More and more businesses are seeking out large warehouses to strategically place products throughout the country and remain competitive with larger brands. Whether your company needs to construct its first warehouse or add to the pack, there are dozens of factors to consider. Before signing a contract for a warehouse, learn more about how long it takes to build a warehouse.
The Warehouse Building Process: 5 Steps
While many types of nuisances determine how long it takes to build a warehouse, the warehouse building process can be consolidated into just five steps: pricing, initial drawings, detailed drawings, production, and construction.
1. Getting a Quote
Requesting a price quote is the first step toward your new warehouse facility. You can do so once you have secured the site for your future warehouse or even in the early design discussion stage to establish a warehouse construction cost.
You may receive pricing for a simple warehouse without modifications to the standard drawings in as little as 48 hours; however, more complex warehouses requiring a custom quote and estimates from multiple vendors could take up to 3 weeks for a quote.
2. Drawing Approval
Once pricing has been established, and a contract has been signed, the design phase begins. A team of in-house or outsourced designers will create the beginning stages of your warehouse design. Depending on the complexity of the warehouse, the duration from initial drawing creation to drawing approval may take anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks.
This design phase will focus on the big picture: equipment location, various layout configurations, employee facilities, building materials, etc. Be detailed with your design requests—multiple design changes will increase the drawing approval duration.
3. Detailing
Detailing is a term used in the steel industry that means creating highly-detailed shop or construction drawings that can be built from. Detailing adds another layer to the approved drawings, including steel gauge sizes, dimensions, and connection details.
The detailing process requires engineering input and design calculations. The drawings will also have to go through a series of approvals and iterations before being released for production. The entire detailing process can take 1 to 8 weeks, depending on the complexity of the warehouse design.
4. Production and Shipping
Pre-engineered metal buildings are produced in sections that are assembled onsite. During production, building sections are customized to the specific dimensions noted on the detailed fabrication drawings.
Once production is complete, building components are transported to the project site in multiple shipments. In its entirety, the production and shipping process usually takes around 3 weeks, assuming there are no supply chain or manufacturing issues.
5. Physical Construction
As building materials begin to arrive onsite, the physical construction of your warehouse can commence. In addition to assembling the pre-engineered metal building, the construction process will consist of grading the site, pouring a foundation, installing utilities, etc.
Warehouse construction can take from 2 to 8 months. Construction delays due to poor weather, labor shortages, or design changes can increase this duration. Large-scale warehouses with advanced technology will have a longer construction timeline than basic storage warehouses.
How Long Does it Take to Build a Warehouse?
According to World Bank Development Indicators, the time required to build a warehouse in the U.S. was reported as 80.6 days in 2019. However, this figure fluctuates depending on the country, size, and type of warehouse facility constructed.
In areas where design and construction processes use modern technologies, you can expect a timeline of fewer than 100 days. Simple storage and shipment warehouses can be designed and constructed very quickly. If you are wondering how long it takes to build a data warehouse or how long it takes to build a 3pl warehouse, expect closer to 6 to 8 months total for design and construction.
Lessen Warehouse Build Times by Working with Allied Steel Buildings
Working with a team of professionals that have optimized the warehouse building process will set you up for success. Contact Allied Steel Buildings today to discuss your warehouse design and construction needs.