And in these times of TIGHT BUDGETS, survival tactics and “doing what you gotta do” - what else can we really expect??

But PLEASE KNOW — there are very VALID reasons why PERKA’s prices are suppose to be “higher”!

It’s called uncompromising quality, value, service, design.

You have to have conviction in your belief of these!  And clients, you, really need to know the differences before you buy…

We have not stood the test of time on poor standards. Next year is going to be our 30th year as a family business!! You don’t do that with low expectations either.

KNOW YOUR STUFF.   WE SELL IT WITH CONVICTION!  We can only hope you will “buy” with the same!

If all else fails — you CAN know that “cheaper” is available.  In the name of “survival” - as a TEMPORARY measure - we may just have to offer you this as an option!  If it’s what you really really want!!  After all - it’s not wise to sink a ship on principles, right? Or is it?

HERE IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE:  At head office, whenever we are asked to supply sheeting, trims and fasteners, our first choice is CENTRAL STATES MFG.   We are proud to say we are partners with them as they are a class organization with exceptional service, knowledgable and most serving staff, QUALITY PRODUCTS and HIGH STANDARDS!!!!

And when we sell PERKA BUILDINGS - it is our duty and responsibility to make our clients AWARE of the differences.  Meeting these higher standards do cost more, the law of business balance prohibits getting something for nothing.  Besides, their value in the long run can be PRICELESS…

Now if you need to “compete” in these trying days - then make sure you inform your client, or be aware as a buyer, of these differences and compromises.  And then do what you gotta do!  In our case - we’ve just discovered you can get “cheaper” sheeting at 10 and even 20% less! That can amount to $1000-$2000 on a 40 x 100 building!! Now if we did something like that would we still hear: “YOUR PRICE IS HIGHER THAN”!!

Most probably not!!!

And you know what? — YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR???

So Caveat Emptor… BUYERS BEWARE!

Cheers.

Here are just a FEW great reasons why using a PERKA BUILDING SYSTEM just makes perfect sense!!

1. It’s Easy to assemble - the frames FIT together, “like a glove”. 

2. It’s also easy to insulate - especially with P2000 insulation. (www.p2000insulation.com).  

3. It’s easy to finish inside and out - and with ANY material you prefer!   You can really GO GREEN with that!!

4. Furthermore each building can be MADE TO ORDER. You are never forced into any cookie cutter sizes.

5. You deal with friendly, serving and knowledgeable “neighbors” - just like you!

6. The Perka Buidling System is GREAT for DO-IT-YOURSELFERS!

7.  When all is said and done — it won’t cost you any more than most ANY other well designed, well thought out building system. What you might pay more in up front materials, you will save in labor, save in concrete, save on maintenance, have lower energy costs and sleep well with PEACE OF MIND (to name a few)!!!

8. When it comes time to live, work or play in your building - THOSE aspects become PRICELESS!!!

2010 will mark the 30th year since my Dad brought to concept the PERKA BUILDING SYSTEM IDEA.  And 2011 will be the anniversary of the start of the business.   So, over the next several months, I thought I’d share some tidbits of information about “our story”… 

Back in the late 70’s my dad was really getting frustrated with the complexity of how buildings went together.  He’d been an entrepreneur all his life and was an avid DO-IT-YOURSELFER as well.  He was in a BUILDING phase back then, and was in the process of building his own office complex, cottage and warehouse.  Looking for easy to use materials to be able put together a solid, well insulated structure, on his own, was a virtual nightmare. 

So he decided to design his own building frame system using a wood and steel combination. This way he got strength and durability where it served best AND this would be much easier to work with than using all steel!!   At first (1981) he started by having his frame designs manufactured by others.   He could not actually get exactly what he wanted - so he had to compromise.   Until I graduated in 1983.   The business was getting realy busy and he needed some help!  I decided to temporarily help him out…  After a year of frustrations dealing with the existing suppliers who just could not keep up or meet our high demands on design, quality and accuracy…  we decided to fabricate our frames on our own.  We made our first prototypes in late 1984 and by March 1985 we were in our production facility.

And SO our very own PERKA BUILDING FRAMES SYSTEM was born!

