Connect: Smart Build System Installation & Construction Process

See How the Smart Build System Enables You To Self-Manage Your Project And Get A Building That Is Structured To Work For Your Needs.

While our in-house team is taking care of manufacturing your building, you’ll probably be focusing on getting your site ready for installation. The TechSpan Smart Build Systems connects you with our network of approved contractors to assist in every step of the process.

The Installation & Construction Process

The connect phase of your project is where self-managing saves you real money.

Where traditional building sites would have a fulltime site manager supervising a few self-directed trades, you’ll have access to all of the required documentation to enable you to engage directly with your local tradespeople who’ll do the work. Whist this phase can consume time on site, the cost savings that you can enjoy, and satisfaction being able to play an integral part in the building project make it a rewarding experience.

Not only do you save money, but with our assistance, and our network of SmartPoint verified tradespeople, it’s not as complicated as you might have thought. We’re happy to help you assess and evaluate quotes to ensure you’re getting value for money, and we can recommend tradespeople in your area who have had their workmanship tried and proven. In particular, we have Techspan approved shed erectors who can travel to the site and can manage most of the installation work virtually unassisted.

The main steps you’ll need to take in this stage are:

  1. Earthworks & civil: You’ll need to have the site levelled, compacted, and ready to build on.
  2. Stormwater & drainage: Appropriate stormwater and drainage systems were included in your council approvals, and will need to be installed to these specifications.
  3. Concreting for your slab and foundations: Depending on the design of your building, the soil conditions, and the local council requirements, you’ll need to have a concreter pour your piers, footings and slab ready for installation.
  4. Erection & installation of your building: Your building kit will be delivered to site, and an accredited installer erects the structure.
  5. Internal fit-out: Once the structure is erected, it’s time to complete any internal fit-out and connect any required services.
  6. Landscaping & carpark: Once all the other work on site is complete, it’s time to tidy up any landscaping, install the required parking spaces, and tidy up everything around the site.

Earthworks & Civil

Depending on the site and the design of your building, you may need an earthmoving company to level and compact your site ready for concreting and installation. Unless an uneven site was included in your initial design, it’s essential to ensure the site is level and correctly compacted to avoid any later subsidence. We’ll provide specifications for your soil compaction to suit the design of your building and the site’s soil conditions.

Levelling & compacting the site won’t be necessary for all buildings. For example, if you are building a cattle yard cover over existing cattle yards on a slightly sloping block, we can account for this when designing the structure, making some columns longer than the others to ensure that the roof remains level on the sloping ground.

Now is also the time to think about access to the site for the installer and other tradespeople. We recommend you have a minimum of five metres of flat ground around the shed site, clear of debris and trees.

While the earthmovers are working on the site, you should also ensure that the approach to the shed has easy access, and have them level or clear an approach route if necessary.

Stormwater & Drainage

Next, you’ll need to install any stormwater and drainage systems required on your site. Council requirements vary depending on your location and building use, but the details for these requirements would have been included in the council approvals process.

Concreting of Your Foundations & Slab

Foundations are essential for a strong and long-lasting building. The design for your foundations, customised to suit your site and structure, is included in your final design drawings.

Depending on the site soil conditions and your building, you may have bored pier or square pad foot foundations. Our installer can mark out the correct locations for the foundations, and your earthmoving company will be able to dig the required pier holes. You’ll also need the installer to set the required hold-down bolts into the foundations.

It usually works out more economical if you contract the earthmover directly to dig the piers or use your own machine and auger. 

You might also choose to have the slab poured at the same time, though it is possible to lay the slab after installation. Your required slab thickness depends on the building use and the weight of contents that sit on the slab. We take your requirements into consideration and can specify slab engineering as part of the design process. Again, you can make substantial savings by finding and working with a local concreting contractor to have the slab poured.

Erection & Installation

So now your site is ready, there is easy access for the installer, the foundations and slab are finished, and you’re ready to get your building installed.

Installation is conducted by a third-party, SmartPoint verified installer. These installation companies erect sheds full-time all over Australia and are all accredited and highly-experienced. They are familiar with the TechSpan system and how the installation of our innovative designs works. You can work directly with these installers, or get assistance from us if needed.

The installer assists with marking out the site for the foundations, and ensuring the hold-down bolts are cast into the piers correctly. They then assemble and stand the structure, clad the shed, and install any mezzanine floors, roller doors, crane rails, insulation and windows. Once they finish, the only thing left to do is connect services and complete any internal fit-out, external car park, and landscaping works.

Internal Fit-Out

Local tradespeople need to connect any services and complete the internal fit-out of your building. We can draw the internal fit-out and design in the initial stages; however, it won’t be a detailed design; only a floor layout. Your local builder can organise the final details, and arrange other trades (plumber, tiler, electrician) to come in and complete the fit-out as required.

Landscaping & Carparks

The best time to finalise your landscaping is once all the other tradies are finished on-site to ensure your landscaping doesn’t get damaged. You should also ensure your car parks are in place, and everything is finished off. The only thing left to do once this stage is complete is to start using your building.

What’s Next?

Now you have a pretty clear overview of how the Smart Build System can help you save time and money; the only thing left to do is to get started! Missed our first article with information on the consultation stage or the second article on our manufacturing procedures? Check them out now.

The Smart Build System is both innovative and efficient, empowering you to effectively self-manage a project. The system allows you to choose what you would like to handle, and TechSpan works with you to coordinate the rest. As a result, you achieve a quality building outcome with much less effort than going it alone and much less cost than going with a full turn-key package.

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