Built to Last

Quality Derksen portable buildings are made by Oklahoma craftsmen.

Lewis and Patricia Armbrister, long-time Rogers County residents, own Derksen Portable Buildings.

Lewis and Patricia Armbrister, long-time Rogers County residents, are no strangers to working with people in the business world. In fact, for the couple, that is what makes doing business so enjoyable – working with people. “I like making new friends and meeting people in the area,” says Patricia.
    In addition to their long-time fencing business, the Armbristers began selling Derksen portable buildings in 2007. After researching several portable building companies, they settled on Derksen because of its ­quality construction. Pressure-treated materials, reinforced doors, sturdy ­tresses and other options available on Derksen buildings led the Armbristers to set up shop on their corner lot at Reavis and Country Club Road in Claremore over six years ago.
    Derksen’s portable ­buildings, sheds, garages and cabins are hand-built the ­old-fashioned way in the Mennonite craftsmanship ­tradition. All Derksen ­buildings also include an industry-leading warranty on their treated wood strand technology siding, which resists fungal rot and decay, termites, splitting, cracking and warping in a rich cedar grain texture. Derksen’s ­siding is not made of wafer, chip or particleboard.
    In addition, the buildings include 2x4 wall studs ­doubled under siding seams, 2x6 treated floor joists into notched 4x6 treated skids, and 2x4 reinforced doors designed to seal out rain and key-locked for protection. “Since we began selling the buildings several years ago,” says Patricia, “Derksen has added new styles, sizes and options.”
    With sizes ranging from 8x12 up to the newest size, a 16x40, customers can also choose from different styles of barns, cabins, cottages, utility sheds, and garages, including options like lofts, windows, doors and gable roofs.
    Newer options also include a basic electric ­package, wall and ceiling insulation, inside paneling and pre-finished flooring. “Customers can now choose to have their building painted or pressure-treated and the price is the same,” she adds. “In the past, painted ­buildings cost more.”
    Whether you choose a shingled roof or one made of metal, the price is the same. Shingled roofs come with a 30-year warranty while the 29-gauge standard metal roofs come with a 40-year ­warranty.
    When selecting your custom-built portable building, there are now more options than before, according to Patricia. “With custom-made doors and windows, you choose how many and where you want them placed.”
    Door options include solids, nine-lite doors, 11-lite French doors (set), as well as roll-up garage doors in two different sizes. Windows are metal, single-glazed, double hung units with grids to give the appearance of multiple panes of glass.  
    Another option for the customer is a built-on-site building. “With a building built on your site, some of these options like the basic electric package are not ­available,” she adds.
    With Derksen’s buy-or-lease program and no credit check, customers can save money when compared to renting at a storage facility long-term. “Buying or leasing a Derksen building is hassle-free,” says Patricia. “You can lease a building up to 60 months.” There is no penalty for early payoff, and delivery and setup are available at no extra charge.
    Buildings are available for viewing at the Armbrister’s lot at 1401 Reavis Rd., but customers do have many options, many without extra cost, such as where windows and doors are placed. “I’m available to discuss options so you can decide which building and which options best fit your needs,” says Patricia.

 For more information, contact

Derksen Portable Buildings

www.derksenbuildings.com

About Author Carol Beck-Round

After 30 years in public school education, Carol Round retired and moved from Grand Lake to Claremore, Oklahoma in 2005, where she writes a weekly faith-based column which runs in 14 Oklahoma newspapers as well as several national and international publications. Three volumes of her columns have been compiled into collections: A Matter of Faith, Faith Matters and by FAITH alone. She has also written Journaling with Jesus: How to Draw Closer to God and a companion workbook, The 40-Day Challenge. This past year she has written three children’s books, a series called Nana’s 3 Jars, to teach children about the value of giving, saving and spending money. All of Carol’s books are available through Amazon. In addition to writing her weekly column, authoring books and speaking to women’s groups, she writes for Value News. She also blogs regularly at www.carolaround.com. When she is not writing or speaking, she loves spending time with her three grandchildren, working in her flowerbeds, shooting photos, volunteering at her church or going on mission trips overseas, and hiking. She is also an avid reader and loves working crosswords and trying to solve Sudoku puzzles.