To this day we continue to innovate by making the building system easier and easier to work with, assemble, finish and insulate. While you might find cheaper materials to buy elsewhere, at the end of the day you will have saved alot of ibuprofen by avoiding all kinds of headaches.  AND you will have a much more efficient, more durable building that will serve you for years and years to come.

Our next and third generation leaders are now in College with about one year or so to go till graduation!  In the grand scheme of things we’ve only just begun our story… so stay tuned …  it’s turning out to be a pretty good one!

Cheers

A building is a building is a building?  Right?  Or is it??

Many folks often ask us: “How come there is such a disparity in pricing on buildings?” 

The obvious answers are quality, service, dependability, branding, etc.  and everyone should do some homework about these at the very least.  Just comparing prices “online” can really lead you down a path you may not want to be on a few years down the road!

The FACT is: Not ALL buildings are alike!  Just because one guy says he can supply you with a X building for Y dollars…  does not mean that his X is the same as everyone elses!!

Sure he may be giving you an extended ”warranty”…  but check out how long they’ve been around?  Anyone can offer big warranties and not be there to honor them in 10 years let alone 40 or 50!!  Finding out a bit about WHO you are buying from could be a wise move!   Talk to the representative.   Ask questions.  Know the differences that cause one product to be higher than another.  And then you can decide if you can live with the downsides or not?

Here is just an example of one of the issues that can make a BIG difference in the cost!  (Excerpt taken from article you can find at: http://www.ruralbuilder.com/article/Wheeling_TerryFrench/ - talking about the differences in the STEEL SHEETING you might be getting!!)

Here’s a ‘but’ in the issue
In the late ‘90s, some segments of the market said, “We don’t need 40-year paint on the shed over the hill.” If the panel lasts 15 years, they reasoned, that is longer than the structure will last.

A portion of the industry heard the request and, unfortunately, brought back the “straight polyester” paint — the one that faded badly. Warranties on this product are reduced, although some offer 30 years on cracking, chipping and peeling. However, that may not be the paint manufacturer’s warranty, but the rollformer’s warranty. Still, the paint could be gone in 30 years by the chalk/fade process. But if it didn’t crack, chip or peel, there is no warranty applicable.

The real problem is that lower quality paint made for the “shed over the hill’ may end up on the “house on main street.” There, where faded metal roof panels are highly visible, the industry’s reputation is hurt and future growth is compromised.

What is the real problem? Consumers do not always know what they are getting with the warranties.

“Second-tier” rollformers and smaller companies serving local geographic areas sell direct to consumers and contractors. From one perspective, having more product immediately available in the market has made this product more “contractor friendly.” It speeds up delivery of job packs and completion of projects.

This new level of service has expanded metal roofing’s share of the market, especially the residential roofing market. Having product so available has been good for the industry.

The problem is that, in comes cases, the level of knowledge about the product and its warranty is diluted. If a customer calls a small rollformer and asks for a price, he may be told, “Our Number 1 warranted product is X/Ft.” The “Number 1” is the misleading part of the statement if the small operator only stocks polyester. True, it’s his Number 1 product.

Yes, it has a warranty; in many cases that’s the watered-down “crack, chip and peel” warranty, or perhaps a 5-year warranty on chalking/fading. Some contractors understand very well what is going on, but they may sell the product as it was sold to them, and it becomes “a roof on Main Street.”

This is basically a simple market when it comes to paint. The market is probably 95 percent or better covered by two paint systems: straight polyester or siliconized polyester. If the product does not have a 30-year chalk and fade warranty it is probably straight polyester, no matter how many years the warranty states.

Conclusion

As long as there is an inferior grade available to the market, it will be misrepresented by a few. Misrepresentation has serious long-term ramifications for the industry.
 
With hundreds of tier 1 and tier 2 rollformers in the market and no clear industry standards, the prospects of solving this issue through the roll formers has no chance of success. There are no governing bodies to establish standards.

So what should we do? You cannot misrepresent what is not available. As an industry, paint suppliers and coaters have the ability to stop this blight on the industry.

Straight polyester should not be manufactured for the metal roofing and siding market; and coaters should not paint polyester for this industry.

