though this may sound presumptuous, we do sincerely hope that buying a new building is a change or opportunity that does comes your way. And when that presents itself, whether it came from a lemon or not – you can be assured that our Team will be here, able and willing, to help you stay positively on track, connected to purpose, calmly caring for your situation and for YOU personally – so that we can be poised to flexibly arrive at the best, most serving, joy filled solution.

For more information about our “Safe, Affordable, FLEXIBLE, Easy, Resilient” buildings, customer service, and company culture as a whole, contact us here.

Farms, Food, and Finances

July 1, 2020 by Paul Gibson Posted in NewBlog Tagged barndominium, building, chicken coup, contractor, DIY, Do it yourself, econo, energy efficient, energy saving, envelope, flexible, food, greenhouse, meat, meat packing, milk, opportunity, post & beam, poultry, systainable, teammate. construction, thanks

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.

Let’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.

One 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.

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!

Living in a S.A.F.E.R. World in the Midst of a Pandemic

June 10, 2020 by Paul Gibson Posted in NewBlog Tagged advice, barndominium, building, carreer, change, contractor, dealer, DIY, energy efficient, envelope, flexible, free, happy, pandemic, pole barn, safer, shouse, steel building, stress free, sustainable, teammate. construction, truth

Living in a S.A.F.E.R. World in the Midst of a Pandemic

Blog submitted by Olivia Truesdale

Back in February, Kansas City experienced one of its most epic moments ever: Winning the Vince Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LIV.

After the Kansas City Chiefs won, there were parties and parades. The city could not stop celebrating!

I had a friend who was unable to watch the game in real time, so she settled in and watched the recorded game. She, of course, already knew what was going to happen: The Chiefs were going to win. It was all over the papers! Everyone knew! (They had already won!) Still, when the Chiefs were down by ten points at the end of the third quarter, she couldn’t help but feel a little nervous.

Even when we know the outcome, it can be difficult to stay calm and positive, especially when, in a given moment, all hope looks lost. It’s like we know that we will eventually beat this COVID-19/Corona Virus challenge. In the meantime, everyone is (as we should be) concerned for their own health, as well as the health of others.

We at Team Perka are committed to help keeping you out of harm’s way, and we want you to stay S.A.F.E.R. too. Wait, aren’t those the same thing? At Perka, our motto, “S.A.F.E.R”, stands for “Strong, Affordable, Flexible, Easy, Resilient”. How can we at Perka (and you at home!) live in a S.A.F.E.R. world even in the midst of a pandemic?

STRONG: It can be quite the challenge to remain strong during our present situation. As humans, we often feel that we have to be strong for everyone: kids, spouse, parents, co-workers, etc. However, being strong doesn’t always mean “having everything under control”. It takes strength to be vulnerable and honest, especially when you don’t have everything under control. It takes strength to stay positively optimistic… especially when living through your very first global pandemic or otherwise new challenge! Life is quite different and can feel difficult right now. At Team Perka, we stay strong by continuing in our preparation, study, and readiness to help. Feel free to contact us ; we’d love to know how we can help you!

AFFORDABLE: With all the prices of different commodities going up and down, how do you STAY poised and secure??? It can be difficult to figure things out, especially price vs value wise. We, however, continue to focus on USE VALUE and purpose filled worth/usefulness. We are always seeking ways to create value and find the best fit and best price for you and your dream project!

FLEXIBLE: Stay loose and adaptable! With everything changing and evolving as much and as quick as it is, the only thing we can do is evaluate adjust and respond with whatever changes that are required right along with whatever is happening. (Our preference is to be more in the lead of changes – but sometimes stuff just happens!!!) It seems that information, recommendations, guidelines, and LIFE is changing, and sometimes even contradicting itself, by the minute! We must not get bogged down with the stress of change. We keep traditions where we can, and remember that our life is not the only one that is affected by COVID-19 or whatever else is going on. At Perka, we remain open TO SERVE and are always at the ready to help Y-O-U!

