Sand Companies
Integration of structural design and installation overcome labor market concerns for a Minnesota-based builder.
SUMMARY
Sand Companies, Inc. (SCI) was established in 1991 as a construction, property management and development company.Today the company specializes in developing and constructing quality hotels, multi-family housing, commercial and industrial buildings.When construction began on The Country Inn and Suites in Meridian, Idaho in November 2005, SCI wanted a construction materials partner who would not only provide offsite manufacturing but an integrated installation capability as well.
The Challenge
In the midst of a construction boom in southwest Idaho, SCI first approached Idaho Truss out of their concern over the availability of adequate framing manpower.The companys vice president of construction initially perceived Idaho Truss primary benefit as its in-house labor resources and access to qualified framing crews familiar with installing its framing packages.What SCI received, however, went far beyond manpower.Idaho Truss provided a high level of technical expertise in their framing package and gave us the best shop drawings I've ever seen, says Roger Gertken, SCIs project manager.
The Solution
Idaho Truss tight integration of structural design, framing component pre-fabrication and installation eliminated significant time from SCIs construction schedule.While a project of similar scale might require two weeks per floor, Sands Companies four-story hotel was framed and sheeted in just 48 days, leading Roger Gertken to describe it as the smoothest wall panel project I've ever experienced.
The Bottom Line
Although Gertken started out with a degree of skepticism normally reserved for working with a new construction partner, his reservations were quickly overcome.Idaho Truss performance went above and beyond the references they gave us, Gertken notes.Their quality was consistent across the board from the lumber itself to the assembled framing packages and installation.My only question now is where else they can deliver.
An Idaho Truss & Components Case Study l Download pdf.