Western Specialty Contractor’s Architectural Sheet Metal Division in Kansas City is being praised by Missouri American Water for installing custom sheet metal panels on the facades of nine aging well house buildings in Joplin, MO.
A well house or pump house is a small structure or shelter built over a water well. Its primary role is to protect the mechanical components, including the pump and pipes, from weather elements such as wind, rain, and snow, extending the life of a well system.
Durable sheet metal panels on the façade will provide a high level of protection for Missouri American Water’s well houses.
“Western was great to work with us on rehabilitating our wellhouse buildings that were in serious need of repairs. The jobs presented some unique challenges, but they stayed with it and were very effective. Communication throughout this process was very critical, and Western’s crews were very good about reaching out to use with questions and offering solutions to problems presented,” said Bob Kirby of Missouri American Water.
Starting the project in June 2024, Western replaced aging, damaged wood siding on the exteriors of the well house buildings with durable, custom sheet metal panels. Sheet metal panels add a sleek look and personality to a building, plus they are long-lasting and cost-effective from the start, with efficient installation time and typically very low maintenance. Western Specialty Contractor’s Architectural Sheet Metal Division has been fabricating and installing custom metal wall panels for the past 20 years.
Western’s scope of work on each of the wellhouse buildings included:
- Furnishing and welding gussets to the existing exterior metal frame
- Building and erecting 2×4 exterior walls surrounding the building on top of the gussets
- Skinning the interior of the new 2×4 framing with FRP panels
- Insulating the new 2×4 walls with R-19 insulation
- Sheathing the exterior of the 2×4 walls with 24ga prefinished PBR panels with associated flashings and trims
- Furnishing and installing all roof substrates and frames in existing roof hatches
- Furnishing and installing insulated hollow metal frames and doors with associated hinges and locksets
Western worked closely with Missouri American Water to ensure that the well houses were offline for the shortest amount of time as possible to limit disruption to customers. Western ,completed the work ahead of schedule at the end of March 2025, and under budget.
For more information about Western’s Architectural Sheet Metal Division, visit www.westerspecialtycontractors.com/services.
About Western Specialty Contractors
Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing, and specialty roofing. Western offers a nationwide network of expertise that building owners, engineers, architects, and property managers can count on to develop cost-effective, corrective measures that can add years of useful life to a variety of structures, including industrial, commercial, healthcare, historic, educational and government buildings, parking structures, and sports stadiums. Western is headquartered in St. Louis, MO, with 30 branch offices nationwide and employs more than 1,200 salaried and hourly professionals who offer the best, time-tested techniques and innovative technology. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit https://westernspecialtycontractors.com.