EASY: Keep it simple, and don’t worry! Hopefully, a Perka building project can be a part of doing what is easiest and most efficient for you and your loved ones. Or, as we like to say, “Keep It SAFER and Stress free” (#KISS). We want to be part of keeping things safe and stress free for you and your family now, during the current pandemic and “tomorrow”, as we continue to evolve together

RESILIENT: When we all come out of our “going within” or “staying in” or “quarantine-ing”, after this pandemic has been resolved, it may still be difficult, or awkward, to adjust to all the new rules and way of life that we may have evolved into. We can’t let that discourage us; we must continue to bounce back and get up from the difficulties this pandemic, and this year in particular, is exposing . Hopefully, things will soon be back to a form of “normal”, though it may take some time for them to be a fully embraced “normal” again. In the meantime, let’s stay positively optimistic and confident. Never forget that we at Team Perka are on your side, ready to bounce back and stay strong in the game!

And voilà! What do you think? That’s how we stay S.A.F.E.R and how you can stay S.A.F.E.R., too.

For more info about how we can help you stay SAFER – CLICK HERE.

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

July 12, 2016 by Paul Gibson Posted in NewBlog Tagged building, contractor, Do it yourself, econo, energy efficient, envelope, flexible, honest, information, pole barn, prefab, steel building, system design, truth

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

Taking the time to get it RIGHT… takes time!

July 11, 2016 by Paul Gibson Posted in NewBlog Tagged energy efficient, energy saving, flexible, hybrid, money, QUALITY, service, serving, stress free, sustainable, teammate. construction, time, truth

There is an old story in our family about two young men who both wanted to buy a car to go to College with.

Both had roughly the same amount of money. Both looked at cars of the same type and year.

One walked in to a dealer ship – met with a real nice representative of the dealership who spoke real fast about all the benefits of the car and how this young man would just be so happy if he bought this one – right now – as it was actually on sale, as the last one on the lot.

The second young man on the other hand – went to a couple different car lots, spoke to various representatives, shared his need and want list, took time to listen to answers and replies, expanded on them and asked even many more questions. He appreciated the various rep’s enthusiasm – but took time to get to know the cars he was interested in, the rep, the dealership, the service department, noticing how they treated him and checked up on the reputation of all of the above. It took a few extra days to find his car of choice and he did spend a bit more money up front, despite buying the same kind of car with the same year. But he knew alot more about the car and the people behind it, from his own research.

The first young man drove the car for less than a month and started to have troubles. When he returned to the dealer – nothing he needed attention was covered under warranty. The nice rep he spoke to – was never available when he called or visited. It cost him several trips to and from the dealer, many days without a car and alot of money he had never planned on spending. He ended up selling the car at a loss a few months later. He had to finish school taking buses, taxis and getting lifts from friends. This all ended up costing him nearly as much as owning a better car – but with nothing to show for it. Worse of all he was not a HAPPY CLIENT. He was downright stressed out most of his time at school – counting on public transportation or on others!

The second young man kept his car maintained, and was able to own it till after he graduated from College. He was even able to actually save some money over the four years and traded up his car for a nicer newer car. He enjoyed his time at college – had no transportation worries and was a HAPPY CLIENT, which is why he returned to the same dealer for the trade.

Moral of the story is that it really can be a most serving and beneficial investment of one’s time to get answers and share as much info as one can with the supplier.

These two young men were old friends of our original founder from back in the late 70’s. He subconsciously decided right then and there, that education was going to be the key to not only good service and making sure his client’s would be happy, but to endure the test of time. Since the early 80’s we have been steadily working on ways to improve that, albeit much of time unconsciously or without specific intention or reverence.

A few years ago we had an epiphany of a Divine Nudge. The bit of Grace, led us to figuring out our “why”, which began to light bulbs in our mind and hearts, and which we chose to consciously and with intention to make our mission.