Now is the time to get a handle on this problem. Painted import pressure is at an all time low, therefore timing couldn’t be better to start down the road of saving this industry by making metal roofing and siding the long-term value product it should be.

TEAM PERKA chooses to offer only the best quality products up front.   We’ve been around for almost 30 years now - and we plan on being around for several more generations.  We are a family business.  We enjoy working together.  We enjoy this industry.   We are passionate about our founder’s original dream of providing only quality products we’d be proud to own ourselves.  We plan on realizing it - EVERY DAY!

Cheers

I have come to a personal realization that whether I believe it or not, our planet, our world, our humanity, our race is right in the middle of virtually and totally re-inventing itself!  Look anywhere.  Look everywhere!  Just LOOK!  Almost everything is NOW all about getting into harmony with our homes, our businesses, our neighborhoods, our environment, each other - and mostly our planet!  All this talk of “Green and Sustainability” is really about getting in TUNE with what “works” for enhancing our well being as individuals, as a community, as a collective, as the HUMAN RACE!

If we could SIMPLIFY the whole process of this re-inventing process I would like to submit that it boils down to a fundamental notion about “getting into the mind set” of BEING HUMAN IN HARMONY WITH EARTH! 

If we treat her right - she will in turn treat us right with the abundance that she has en masse, and without any doubt!!

So many of us are going through all kinds of varying challenges be it financial, health, relationships…  and in most of the cases I would venture to say that it all starts with something that has gone “out of sync”, “out of harmony”!!    Be it something in our bodies leading to dis-ease, to something related to our “egos” leading to dis-agreement(s), or our Global Economy now suffering from the dis-connect of the ever spinning wheel of “consumption”… leading to economic dis-cord.

If we can find a way to bring these back into harmony, into “rite mind” so to speak…  I submit we could make a huge difference, and quite quickly!

In the meantime - as we “re-member” much of which were in truth already the “ways” of many ancient civilizations…  here is a link that may help us grasp some of the goings on and pick up on some “GREEN SPEAK” at the same time!!!

http://www.metalconstruction.org/design/index.cfm?pg=greendefinitions.cfm

Let’s take some time to reflect and find ways to harmonize, with our selves, with each other, with Earth Mind…  and watch the way our world changes! 

Feel free to voice your comments!

Cheers,

Martial

“If we change the way we look at things, what we look at changes!”

There are many initiatives going on ALL OVER THE WORLD.  From governments to grass roots.  The great thing is we’re all pointing to pretty much the same end result: a NEW BEGINNING!   Taking better care of our planet.   Taking better care of each other.   As long as we can make it into a global awareness, a “new” race consciousness - how can we go wrong?

I was speaking with a colleague recently and in our conversation we were kind of like trying to find “new” words for GREEN - or Sustainability - because we were both getting the feeling that we were almost starting to over use them.   We were turning the word “green” into a verb.   While there was nothing really wrong with that - we both felt we just wouldn’t want to turn all this recent “hype” into something that people just end up glazing their eyes over and taking for granted.   All aspects of “GREENING” is very important right now…  Let’s NOT take it for granted!   In fact it was also brought to my attention that if you look around, in almost any U.S. rural town - you will find VERY LITTLE if ANY indication that anyone is “DOING GREEN”!!!  There is allot of “talk” and “writing” and maybe even thinking - which is a great start - but, still, LITTLE is being DONE!

THIS IS A TIME FOR ACTION!  And we must realize that EVERY action, be it turning the tap off between rinses when brushing our teeth, to installing SOLAR PANELS on our roof, WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.  There is so much “waste” already going on - we can make a HUGE difference FAST!

If you haven’t already - you can start simple - change your light bulbs, shorten your shower time, control your thermostat, seal up your homes, insulate…  AND, if you are in a position to build NEW, take a little bit of extra time and PLAN. 

Below find a GREAT article presented by the US department of Energy - encouraging us to build with awareness.  http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/commercial_initiative/whole_building.html

THE TIME FOR ACTION IS NOW.

We at TEAM PERKA are committed to be part of the solution.

Cheers

Whole Building Design for Commercial Buildings

Whole building commercial design considers all components and subsystems during the initial design phase and is the most important step in achieving net-zero energy buildings. On this page you’ll learn more about whole building commercial design and find related information.

