Finding and retaining skilled labor can be challenging with no signs of getting better soon. More than ever before, every labor hour is precious. To free up labor hours, builders are turning to turnkey, premanufactured products in place of site-built components. Porch columns are just one of the products where a broad selection of easy to install, premanufactured options are available.
Premanufactured synthetic columns can be installed in ¼ of the time than a column that is built on site. The time savings not only reduces the builder’s total cost, it allows the resources to be redeployed to other tasks. Consider this impact over the number of houses planned and the number of columns on each house and the savings can be substantial. James Augustine, Vice President of National Builder Sales for HB&G says, “Builders look for leading manufacturers to deliver products to the market that help them reduce installed cost. Premanufactured columns deliver the savings builders are looking for in this business climate.”
Many premanufactured synthetic columns are load-bearing, structural members while others are decorative column wraps. Types of columns include cast and pultruded fiberglass, cellular PVC, and aluminum. (Wood columns are also available but have fallen out of favor since the advent of low maintenance, synthetic products.) The wide variety of shapes and styles of columns offered means that there is a column available to fit the needs of every project. HB&G, the leading manufacturer of premanufactured columns, has the broadest selection of structural and decorative columns available covering all popular types, shapes, and styles. “The reason builders identify HB&G consistently as a Brand Leader is our commitment to offering innovative products that allow them to build the styles of homes people want to buy,” says Jeff Byers, Vice President of Marketing.
Reducing installed cost is only one of the significant benefits that premanufactured synthetic columns deliver to builders and the subsequent homeowners. Prospective homebuyers prioritize “low maintenance” as an important feature in their search for their next home. These columns by their nature are low maintenance, deliver a lifetime of beauty, and are covered by a manufacturer’s limited warranty of 25 years to lifetime. They will not check, split, twist or rot, and are weather and insect proof. Also, manufacturers can complete third party testing that can reduce permitting and inspection issues. “Builders appreciate that we are the only manufacturer to step up and have our PermaCast products evaluated for building code compliance”, says Lance Servais, HB&G Building Products CEO.
Unlike site-built columns, premanufactured synthetic columns deliver a consistent, attractive appearance from column to column and house to house. As a result of their high quality, call-backs and punch-list items are eliminated reducing a builder’s after-sales cost and increasing homeowner satisfaction and curb appeal.
