industry knowledge
Mechanical Contractor, “Awesome Construction Company,” put out a bid for 1,000 feet of steel pipe. The low-bidder, “ZZZ Supply,” was awarded the order (names have been changed, but the incident is real). The pipe was purchased, delivered on time, and the job was completed on budget. Sounds like another great success story! Unfortunately, what came next may (or may not) surprise you. The whole job had to be torn down and reinstalled! Why? What happened?
Here’s a hint: Take a look at our Pipe Chart and review how to read it. When talking about steel pipe and pipe fittings it is often assumed that Schedule 40 and standard weight are the same thing. It is also often assumed that schedule 80 and extra heavy weight are the same thing. However, these assumptions are incorrect and can lead to disaster on the jobsite.
Unfortunately, ZZZ Supply did not understand that schedule 80 is not the same thing as extra heavy when pipe sizes are above 8-inches, so they quoted Awesome Construction Company the wrong pipe. Awesome Construction Company bought and installed the incorrect pipe. They had to take the complete piping system apart, buy new material, and reinstall the job. Of course, this cost Awesome Construction Company a lot of extra money and ruined their confidence in ZZZ Supply.
Do you have confidence in your suppliers? Ask if your supplier has the industry knowledge to support your jobs. Will they take shortcuts by making assumptions? Or will they ask questions to clarify, verify, and get it right? In short, do they have your back?
Our customers may not always know the differences between schedule 80 and true schedule 80, and that’s okay because we do. It’s our habit to ask questions so that our customers’ jobs run as smoothly and economically as possible.