Integrated Design Is Critical

Whole building design takes into consideration site, energy, materials, indoor air quality, acoustics, and natural resources. The design team must be fully integrated early in the process to address how these elements work together. The team should include architects, engineers, building occupants and owners, and specialists in areas such as indoor air quality, materials, and energy use.

Integrated building design changes the way architects, engineers, and project teams design buildings and leads to much higher energy performance. To be successful, project teams must:

• Set specific and measurable energy goals
• Develop strategies to meet the goals by planning from the top down and evaluating from the bottom up
• Create a structure that encourages communication among team members
• Make each team member accountable for successfully implementing the strategies
• Evaluate progress toward the goal frequently.

Benefits

Compared to conventional buildings, whole building design reduces the amount of energy required to operate a building by incorporating energy-saving technologies. Benefits include:

• Reduced energy use by 50% or more
• Decreased maintenance and capital costs
• Less environmental impact
• Increased occupant comfort and health
• Improved employee productivity.

Invest Design Savings into Energy Efficiency

Architects, engineers, and project teams can make design decisions that reduce the financial impact of energy-saving technologies. For example, siting a building to maximize daylighting reduces the cost of lighting for the lifetime of the building. In addition, optimizing building envelope design will reduce heating and cooling costs. Savings from these design strategies can then be invested in higher quality windows or controls, which will also reduce energy use.

The High Performance Buildings Database provides business cases for projects across the United States and around the world. The energy, economic, and environmental performance of high-performance buildings is substantially better than standard practice.

Maybe it was because he hated having to pay utility bills when he knew there ought to be a way to tap into all the FREE energy Mother Nature provided.    He was always ahead of his time on allot of these beliefs - so he kept looking for “other ways” …   Among other outside the box ideas, he came up with the Perka Steel Web Truss designed frame back in the early 80’s, this after looking at many other fabricator’s feeble attempts at putting a practical building truss frame together.   He wanted one that didn’t need rubber gloves, an engineering degree, a welder, a set of torches and the patience of Job just to handle!   And he certainly didn’t want one that leaked like a sieve or wouldn’t stand up to winds and snow!  

So he said - “let’s make a frame that is high in quality, that was easy to put up, that was going to FIT when our client’s get it , was designed to help make the overall building be as energy efficient as could be and was clearly worth every penny in value.

PERKA BUILDINGS was born, and from a few napkin sketch concepts dad drew up, we then put a battery of Engineers and detailers together and made sure there would be no cutting of any corners for building code loadings or strength in the structural design.   Note that this was back in the early to mid 80’s - when most drawings and calculations were still done by hand.   We invested tens of thousands of man hours in those designs.   Then we actually questioned any and all do it yourselfer minded family, friends, neighbors, shop workers, staff, managers, distributors and sales reps and took the time to think, ask and discuss what would a DO-IT-YOURSELFER want to see in a set of building frames?  Frames that would go together and up easy and not cause them to become flustered by just too many details.   We took thousands of notes on that.   And then he basically said - “everybody KEEP LISTENING, forever, tools will change, people will change, the times will change.   So if you hear anything from any client, neighbor, relative or friend that gives you an idea of something to do to the frame that can make it even better without compromising integrity or efficiencies - then DO IT!”   And we did.   And we still are.   In our 25+ years we have never really mass produced our assembly guide.   In fact 0ver the last 25 years we’ve maybe added several dozen more features to our many various designs to make things easier and to also adapt to the changing times.   And we’re still listening. 

And then dad researched and consulted with many experts on what makes a building more energy efficient.    The biggest thing that stood out was doing whatever it takes to the frame design to help minimize if not STOP the heat loss from conduction, convection and radiation.   So we did that too.   We made our frames easier to accept super insulators like P2000 Insulation, that can address all these “heat losers” all in one swoop.    We also designed our frames first and foremost to use wood purlins and girts to create the much needed thermoBREAK otherwise created by steel to steel contact found in most other steel frame buildings.  It also added a layer of protection or forgiveness if one did not use one of these super insulators.    Then we also spaced these purlins and girts closer (2′ on center typically) to create a tighter seal to help stop the convection heat loss.   If the air/wind can’t blow THROUGH, neither will the heat!!!   Then marrying the Perka frames up with high reflective materials like light colored metal sheeting or mylar (plastic) covered radiant insulation blockers as opposed to a metal like aluminum, we more fully address the radiation heat loss as well.  By answering to all three of these heat loss transfers - we have essentially co-created one of the best super insulated structures available on the market!

