Frequently Asked Questions

1. Product Development:

• We offer a comprehensive product development process, guiding our clients through every step:
  • Market research
  • Industry mapping
  • Ideation of solutions
  • Prototyping
  • Market testing
  • Prototype refinement
• We can provide a quoted package or establish a retainer for hourly work.

2. Manufacturing:

• Our extensive manufacturing experience includes:
  • Sourcing
  • Integrating
  • Launching automated production lines
  • PPAP (Production Part Approval Process)
• Our production capabilities extend beyond traditional metalwork (welding, cutting, bending) to include electronic and mechanization integration, including smart devices and controls.
• Whether you have a specific demand or need small-batch manufacturing, we’re equipped to produce your product.

3. Custom Fabrication

• We'll fabricator or weld repair any item our customers need. These items tend to include:
  • ornamental gates and handrails, hardscaping or landscaping equipment, large art installations, structural stagecraft,  the list is endless.

Our owner, with a background as both a fabricator and an automotive welding engineer, brings extensive metallurgical expertise. Having evaluated countless customer applications, he can determine whether something can or should be welded—even if we don’t have the specific equipment for a particular repair.

We prioritize efficient work to maximize value for both the customer and us. If your project isn’t overly complex, you’ll use fewer services, resulting in lower costs. 

 Regardless of why some services cost more than others, we remain very competitive with market rates. However, several factors contribute to varying costs:

1. Competence: Chances are if your kitchen & bath contractor whom "knows how to weld" gives you a quote, it's going to be less than ours. We're happy to quote the repairs when he's done. 
2. Complexity: Intricate designs or unique dimensions require additional design and fabrication work.
3. Additional Services: Powder coating, hardscaping, and cementing add labor and material costs.
4. Customization: A handrail with flourishes and specific finishes differs in price from a simpler design.
5. Labor and Materials: Each operation (design, fabrication, coating) contributes to the overall cost.

 Our flexibility comes from leveraging different resources based on customer requirements:

1. Product Development: Our process is led by an IAOIP International Association of Innovation Professionals trained facilitator. 
2. Engineering and Design: Specialized projects involve engineers and designers.
3. Residential Installations: Our gate and handrail installations engage fabricators and general laborers.
4. Owner Involvement: As an owner-operator business, the person quoting your project is engaged throughout to ensure alignment.

Certainly! For very small repairs (simple 10-minute jobs or less), we often don’t charge. Many of our competitors turndown such work because it's "not profitable". We consider a great opportunity to spread goodwill in our community. Larger repairs are billed at a flat hourly rate. 

 Absolutely! We can weld almost any mild steel or aluminum structures. However, please note that we currently do not have the equipment to weld stainless steel or tool steels. 

• Consultation: We begin by consulting with the customer to understand their needs.
• Full Product Development: If a comprehensive product development process is required, we guide clients through every step:
  1. Market Research: We analyze market trends and customer demands.
  2. Industry Mapping: Understanding the industry landscape is crucial.
  3. Problem Definition: A statement of the problem our product should solve.
  4. Ideation: Brainstorming innovative solutions.
  5. Prototyping: Creating initial product models.
  6. Market Testing: Validating the prototype in real-world scenarios.
  7. Prototype Refinement: Iterating based on feedback.

• Pricing Options: We offer two options:
  1. Quoted Package: Providing a fixed quote for the entire process.
  2. Retainer with Hourly Rate: Establishing a retainer and billing hourly.

• If clients have a design, we can produce the prototype they’ve envisioned.
• If after market testing they'd like improvements, we're happy to execute prototype refinement..

Absolutely! Our owner and engineers have extensive manufacturing experience. We source, integrate, and launch automated production lines. If there’s demand, we can ramp up to produce your product.

• Definition: Small batch manufacturing refers to reproducing a specific design, but without the extensive automation seen in large-scale production.
• Comparison to Custom Fabrication:
  • Similar to custom fabrication, but with certain automation possibilities.
  • Automation Opportunities:
    • Water-Jet Cutting: Some processes and components can be automated using water-jet cutting.
    • `Plasma Cutting: Automation options extend to plasma cutting as well.
  • Quality Controls:
    • We implement additional quality controls to minimize variation between parts.
  • Lean Principles: We apply lean principles to eliminate waste and enhance efficiency wherever feasible. 

•  Yes: We love creating modified shipping container spaces.
• Applications:
  • Warehouse Office Space: We’ve designed containers for office use within warehouses.
  • Retail Space: Modified containers serve as unique retail outlets.
  • Residential Storage: Containers are repurposed for residential storage needs.
  • Shipping Container Homes: We can even construct entire homes from containers.
• Our Role: For most porjects, we're your lone contact from start to finish. For container homes, while we handle fabrication and general design, we collaborate with a Shelby County contractor.for permitting, footings, finishing, etc..

1. We service all of Jefferson, Shelby, and St. Clair counties.
2. The municipalities within these counties, including:
   • Bessemer
   • Mountain Brook
   • Birmingham
   • Hoover
   • Gardendale
   • Vestavia Hills
   • Homewood
   • Hueytown
   • Center Point
   • Alabaster
   • Calera
   • Chelsea
   • Columbiana
   • Harpersville
   • Helena
   • Indian Springs Village
   • Leeds
   • Montevallo
   • Pelham
   • Vincent
   • Westover
   • Wilsonville
   • Wilton
   • Argo
   • Asheville
   • Leads
   • Margaret
   • Moody
   • Odenville
   • Pell City
   • Ragland
   • And any other municipalities within our service area that we may have missed."

Yes. Unfortunately our liability insurance policy specifically excludes any work done on motor vehicles and fireplaces. So we avoid those two categories. One exception we've made is for immobile skoolies (school buses turned into stationary leisure spaces).