Study Guide

The high-yield checklist. Every fact below shows up somewhere in the exam. Open book is allowed; this is meant to be your study reference.

Why Metal America

We keep it simple, we keep it fast, and we are American-made, with the best customer service in the industry.
One locked price from the day you sign. No change orders, ever.
One team, one contract: engineering, foundation, shell, interior, finishes, and keys.
14-gauge galvanized steel frame: stronger and more durable than stick-built, and cheaper to insure.
9 months or less from signed contract to keys, not the 18 to 24 you get everywhere else.
Built-in equity: barndos are appraising above what clients pay to build them.
Finishes from brands you already know: Sherwin-Williams, Kohler, GE, Anderson, and more.
Lead with this when a customer or realtor asks why us over a competitor.

Phases: site prep, foundation, steel erection, exterior envelope, interior framing, drywall/paint, finish-out, final
Steel shell goes up in 3-7 days. Steel supplier crews (Eagle, Star) erect, NOT the GC.
Total turnkey timeline: 9 months max from signed contract for any deal.
Concrete must cure before steel arrives
Slab-on-grade per engineered plans. Monolithic slab is standard. No basements.
Foundation can include a notched / brick ledge edge when the build calls for it.

All Metal America designs are built to code and meet or exceed all compliance expectations for a habitable structure.
You do not need to memorize opening sizes or the window catalog. Just know every build is code-compliant.
HOA prohibits metal siding = deal is DEAD. Politely decline and move on. No workaround, no off-spec build.

Texas and Oklahoma: turnkey only. Metal America delivers a finished home, start to keys.
We sell turnkey only. We do not do shell-only builds or out-of-area finish-out deals.

Project setup fee = 10% of total project cost, charged upfront at start
Cash deal: 50% upfront / 40% on shell delivery / 10% on final walkthrough
Financed (Guild): customer experiences a single Guild closing. The 33%/67% split is internal to how MA gets paid and is not customer-facing.
All money flows through Metal America. Customer NEVER pays the GC directly.
Sales rep commission: paid when the customer's first payment hits Metal America (that's when the deal is marked sold).
Realtor commission: 3% of the deal, paid the same way (when first payment hits MA).

Guild Mortgage = our ONLY financing partner. One-Time Close construction-to-permanent loan.
Single closing. No separate refinance after construction.
Guild requires GC with 3+ years residential experience, GC of record. Metal America provides the qualified GC.
We do NOT coordinate with USDA, FHA, conventional, RTO, Hearth, HFS, or any other lender.
Outside lender = cash deal from our perspective. Customer pays us directly.
Appraisal comp problem is the #1 deal killer. Build comp database long term.

Realtors will want to use their own lender. Frame our single partner as the advantage it is.
Our preferred lender already knows Metal America's building process from start to finish.
Our floor plans, specifications, contractors, and construction draw schedule are already on file and approved.
They understand barndominium construction, which avoids unnecessary delays and confusion.
Communication between builder, lender, and borrower is streamlined, creating a smoother experience for everyone.
The result: faster approvals, fewer underwriting issues, and a higher likelihood of closing successfully.
Can my client use their own lender? Yes, but when a client chooses a different lender, Metal America treats the project as a cash transaction. We do not coordinate with outside lenders because each one has different underwriting, draw schedules, documentation, and approval processes. Working with our preferred partner removes those variables for a much more efficient build.

MA handles: engineering, drawings, materials, shell erection, concrete, site prep, utilities, finish-out, payments, and GC of record on financed deals.
Customer handles: legal access to the build site, HOA approvals, and any custom upgrades outside the 9 SKUs (we won't do them).

1. Build the Quote: create a turnkey proposal using our quoting tool.
2. Submit for Approval: our team reviews the quote and coordinates financing if needed.
3. Close the Sale: obtain the customer's signature on the final agreement.
4. Get Paid: once construction begins and the first payment draw is received, your commission is paid.

Every Metal America build comes with a curated, pre-selected Foundation finish package — flooring, cabinets, countertops, fixtures, paint, appliances, HVAC, all of it.
Why pre-selected? It eliminates decision paralysis, keeps the price predictable, and gets the customer into a finished home faster.
Customers can swap to the Upgrade tier on a few line items if they want more (e.g. premium appliance package, alternate flooring lines, fancier shower tile).
The exam does NOT test brand-by-brand recall. For full SKUs, brand names, and pricing reference the separate Finish Guide (link below).

HOA prohibits metal siding — deal is dead, no workaround.
Customer wants a basement or fireplace — not offered, redirect to a standard build.
Customer wants a custom design — not offered, pitch one of the 9 SKUs.
Outside lender (USDA / FHA / conventional / RTO / Hearth / HFS) — treat as cash deal, MA does not coordinate.
Appraisal comp problem on financed deals — biggest single risk to closing.

When asked how we compare to other builders, here is the honest answer.
vs. Kit Builders: kit builders sell you a steel shell. You still hire a GC, coordinate subs, manage the job site, and make every finish decision yourself. Metal America sells a finished, turnkey home. One price, one team, and we hand you the keys.
vs. Fully Custom Builders: fully custom means many vendors, many invoices, and change orders that bleed you for months. Budget overruns are baked into that model. Metal America is semi-custom by design. You get the personalization without the chaos, and you are done in 9 months instead of 24.
vs. Stick-Built Homes: wood frames rot, warp, attract pests, and burn. Steel does not. Metal America clients pay 25 to 75% less to insure their home for its entire life, the home is stronger, and the appraisal often comes in above what you paid to build.