In one sentence it is this:

“Perka is about seeking out

S.A.F.E. and stress free building solutions”

And the BEST way for us to do that is to find out all we can about our client’s needs and wants, FIRST… And then making sure we would do all we can to figure out the BEST, most serving choices, and be able to meet those desires as best we knew how… – if not, we would just not be their supplier.

So we came up with an acronym to best describe our objectives on HOW we could meet our WHY!

S.A.F.E.

PERK BUILDINGS ARE STRONG to endure the test of time and the many challenges from Mother Nature.
PERK BUILDINGS ARE AFFORDABLE to give you (USE) value that will be an asset and not a liability for years.
PERKA BUILDINGS ARE FLEXIBLE to be able to adapt to your exact needs of today and in the future.
PERKA BUILDINGS ARE EASY to help make life simpler and stress free.

*( All this, orginally designed by a DO-IT YOURSELFER, FOR the DO-IT-YOURSELFER! To be quick to build with many pre-thought, pre-fit, pre-welded, pre-punched features…)***

And that is now, PERKA’s, conscious mission.

And… WE LOVE TO HELP… it just feels good!

Cheers,

I.C. Scoops!

welovetohelp

More on Rigid Frame Designs – Caveat Emptor

June 24, 2014 by Paul Gibson Posted in NewBlog Tagged building, contractor, DIY, Do it yourself, flexible, honest, hybrid, mistakes, opportunity, post & beam, rigid, steel building, teammate. construction, truth

At the time of our last post – we were well in the process of handling issues that some of our Rigid Frame clients had to deal with — and we felt obligated to share it in the spirit of open, honest, transparency… and as you can see from that post: http://www.perkabuildings.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=1173&action=edit, PATIENCE & TIME are invaluable resources you really need to harvest alot of to deal with those types of issues.

Well, since then, we’ve also come across another important lesson/experience, well worthy of mention here.

For those who have more experience with dealing with Rigid Frame packages – no doubt this is stuff you already are very much aware of and can probably prevent from happening with properly pricing it all in BEFORE a client makes his purchase … so he knows UP FRONT what all it’s going to cost him – RIGHT?

hmmm NOT so, in our experience as a Rigid Frame client. It seems suppliers/fabricators of Rigid Frame type designs – pretty much DO NOT want to say any more than they have to … after all – they just might NOT get the order!! YUP! Lesson #1 or #100 in buying a building… ASK QUESTIONS!

We just supplied a building to a client who felt the $2500 more to get a PERKA HYBRID BUILDING package was just too much “more” for his budget. With the Perka package – EVERYTHING was layed out … NO SURPRISES. It was all there – nothing MORE to add.

So he purchased a Rigid Frame Building – no more questions than needed and NO MORE INFORMATION than necessary provided by Rigid Frame Supplier. The building was to be a dirt floor – 3 sided Hay Storage Building. No big deal right? Buy the building – put it up. Go on down the road.

NOT SO FAST. Dirt Floor? No concrete floor mesh and rebar to tie everything together? Did you figure on adding buried, concrete encased tie rods from side to side of your building to make sure the frames don’t spread out? Yup, we know that is also required for certain size PERKA BUILDINGS… and we will tell you up front. No so much for the RIGID FRAME. That $2500 difference? YUP — it was exceeded in the labor and materials to add those cross ties! GO FIGURE! Had we only known UP FRONT!. Checkout knightfinance co for more details.

‘Buyer’s beware’… ASK QUESTIONS! #bestbuildings #strongbuildings

Cheers.

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

April 6, 2014 by Paul Gibson Posted in NewBlog Tagged affordable, building, contractor, econo, energy efficient, energy saving, envelope, flexible, green, hybrid, QUALITY, simple, steel building, strong, sustainable, truth

Before 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

Want a fancy porch?

Nice and cozy…

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

I couldn’t sleep this morning…

April 3, 2014 by Paul Gibson Posted in Blog, NewBlog Tagged building, contractor, Do it yourself, easy, energy saving, flexible, hybrid, opportunity, Stong, teammate. construction, truth

Team Perka’s core values include ‘Service above Self”… That comes from being involved with Rotary International. We believe in giving value with high quality in our Perka Buildings to make them not only STRONG, but FLEXIBLE and Easy. We also strive to give added value through SERVICE to our clients and also to our neighbors, brothers and sisters all.

