Building a Warehouse? Start With Concrete…
If you’re thinking about building a warehouse or expanding your existing building, you have a lot of decisions to make. When looking into budgeting for the project, typically about 80 percent of new warehouse or expansion costs come from eight basic areas:
• 
The concrete estimates for your warehouse
• How many steel building supports you require
• What kind of excavation or earthwork needs to be done
• Site utilities
• The type of roofing you choose
• Design costs
• Fire protection
• General conditions
If you get too hung up on all of the minor expenses, you won’t be paying enough attention to the major ones. You’ll need qualified professionals to provide accurate estimates. Since concrete is going to be one of your biggest expenses for the project, it pays to get concrete estimates for your warehouse from someone who knows what they’re doing. Simple, online concrete calculators aren’t going to work for this job. The professionals use experienced construction estimators to calculate not only how much concrete is needed, but how much the actual job will cost. This estimate, or bid, will be the price for the concrete contractor. It is also very important to note that finding a local concrete distributor to help you with your project will provide the most accurate numbers.
How the Concrete Estimate Is Calculated
Estimating concrete bids is a very complex process. Many factors go into getting the final price. Some of them include:
• Grading & Excavating
• Sub-base preparation (Dig out or haul dirt in)
• Type of forming needed
• How much concrete will be needed
• Curing Method
• Time of year & urgency
• What kind of equipment will be required – bobcat needed?
• Method of concrete – How are you going to place the concrete – wheel barrow, Pump it?
• What type of reinforcement will be needed – Rebar, wire mesh fiber mesh
• What type of finish is needed on the concrete
Once your contractor totals the concrete estimates for your warehouse, the bid needs to be accepted and the job gets underway. At this point, the professionals handling your concrete will have a specific construction schedule to follow.
So, How Much Will This Cost?
When you consider concrete estimates for your warehouse, make sure your first priority is a quality job by a team that gives you professional service. If the job’s done right, you’ll have a building that will stand the test of time. Shortcuts and low-ball estimates might save you money at the onset, but it’ll cost you a lot more in repairs and potential damages later.
Talk to your local construction contractor for an accurate estimate or if you are located in Minnesota and around the Twin Cities are use our Free Concrete Estimate form. . They’ll have to base their bid on current labor rates, the cost of materials and tools needed and the extent of the equipment they’ll need to get the job done. Shop around, but don’t forget to look for dependable, expert masons who will do the best job for the money.
