At Approved Sheet Metal, we take pride in offering competitive pricing. However, we know that there’s more to choosing the right metal fabrication partner than just cost alone. While we firmly believe in the quality of the products we deliver, we don’t aim to compete solely on price. Instead, we focus on building strong, productive partnerships that prioritize excellence.
Racing to the bottom in pricing benefits no one in the long run. That’s why we encourage potential customers to consider a shop’s full profile—understanding their strengths and how they align with your needs can lead to significantly better results.
Table of Contents
Saving Short Term, Spending More Long Term
We've seen it time and time again: a customer submits an RFQ to us but ultimately chooses a different shop that offers a lower price. Eventually, they circle back to us when they’re unhappy with the quality of the parts they received elsewhere.
Many customers have sought us out to rework substandard results from other shops. After experiencing our quality firsthand, they quickly realize that partnering with us from the start would have saved them both time and money.
While we’re always ready to handle reworks for custom sheet metal projects, it's far simpler—and more cost-effective—to get things right from the beginning. That’s why we encourage potential customers to talk to us first, learn about our processes, and understand why our quality stands out. We’re more than happy to show you around our shop so you can see our commitment to excellence in action.
Beyond Price: 4 Factors to Consider
Focusing solely on price can be misleading. Several critical factors impact the success of a sheet metal fabrication project. Here’s what you should look for:
- Quality. Choosing a fabrication shop based solely on their pricing can put your project at risk. Low-quality parts often lead to delays, creating RMAs, throwing off lead times, and disrupting product development cycles. This not only wastes valuable engineering time but also forces you to repeat the process - finding a new shop, submitting another RFQ, and making a new decision—all of which add more time and potential cost to your project.
- Lead Time. If your project has tight deadlines, partnering with an experienced sheet metal shop is essential. At Approved Sheet Metal, we understand the importance of timely delivery and prioritize quick turnaround times for prototypes, ensuring you get to market faster. Less experienced shops may struggle to keep pace, leading to delays and missed deadlines, especially for time-sensitive events like trade shows.
- Experience. With decades of experience in custom metal fabrication, our team—from estimators to floor personnel—ensures a smooth process from start to finish. We provide valuable design feedback right from the beginning to minimize errors and deliver high-quality parts that meet your exact specifications. We’ve faced numerous challenges and turned them into opportunities for creative solutions.
- Customer Service. At Approved Sheet Metal, we see ourselves as part of your team. We always live our core values and treat others the way we’d want to be treated. Our dedicated customer service, sales, and order management teams are always ready to assist, providing quick quotes, tracking your orders, and accommodating updates. We share your urgency and commitment to excellence, treating every project with the care and attention it deserves. Unlike other shops, we prioritize proactive communication, so you’re never left in the dark about your project’s status.
Talk to Us Today
Every precision sheet metal shop has its strengths and weaknesses. It’s important to evaluate which qualities are most important for your project’s success. Choosing a partner based solely on price can jeopardize your outcomes, as short-term savings often result in higher costs in the long run due to inferior quality and delayed timelines.
Reach out to us today to discuss how Approved Sheet Metal can provide a superior experience for your next project. We’re here to help you make the right choice for your metal fabrication needs.
