Structural Repair Procurement Checklist: 7 Steps Before You Order Connectors, Fasteners, or Tools

I've been the procurement manager for a mid-size commercial repair contractor for six years now. In that time, I've processed over 400 purchase orders worth roughly $180,000. Everything from Simpson Strong-Tie connectors to bulk boxes of structural screws to a siding nail gun that we absolutely did not need to buy.

Here's what I've learned: the product rarely fails. The decision fails. People buy the wrong spec, the wrong quantity, or the right product for the wrong reason.

This checklist is what I run before every structural repair order. It's not theoretical. It's saved us from at least three rework incidents that would have cost somewhere between $2,000 and $8,000 each. Seven steps, in order.

Step 1: Confirm You Need an Engineered Connector (Not Just a Bracket)

This is the one most buyers get wrong. They see "Simpson Strong-Tie" and assume every application needs a full engineered solution. Sometimes it does. Sometimes a simple anchor is fine.

I made this mistake in early 2023 on a Simpson Strong-Tie fence post repair project. We'd budgeted for post bases and caps—around $28 per post assembly. But when I actually walked the site, I realized half the posts only needed a basic wedge anchor, not a full connector system. We switched those posts to a basic anchor setup and cut material costs by about $1,200 on that job.

The lesson: don't let the brand name make the decision for you. Look at the load requirements first.

Step 2: Match Your Fasteners to Your Connectors

You cannot use just any screw with a Simpson Strong-Tie connector. The company publishes specific fastener schedules for every connector they make, and using the wrong screw voids the warranty and—more importantly—compromises the connection.

According to Simpson Strong-Tie (strongtie.com), approved fastener schedules are published for every connector model, and using unapproved fasteners voids the manufacturer's warranty.

When I audited our 2023 spending, I found that about 15% of our budget overruns came from reordering screws after using the wrong type on the first pass. We implemented a policy: the connection schedule gets printed and stapled to the purchase order, every time.

Most buyers focus on per-unit pricing for screws for Simpson Strong-Tie connectors and completely miss whether those screws are actually approved for that specific connector. Saving $4 on a box of 100 screws doesn't matter if the inspection fails.

Step 3: Don't Forget the Jamb Bolts (And Don't Over-Order Them)

Jamb bolts are one of those items that either get forgotten entirely or over-ordered by 300%. I've done both.

On a door replacement project in Q2 2024, we ordered jamb bolts for every door in the scope—about 40 units. Turned out, 12 of those doors had existing jamb bolts that were still structurally sound. We returned the extras, but the restocking fee ate about $85 of our savings.

Now I walk the site before ordering hardware. Takes an extra hour. Saves more than that.

Step 4: Buy the Right Tools (And Question the Marketing)

Two tool questions come up constantly in contractor forums, and I've got answers for both.

First: can an impact wrench be used as a drill? Technically, yes—you can put a drill bit in an impact driver and it will spin. But impact drivers apply rotational force in bursts, which can snap smaller drill bits and strip screw heads. I know because we tried it in 2022 and burned through $60 worth of bits in a week. If you're drilling pilot holes, use a drill. If you're driving structural screws, an impact driver is fine—it's actually better.

Second: the siding nail gun. Every contractor I know wants to buy one. Most of them shouldn't.

We bought a pneumatic siding nailer for $350 in 2023. We used it on three projects that year. A rental would have cost us about $120 total for the same three jobs. Unless you're doing siding work on a weekly basis, rent. The math doesn't even debate it.

My point isn't that tools are bad. It's that the purchase price isn't the cost. The cost is what you spend per use.

Step 5: Run the Total Cost Calculation (Not Just the Quote)

This step is where I probably lose some people, because it takes a spreadsheet and 20 minutes. But it's the most important step on this list.

In 2023, I compared two suppliers for a bulk order of structural connectors. Supplier A quoted $3,400. Supplier B quoted $2,950. I almost went with B—that's $450 in our pocket, right?

Then I built the TCO model.

Supplier B charged a $75 "documentation fee" per custom connector spec, $120 for freight, and had a 4-week lead time—meaning we'd need to rush-order about 10% of the volume at a 30% premium. Supplier A included all specs, free freight over $2,000, and a 10-day lead time.

Total cost: Supplier A came to $3,400. Supplier B came to $3,760—plus the risk of a delayed project.

That's a 10% difference hidden in fine print. Not on the unit price. In the structure of the quote.

Since implementing a TCO spreadsheet for every order over $1,000, we've cut cost overruns by 34%.

Step 6: Check the Spec Sheet, Not the Sales Rep

Sales reps are useful. They're not engineers. I've had reps tell me a connector was "fine" for an application that the spec sheet explicitly said not to use it for.

This was true 10 years ago when product documentation was harder to access. Today, every Simpson Strong-Tie connector has a published load table online. There's no excuse for guessing.

The conventional wisdom is to "trust your rep." My experience with 400+ orders suggests that trust should be backed up by documentation. If I remember correctly, we caught a load-rating mismatch on a double-shear connection in early 2024 that would have failed inspection—purely because I checked the spec sheet instead of the rep's email.

Step 7: Do a Final Site Walk Before You Order

I know this sounds redundant with Step 1. It isn't. The site changes between the first look and the purchase order.

What I mean is that half—maybe more—of the procurement errors I've documented come from ordering based on a memory of the site instead of a current look at it. A post gets replaced, a door gets reframed, a wall gets moved. The order doesn't update itself.

I've started keeping a one-page site sheet. It has the count of each item I'm about to order, checked off visually. Takes 30 minutes. Has saved me from at least two large returns this year alone.

Final Notes (And Common Mistakes)

A few things I've learned the hard way:

• Don't order structural hardware from a general supplier just because it's convenient. The inspection won't care about convenience.
• Always verify current pricing of Simpson Strong-Tie products at the source (strongtie.com) before accepting a quote. Connector prices changed roughly 8% to 12% between January 2024 and January 2025, depending on the product line. Verify current pricing before you commit to a PO.
• Keep a running log of every order and its actual delivered cost. After six years, that log is the most valuable tool I have.

The cheapest option and the most economical option are rarely the same thing. It took me a few expensive lessons to really understand that. Hopefully, this checklist saves you from a few of your own.