That said…  we can still easily go even beyond energy efficiency from insulation, and truly LIVE the BUILDING GREEN mandate.   To live his point, though ironically just before he passed away, dad built his own 2006 version of his “GREEN” dream home and got to live in it for at least 6 months.  

He used a Perka hybrid steel wood structure custom designed frame system, specially conceived for the high capacity loads of Canada’s colder and more snowy climate.  It was also modeled to allow the structure’s shape to flow naturally with the slope of the land he was on - to keep some of the sacred flow he felt there.   (Rumor was that the land used to be some very ancient native sacred burial ground - though we never found anything during excavations). 

This very unique home was then super-insulated using the P2000 Insulation system with it’s plastic/Mylar reflective covered expanded polystyrene core.  (The Mylar is not a metal like aluminum which can conduct heat - but the highly reflective material gives it as much radiant blocking abilities as it’s counterparts!)   To added extra assurance he also used a high reflector, and yet aesthetically appealing, copper colored standing seam steel roof panel.   The roof was also structurally designed to be capable to eventually receive solar panelling  (which would have been in his future plans, had he not so suddenly passed away).  

Then to minimize waste, and maximum sustainability and the GREEN aspects of his process, Dad also calculated the use of his material drops to finish trims and small wall areas, he used locally bought cedar shakes and region wood planks for wall coverings on 3 exterior sides as well as for most of the interior walls.   He used slices of trees cut from his land for wall covering on back exterior wall, field rock from cleaning his own 3 acres for barrier and retaining walls, used mostly locally purchased secondary materials from either town yards, ”new and used” suppliers or local mills, recycled 95% of the wood material drops for burning or re-use, recycled all the surplus steel to local scrap yards or back to the factory suppliers and even had future plans for rain water capture off his steel roof, plus plans for the addition of a green house and organic garden.  He was the epitomy of DO IT YOURSELF!  He even did most of the daily cleaning and sweeping to keep the work area organized and safe for his locally selected tradesmen.

The point being here that Building Green for dad meant not only energy preservation from the home’s day to day use, but also in optimized material consumption and in harmonizing with what was already available WHERE HE WAS.   The thing he transported up the furthest from his area were the custom designed steel frames which he got from (me) and our factory in Missouri - his son!  And that’s about as ORGANICALLY GREEN as that can get!!  LOL!

The moral of this may be that the next time we sit down to plan a new building, be it as supplier, builder, tradesmen, owner or friend - it might be worth the extra time and effort, in the name of sustainability for our Mother Earth, to look around at all the places we can be more aware of the many things we can do as it regards to what it really means to build GREEN.  Like for my Dad, this process produced not only a beautiful and most comfortable home, a legacy to his family, but it also produced a PRICE LESS gift to our world by reducing his carbon footprint as much as he consciously could at the time.

The bar of our awareness is being raised - let’s build consciously!!!

Cheers!

Martial

P.S. - If we look at things from the BIG PICTURE - it can sure change the way things really are!  And some things truly are just PRICELESS…

URBAN MINING.

Japan is a prime example… in fact their rapidly aging population is leading the way in one town to create a zero-waste community, recycling everything, including valuable gold from old phones. In this town there is no trash collection and no landfill, just people sorting their own trash into 34 categories.
See link below:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/32460887#32460887

This is definitely something to think about.

We need to know that Perka’s Steel Frames fit perfectly into closed loop sustainability and in zero waste design systems.  And they are free standing sovereign structures. You can put ANYTHING on the envelope.