I could not sleep this morning…

I kept “dreaming” – and hearing a voice. It sounded so much like the voice of Larry Lunsford… but strangely it also sounded like what God’s voice might sound like. “WAKE UP!” He said… as I peered at the alarm clock to read 4:11 AM., and then thinking 411 – isn’t that the “old” number to call for information?.

“WAKE UP!” he said again –“Today is the day.”

For those of you who don’t know Larry Lunsford, he is the tireless Cheerleader for Rotary International’s efforts at providing SHOES FOR ORPHAN SOULS.

I had the GREAT privilege of meeting Larry at last year’s Rotary District 6040 Annual Conference in Kansas City. And when I say privilege… I really mean that. What a bright shining light of compassion, generosity, kindness, enthusiasm, service and especially LOVE he is! He radiated a Love for what he was doing, who he was being. And he equally radiated DOING and BEING what he loved! (A magical combination!!) And if that isn’t a “living example” of what our Way Shower taught, I don’t know what is. What an inspiration to me and to all those at his presentation, what a role model to emulate. I will always remember his energy, his spirit … and I am convinced it is what woke me up this morning.

So after a couple tosses and turns… I got up. I showered. I ate… all the while remembering his message, his TESTIMONY of unconditional love & compassion that he spoke of to our group that breezy cool day in November.

So I did as he did. This morning I left my home just past 6:00 am and drove to our local WalMart. It was cool, still dark and raining… but it all felt pleasant. It felt right.

I walked in and went straight to the shoe section. Like he instructed, I found the clearance rack. I looked for a shoe to fit a young boy and then one for a young girl. I thought about young children I know — some more fortunate than others – being Thankful. Then I thought of the experience he shared – of actually meeting young orphan boys and girls from a third world country he had personally visited. How that experience touched HIS SOUL. How the orphan souls we touch can also be PART of OUR OWN!! He was very emotional about it. The room ran out of tissue! He touched ALL OUR SOULS.

I picked out two pairs of shoes. I whispered a brief prayer of Thanks for all of my own Blessings. I thought of Erin Hook and the Pay it Forward movement her family gifted our community. I thought of Larry’s words of encouragement to each of us (a mini challenge of sorts) to DO THIS as well … reminding us that giving money is GREAT… but sometimes the HARDER part is the LOGISTICS of getting, collecting and bringing the shoes in. He suggested that if we could EACH pick up two pairs of shoes and inspire two others to do the same… — you got it — the math becomes exponential!!!

This all brings to mind the natural law of “What goes around comes around”… and also sparks the teaching of Jesus as shared by Luke 6:38 – “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

And in the “East” it is spoken of as the Laws of Karma…

We are not only doing this for orphan children. We don’t only do this for the orphan part of our own soul. We do this for what we sow… and what we will reap for our individual and collective futures. Something more to think about.

And as I personally get older, with my own children all grown up, fortunately blessed in their own ways… I can’t help but look to grow my own circle of those to GIVE to… with compassion, kindness, inspiration, love. From young orphans, to at risk students, to young men and women who may have made a mistake, paid for their trespasses and now just need a helping hand to bring them up to be respected purposeful citizens again, and to our elderly, often forgotten, who crave for companionship, for purpose, for love; we have all so many opportunities to shine our own light, to sow love.

Erin Hook’s Random Acts of Kindness is a great example of the GREAT THINGS WE ALL CAN DO.https://www.facebook.com/groups/1399854173618922/

May Rotary International’s program of Shoes for Orphan Souls be something you can expand YOUR circle of what “Goes around, Comes Around”! (For more information on that contact ANY Rotary Club, of which we have no less than three right here in Saint Joseph.)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/102532247484/

God Bless,

Your Brother,
Martial Thevenot

— with John Murawski and 6 others.