The first phase - Contracting - of a shade cover project begins with the initial site analysis, the design and engineering of the shade structures, and concludes with the agreement between the customer and AmeriShade regarding the price and payment terms. The parties involved include the contractor (AmeriShade) and representatives of the purchaser (owners, consultants, architects, etc.).

Following agreement about the Contract terms, the second phase - Pre-Construction - begins with the Building Permitting and material acquisition processes. Permitting may be simple, easy and quick or complicated, expensive, and long depending upon the community in which the project will be located, the building authorities' familiarity with tension fabric structures, other building projects in the queue, etc. For these reasons, the costs of the permits are not usually included in the contract price as they are beyond the control of the contractor. The time required to complete the permitting process is indeterminable, but it is certain that the project cannot begin until the permit is received.

As the variables of the permitting process become known, the acquisition of raw materials begins. While AmeriShade keeps an inventory of raw materials on hand, the specific type of material required to complete a project may require purchase and delivery of the necessary components from a supplier. Depending upon the material, there may be substantial delays between order and receipt since shade cloth and membranes are often produced to specific job standards. In most cases, AmeriShade is able to coordinate material deliveries with the permit process so that when the permit is received, the materials are ready to be used on the project.

Once materials are available, the third phase - Shop Manufacturing - begins. Engineering drawings are translated into shop drawings for manufacture. Steel components such as support columns, trusses, and spans are cut, ground, welded, and painted to shop drawings while rolls of the canopy membrane material are measured, cut and sewn to specifications for installation, tensioning, and final sewing on site. All materials are prepared for shipment.

During this phase, any required sub-contract services are identified along with vendors of such. This includes hole boring for columns, concrete suppliers, spoils removal, equipment and material storage, etc. In most cases, our crews are required to stay overnight in motels and eat in restaurants, so we make arrangements for their accommodations along with ample supplies of fuel for our vehicles and heavy machinery.

This work generally occurs "behind the scenes" and simultaneously with the 2nd phase. It is usually invisible to our clients. Never the less, it is integral and essential to the execution of the project.

The fourth and final phase - Installation - begins with the delivery of materials to the site and concludes with acceptance of the project by the client and a subsequent delivery of our Warranty agreement. The major elements occurring during this phase include the setting of the columns and pouring of the supporting foundations, the welding of trusses and supports to the columns to form the steel undercarriage of the canopy, placement and tensioning of various support cables, and the attachment, tensioning, and sewing of the canopy top to the steel structure. During this phase, the building inspectors generally makes multiple visits to confirm that the structure is erected according to building code. In addition, the client and/or his representatives are often on site to gauge progress, ensure that specifications are followed, and safety standards are in place. Following substantial completion, the client will make a final inspection before accepting the work.

The elapsed time required to complete a project, once contracted, varies according to the size of the project, the difficulty of permitting, the availability of raw materials, weather conditions, etc. Milestones and deadlines can be negotiated as part of the contract, along with bonuses and penalties for success or failure in meeting such. The construction process is often frustrating and slow since many of the factors affecting the duration of the project cannot be controlled by the owner or the contractor.