Bottom Line

SKLP is one of the most common brands you'll see on Ritchie Bros, IronPlanet, and GovPlanet auctions — including the SKH20 folding accordion model. The buildings are usable for 5–8 years on the Prairies, but auction lots arrive with no support and often no instructions. We've assembled enough of them to install from a few photos. Flat rate by size — $11,888 for a 40'×80'.

SKLP — The Auction-Lot Standard

If you've spent any time bidding on equipment lots at Ritchie Bros, IronPlanet, or GovPlanet, you've seen SKLP storage buildings. They're one of the most frequent fabric brands to come through those auctions — usually decommissioned military or government inventory, sometimes new-in-crate, occasionally the distinctive SKH20 folding accordion model. The price-per-square-foot at auction is hard to beat. The trade-off is that you're buying without manufacturer support, often without complete documentation, and sometimes without confirmation of the model number on the bill of lading.

We fill the gap. We've installed enough SKLP buildings — both the standard truss kits and the folding SKH20 — to identify what's in a crate from photos and put it up without the original instructions. Flat-rate install pricing, identical to the canonical table on our homepage. No brand surcharge, no auction-lot surcharge.

Does Max Contractors install SKLP buildings?

Yes — every SKLP model we've encountered. Standard truss kits in the common 20-, 30-, and 40-wide sizes; folding SKH20 buildings; and the rarer pre-assembled lots that come through GovPlanet government surplus.

Most of our SKLP work is auction-driven. A customer wins a lot, the crate arrives, and they realise neither the auction house nor the original manufacturer is going to send a crew. Our flat install pricing means you know what assembly costs before you bid, which lets you do the math on whether the auction lot is actually a deal once installed.

What's the difference between a standard SKLP kit and the SKH20 folding model?

Two different geometries with different on-site advantages:

What tends to slow us down on SKLP builds?

Three things, in order of how often they show up:

  1. Missing instructions on auction lots. Roughly 60% of auction-bought SKLP kits arrive without the original assembly booklet. We work from the geometry pattern instead — once parts are laid out, the sequence is muscle memory. If you're owner-building, this is where you'd stall.
  2. Hardware bags repacked or short. Government surplus and decommissioned inventory often had hardware bags opened and re-bundled at some point in their auction history. We carry a backup hardware tray on the truck and substitute on-site for common bolts, clamps, and base brackets.
  3. Cover condition on aged auction stock. If the kit has been sitting in a crate for a few years, the PE fabric can stiffen at the folds. We pull tension in two passes on aged covers — once at 70% to let the fabric relax, then a final pass — to avoid putting permanent creases into the panels.

How much does professional installation cost for an SKLP building?

Flat rate by size, identical to every other brand. Common SKLP sizes:

SizeInstall price
20'×40'$4,888
30'×40'$6,888
30'×60'$9,888
40'×60'$10,888
40'×80'$11,888
50'×100'$14,888

Installation covers full crew, frame assembly, fabric tensioning, doors, and anchoring to your prepared foundation. Equipment (manlifts), travel beyond same-day Alberta drives, and crew lodging on multi-day builds are billed through at cost — no markup. The full install-cost guide walks through every size.

How long does an SKLP install take?

What should I have ready before install day?

Our blog post on what to expect on install day has the full site-prep checklist.

SKLP at auction — when it's a deal and when it isn't

The auction-lot math is straightforward. SKLP buildings are usable for 5–8 years on the Prairies. If you're buying a 40'×80' lot for under $5,000 and our install is $11,888, you're under $17,000 all-in for a working storage building — significantly less than a new-in-crate equivalent. That's a deal.

If the auction price climbs past about 60% of new-in-crate pricing for an equivalent Suihe / Gold Mountain kit, the math gets tighter. At that point you're paying near-new pricing for a building with no warranty and no parts support. For primary-equipment storage we'd point you toward a new Cover-Tech, North Country, or Dura Shelter instead. We install all of them at the same flat rate; the difference is in the kit and the warranty.

Written by Peter Huynh, owner-operator at Max Contractors. Our crews install every fabric brand on the Canadian market, including SKLP standard kits and SKH20 folding models bought at auction. Got an auction lot you're thinking about? Send us photos and we'll confirm what's in it before you bid.

Last updated: April 25, 2026

See Pricing for Your Size

Same pricing applies regardless of brand. Find your size, that's your price.

Got an SKLP Building From Auction?

Send photos of the crate and any labels. We'll confirm the model and book the crew.

Message Us

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Max Contractors install SKLP buildings?

Yes. We install every SKLP model we've seen — both the standard truss kits and the SKH20 folding accordion model. Most of our SKLP work comes from customers who bought lots at Ritchie Bros, IronPlanet, or GovPlanet auctions. Same flat-rate pricing as every other brand we install.

How much does professional installation cost for an SKLP building?

Flat rate by size, not by brand. A 40'×80' SKLP install runs $11,888 — same price we charge for any other brand in that footprint. The full table from 20'×40' to 70'×200' is on our homepage. Installation covers full crew, frame assembly, fabric tensioning, doors, and anchoring to your prepared foundation. Equipment (manlifts), travel beyond same-day Alberta drives, and crew lodging on multi-day builds are billed through at cost — no markup.

How does the SKH20 folding model install differ from a standard kit?

The SKH20 ships pre-assembled in an accordion configuration. In theory it deploys faster than a truss-by-truss build. In practice you still need to anchor, tension the fabric to spec, install end walls, and set doors — which puts the install day count similar to a standard kit of the same footprint. The advantage is fewer parts to inventory and no risk of missing arches or trusses, since the frame is one welded assembly out of the crate.

How long does an SKLP install take?

30'×40' through 40'×60' runs 2 days; 40'×80' runs 3 days; 50'×100' runs 4–5 days; 60-wide commercial sizes run 6–8 days. SKH20 folding kits at the smaller sizes can shave half a day off the standard timing because there's no truss-by-truss erection — but anchoring, tensioning, and end-wall framing still take their normal time.

What should I have ready before my SKLP install?

For an auction-bought SKLP kit, the most important thing is photos. Send us pictures of the crate, any labels, the model number plate if visible, and the bill-of-lading paperwork. We've assembled enough SKLP buildings to identify what's in the box from photos, but a label confirmation saves us a half day of dry-fit. On site you need a level compacted gravel pad sized to footprint plus a 2-foot perimeter, all components unpacked, and 1-ton truck access plus a manlift for sizes 40-wide and up.

What's the catch with auction-bought SKLP buildings?

Two things to know going in. First, after-sale support is essentially zero — there's no Canadian phone number, no parts depot, and the original importer may not respond if you find missing or damaged components. We carry a backup hardware tray and substitute on the spot for common fasteners; for major components we'll fabricate or rig a temporary solution. Second, instructions are often missing from auction lots. We work off the assembly pattern, not the booklet. Our $11,888 flat rate for a 40'×80' install isn't affected by either issue — that's why a flat rate exists.

Related Brands We Install

TMG Industrial Suihe Gold Mountain Hills Industrial Can Industrial