Soon Team Perka will be passing on opportunities to add off grid energy systems, like solar panel packages, alternative wind energy, and sharing information among and between us as team mates, co-creators and co-spiritors on how to become more enlightened or aware of all that goes into building green - like doing our take-offs with even more diligence to eliminate as much on site waste as we possibly can.   And using materials, that if not useable, can be recycled… and will be brought to appropriate recyclers…

Follow these blogs and the many others on the net - as I will be making a added special effort to passing on as much specific info about “Building Green” so we can not only help ourselves, but help each other and our planet.

THE TIME IS NOW.

Let’s GREEN UP!

VISIT http://hubpages.com/hub/What-Does-Building-Green-Really-mean

Cheers

Martial

It is also becoming a very contagious mindset and is pointing towards a NEW, but very healthy, life enhancing and potentially prosperous direction.   As one of my colleagues said to me just this morning - the more of this lifestyle he takes on and integrates - the more it becomes a daily ”need” to look for or determine another thing he can do to be even “greener” - more sustaining, more earth friendly.  And each time he comes up with something - he gets this overwhelming feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment!   There is this HUMAN CONNECTION that is formed - that just keeps growing!!  And so if you are then spending less, living off less, growing more, repairing, restoring, re-using, recycling, etc… you NEED less.  And if you NEED less you can virtually end up HAVING more!  More Peace of Mind!  More time for JOY.  More feeling of worth.  More satisfaction.  More health to LIVE.  More of all the TRULY important things in life and an overall great feeling of well being!  Something all those toys and “things” we may have just don’t BUY!

Now many of us wondering - “OK - I am HERE now…  at this particular place and lifestyle that is really not compatible with this cleaner, richer, simpler lifestyle.   How can I get from HERE to THERE??   How can I “get out” of this wasteful home, this wasteful car, this wasteful job or even this wasteful community - without totally turning one’s world upside down in one fell swoop?   Or if not totally “out”, how can I maybe do my part and transform or evolve it in such a way that is somewhat less overwhelming??”

Well opportunities ARE popping up, budding and even starting to sprout.   For example, albeit a bit controversial to some, there is the “Cash for Clunkers” program to help many get out of our older gaz guzzling wasteful cars.  I know it involves some borrowing - but this may help with the transition process that many of us need at this particular time.   Unless we could somehow share in this week’s $182,000,0o0 Powerball lottery - I doubt we could even make a quantum leap to do the change we are envisioning.   But these sort of baby steps, one would think, - if done with full awareness and intention, CAN HELP!

As far as our “jobs” go - well since the “new economy” hasn’t quite started flourishing enough yet - we may want to choose to be happy with any income right now and keep our eyes and ears open for ANY opportunity that may fit our desire for a more sustainable lifestyle…  there are thousands if not millions of jobs coming soon in the whole “rebuilding our world” mission, and most will be quite fulfilling KNOWING that whatever we do, be it a carpenter to electrician, to engineer or receptionist, that it is CHANGING the way we DO things to our planet…  Let’s face it - we are at point where we have to “fix” things, and we can NOT use the fixes that we used to!  So if you don’t know much about sustainable living - start reading, start studying …  join this blog, join the many blogs online that are “spreading the word”!!!   If we all can start doing even some of the smallest things - we will collectively make a BIG difference.

Which leads us to starting this process of building these newer more sustainable, energy saving, zero carbon footprint, closed loop and even OFF GRID homes, businesses, schools, churches, etc… 

IF NOT YOU OR ME THEN WHO?  IF NOT NOW THEN WHEN???  It’s a matter of making the decision and GETTING STARTED, even if its making it a transitional evolution… 

You ready?  But you need some financing maybe?   Well if you don’t have an established relationship with a bank or lender, there are equity lenders who presently have money …  and are ready to lend specifically for projects in this direction  -  in fact TEAM PERKA has found and is collaboratingwith Mid Town Equity who have agreed to work with any client who may want to see if they have enough existing equity to get the seed money to help make this transition into a new “GREEN, ENERGY EFFICIENT, SOVEREIGN AND SUSTAINABLE” building.  (You can CALL now 800-467-3752 for more info.)

It’s a question of making new choices.   Nothing will change unless WE take the steps to make the changes…  WE are the ones WE are waiting for.  JOIN TEAM PERKA and let’s BUILD FOR CHANGE!

Cheers,

Martial