Warehouse Installation
Our crews anchor to the engineer’s requirements, keep every row plumb, pull the permits, and get the final inspection signed off. One company handles it all, from stamped drawings to turnover.
Rack Installation Done Right
A good installation is anchored to the engineer’s requirements, plumb down every row, permitted before the beams go up, and inspected before the first pallet goes on. Miss any one of those steps and problems show up later, when they cost the most to fix.
Request a consultation
Warehouse storage systems hold thousands of pounds every day. Collapsed racks, falling inventory and damaged forklifts are rarely random accidents. Most of the time they come from bad anchoring or uneven leveling, built in months before anything failed. A large share of installation problems trace back to the floor and the anchors. That is why our crews check the slab before they build, not after. Redoing bad work also costs far more than doing it right the first time. A poor installation keeps costing you. Rack damage, lost product, repairs and insurance claims add up over the life of the system.
How We Install Pallet Rack
Before a crew shows up, the scope is set, the schedule is phased, permits and plan approvals are in hand, materials are delivered, and PPE and job-safety procedures are in place. You have one point of contact the whole way. On site, the crew follows a fixed sequence.
01
Site Preparation
We clear the installation area, check the floor, and mark the layout on the slab. That way the design fits the building as it was actually built, not just as it was drawn.
02
Starter Bays
We mark every row, erect a starter bay for each one, and lay out everything else from those reference bays. Get the starter bays right and the rest of the row falls into place.
03
Anchoring & Building
We anchor the starter-bay uprights first and build each row out from them. Once the rows are up, we check that they are still plumb. Then we anchor the remaining uprights to the engineer’s requirements.
04
Safety Accessories & Inspection
Rack guards, wire decking and other safety accessories go in last. We then inspect the system for stability and load compliance against OSHA guidelines and local code before turnover.
Stein Service & Supply is a licensed general contractor in North and South Carolina. Projects over a certain size require that license for permitting. So the same company that puts up your rack can provide stamped structural drawings, pull the permit and act as GC. One installer is responsible for the anchoring, the plumb, the permit and the sign-off.
Permits Handled Before Work Starts
Many buyers first learn they need a high-piled storage permit when the fire marshal tells them. Most city codes require one when you store above a certain height or store combustible product. The packaging, the pallets and the items themselves all count as combustible. Two departments must sign off before you load a single pallet: the Building Department and the Fire Department. We handle it as part of the installation.
Learn about permitting- PE-stamped structural drawings and seismic calculations
- Permit application, review and inspections
- Site-visit coordination as a licensed general contractor in North and South Carolina
One note: the timeline varies by city and county. Used rack without manufacturer markings on its components is also hard to permit. The FAQ below explains why.
What We Deliver and Install
Rack is most of the work, but rarely all of it. Stein Service & Supply can make arrangements to have your material handling equipment delivered and installed along with your rack.
View all equipment- Rack Systems and Pallet Racks
- Mezzanines
- Shelving
- Modular Offices
- Data Center Cages
- Wire Partitions
- Netting
- Lockers
- Safety Equipment
Our crews install selective pallet rack, cantilever rack, shelving units and heavy-duty industrial storage. Each system anchors and loads differently. The crew you hire should have built all of them.
We Can Install While Your Building Is Under Construction
A large utility company hired us to combine three warehouses into one new 32,000 sq. ft. building. We fit 35,000 sq. ft. of existing material into it. We started installing as soon as the concrete floor cured, before the roof was done and before the building had power. The full install took three months. Our crews worked alongside the electrical, sprinkler and roofing contractors. The job was completed and approved on the customer’s schedule.
Read the case studyRecent Installation Projects
Common Installation Questions
Who should install pallet rack?
Trained professionals. Most rack failures start with bad anchoring or uneven leveling, and both are hidden once the rack is loaded. A professional crew checks the slab before building and anchors every upright to the engineer’s requirements.
Do I need a permit for my rack installation?
Probably. Most city building codes require a high-piled storage permit when you store inventory above a certain height, or when you have combustible storage. The packaging, the pallets and the items themselves all count as combustible. The process varies greatly by location. We handle it as part of the project.
How long does permitting take?
It varies by city and county. The usual steps: make sure the building has the necessary equipment, including safety equipment; apply for a permit review date; and gather the required documents at the same time. Mecklenburg County is strict and time-consuming, so start early.
Can you install used rack?
Yes. The catch is permitting. The engineer’s stamped calculations require the exact specifications of every component. Those are easy to get for new rack and nearly impossible for used rack with no manufacturer markings. If your used rack has model numbers stamped on each component, the process is much simpler.
Can we stay operational during the installation?
Usually, with phasing. We installed 1,100 feet of double-sided cantilever rack (244 uprights, 2,440 arms, six truckloads) for a Greensboro building-material distributor with little impact on daily operations. We also phased an electrical-parts supplier’s install in Pittsboro around late-arriving materials, so the facility opened on time. How much you can keep running depends on the phasing, so tell us how you operate.
Get Started
Request a Consultation
Tell us what you’re storing and where. We’ll handle the drawings, the permit and the installation – one point of contact from layout to final inspection sign-off.