Fabric Buildings for Construction Sites: Storage and Crew Space
A fabric building on a construction site gives you covered storage and crew space, and here is how to size it, prep the site and plan the permit.
A fabric building on a construction site gives you covered storage, equipment cover and crew space without putting up a traditional building. Most construction sites are short of covered space: materials sit in the rain and crews eat lunch on a tailgate.
Covermore Buildings, in Chouteau, Oklahoma, sells tension fabric buildings, shipping-container shelters and container roof kits and ships them nationwide. Here is how one fits into a job.
What does a fabric building do on a construction site?
Three jobs come up over and over:
- Material storage: lumber, pipe, drywall and rebar stay dry and off the ground under covered storage.
- Equipment cover: small machines and attachments last longer out of the sun and rain.
- Crew space: a covered break area, a staging point or a place to hold a safety meeting.
Is a fabric building worth it for a short job?
Short construction jobs may suit a tent or trailer; long projects favor a fabric building you can leave up. A three-month site and a three-year site are different buying decisions. If you hope to use the building on more than one job, ask the seller whether it can be taken down and put up again, and what that takes, before you order.
What size fabric building does a job site need?
Size for the site at its busiest, not for what is on the ground today. Think about:
- The longest material you store, since it has to go in and out
- Door width for your biggest machine
- Room to walk around what is inside
- Room to grow if the schedule stretches
How do you prep a construction site for a fabric building?
Site prep is where jobs get held up. You need a level, reachable, well-drained spot and a base or anchoring plan that suits the building.
- Drainage: keep the floor above the water line, since water running through a building ruins the point of it. A gravel or stone base under the working area helps.
- Wind: point the door away from the prevailing wind.
- Access: make sure the delivery truck can reach the pad and be unloaded.
Do this while the site plan is still on paper. Adjusting a plan is far cheaper than moving a building, or fighting a slope on delivery day.
Do you need a permit for a fabric building on a job site?
You may. Many jurisdictions require a permit for a building, even on a job site. Sometimes the general permit covers it, sometimes it does not. Ask your building department before you order.
Can you use the shipping containers already on site?
Often, yes. Many job sites already have shipping containers for tools and materials, and a container shelter or roof kit adds covered work or storage space using containers you already own. If containers are part of your setup, call us about your layout.
Is a fabric building secure enough for tools?
No. A fabric building is not a vault. Tools and expensive materials still belong in a locked container or trailer at night. Use the building for cover and organization, not lock-and-key security.
What should you know before you call?
- How long will the building be in place?
- What goes inside, and how big is the biggest item?
- Do you own containers on site?
- What does your local building department require?
- Can a delivery truck reach the pad?
If you can answer those, you are most of the way to a right-sized building. The best time to call us is while the site plan is still on paper.
Questions on the right machine for the job?
Straight answers on stock, freight, and what actually fits — no pressure.