We've heard hundreds of customers walk in with a horror story about the last shop they used. Almost every one of those stories could have been prevented at the quote stage with the right questions. Most of those questions take ten seconds for a real builder to answer, because a real builder knows the answer cold. Here's the list, in the order we'd ask them.
The 11 questions
1. What aluminum alloy and temper do you use?
The answer should be specific. 5052-H32 is what you want for a working service body. 'Aluminum' is not an answer. 'Marine grade' is closer but still incomplete — there are several marine-grade alloys, and they aren't interchangeable.
2. Is the construction welded or bolted at the structural points?
Welded for everything structural. Compartments built into the bed, not bolted on after. Welds done by a certified aluminum welder, not the guy who learned on the job last summer.
3. What hardware do you use — stainless or coated steel?
Stainless throughout, end of conversation. Coated steel fasteners rust out within three to five years and streak the panels they're attached to long before that.
4. Is the rear sub-frame reinforced for a lift gate, even if I'm not adding one today?
Should be yes, included, no upcharge. Otherwise adding a gate two years from now means rebuilding the back of the bed and paying twice for work that should have been done once.
5. What's the rated cargo capacity, and how was it tested?
A specific number plus a test method. 'Heavy duty' is not a capacity rating, it's a marketing word. Ask to see the test certificate if you want to be sure — a real shop has one for every build.
6. Can I see another build you've done for my trade?
Reputable shops have references, photos, and usually a satisfied customer they can put on the phone for every common trade configuration. If they can't show you a single one for your line of work, they're going to figure out the build on your dollar.
7. What's your warranty — on the metal, on the welds, on the hardware?
We warranty structure and welds for the life of the original owner. Anything less than a decade should make you nervous. Anything less than three years tells you exactly how long they expect the build to hold up.
8. Who does the install — your team or a sub-contractor?
In-house install means the people who built it also fit it, and they care if it lines up. Sub-contracted installs are where most of the fitment issues we end up fixing actually originate.
9. How long does the install take, and what's your loaner policy?
Real shops can tell you to the day, sometimes to the half-day, and most have loaner trucks or a rental partnership for working customers who can't be off the road for a week.
10. What's included in the price, and what's extra?
Get the full line item before you sign anything. Wiring, lights, mud flaps, gate prep, sub-frame reinforcement, paint, vinyl, undercoat. These should all be on paper, with a number next to each, before any deposit moves.
11. Can I talk to a customer who bought from you five or more years ago?
Long-tenured customers can tell you whether the build actually held up across seasons and miles. Brand-new customers can only tell you whether the sales experience was pleasant. Both data points matter — but the first one matters more.
What a good answer sounds like
Specific. Confident. Quick. Backed up by documentation if you ask for it, and offered without defensiveness. If you get vague, defensive, hand-wavy, or rushed answers to any of these eleven — that's not the salesman, that's the bed talking. Go somewhere else, and tell the next shop you did.
