12 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Marine Fabricator
The 12 questions every yacht owner, captain, and project manager should ask before hiring a marine fabricator — certifications, qualifications, lead times, documentation, and more.
12 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Marine Fabricator
Hiring a marine fabricator isn't like hiring a general contractor. The regulations, the materials, and the consequences of failure are different from land-based fabrication in ways that aren't obvious until something goes wrong.
Here are the 12 questions that matter most — and what to listen for in the answers.
1. What certifications do you hold?
The answer should be specific: "Lloyds, ABS, and USCG" — not "we're certified" or "we do commercial work." Each certification has different requirements and different jurisdiction applicability.
What to listen for: Specific classification society names and a clear statement of which certifications apply to their shop, not just their products.
Red flag: "We have all the certifications" without specifics. Or: "We're working on getting ABS certified."
2. Are your welders individually qualified, or just the shop?
Shop certification is not the same as welder certification. A shop can hold a classification society certification and still have unqualified welders on staff.
What to listen for: The fabricator should be able to identify individual welder qualifications by process and position. They should have WPQ (Welder Performance Qualification) records available.
Red flag: "Our shop is certified so all our welders are qualified." That's not how it works. Every welder must be individually qualified for the specific process and position.
3. Can I see your WPS documentation?
WPS (Welding Procedure Specification) documents define exactly how a weld should be made — base material, filler metal, preheat, interpass temperature, and more. A certified shop has documented, approved WPS for their marine processes.
What to listen for: A list of current WPS documents with revision numbers. You don't need to review every WPS in detail, but the shop should be able to produce them.
Red flag: "We follow all the standards" without being able to point to specific WPS documents. Or: "We don't share our procedures with clients."
4. What vessel sizes have you fabricated for?
There's a meaningful difference between a shop that's fabricated for 40-foot sport fish and one that's done 150-foot megayachts. Larger vessels have different engineering requirements, different inspection protocols, and typically higher quality standards.
What to listen for: Specific vessel lengths, types, and owners when applicable. A fabricator with superyacht experience should be able to describe projects in that size range.
Red flag: Vague answers like "all sizes" without specifics. Or reluctance to provide references in a comparable size class.
5. What's your lead time?
Marine fabrication lead times vary significantly by shop capacity and current workload. Standard railing fabrication typically runs 4–8 weeks from measurement to installation-ready. Complex structural fabrication can run longer.
What to listen for: A realistic, specific timeline. A good fabricator will tell you what the fabrication portion takes and will be honest about what depends on surveyor availability or other variables outside their control.
Red flag: "We can have it done in two weeks." For properly certified marine fabrication, two weeks for a complete railing project is not realistic if the shop is doing it correctly.
6. What is your material traceability process?
Material traceability — the ability to track a specific piece of stainless from its mill heat number through fabrication to installation — is a requirement for certified fabrication. It matters because if a material problem surfaces later, you need to know which components were affected.
What to listen for: A specific process for documenting material heat numbers, matching them to components, and maintaining that record. They should be able to explain how MTRs (Mill Test Reports) are handled and stored.
Red flag: "We use marine grade stainless" as the full answer. Marine grade 316L is a specification, not a certification — you need the mill test report to verify it.
7. Do you provide documentation for survey sign-off?
If your vessel requires classification society surveys, the fabricator's work will need to pass a surveyor inspection. The fabricator should be able to provide a documentation package — WPS records, welder qualifications, material test reports, and inspection records — for surveyor review.
What to listen for: A clear statement that they provide survey-ready documentation packages and that they work directly with surveyors as part of their standard process.
Red flag: "We can provide what you need." That's vague. The correct answer is: "Yes, here's how it works."
8. Do you carry marine liability insurance?
Marine fabrication involves specific liability exposures — the vessel, the equipment on the vessel, and the work performed. A shop should carry marine liability insurance appropriate to the size and type of projects they take on.
What to listen for: A specific statement of coverage and limits, not just "we're insured." Ask for a certificate of insurance if you have any concern.
Red flag: "We have general liability" — that's not the same thing. Marine liability is a specific coverage category.
9. Can you provide references from comparable vessels?
A fabricator with superyacht experience should have references from comparable projects. You're not asking for confidential client information — you're asking for projects in the same size range and quality tier.
What to listen for: Names or descriptions of comparable projects. A fabricator who's done good work will have references they're comfortable sharing.
Red flag: "We can't share client information" when pressed for any reference. A legitimate shop doing good work has satisfied clients who are willing to speak on their behalf.
10. What finishes do you offer for marine stainless?
The finish on marine stainless affects both appearance and corrosion resistance. Common options include:
- No. 2B (mill finish): Unpolished, matte. Used for structural applications where appearance doesn't matter.
- No. 4 (brushed): Standard brushed finish. Good corrosion resistance, hides scratches moderately well.
- No. 8 (mirror): High-polish mirror finish. Best appearance but shows scratches and requires more maintenance.
- Electropolished: A chemical treatment that smooths the surface and improves corrosion resistance. Recommended for marine applications in high-corrosion environments.
What to listen for: A fabricator who can explain the finish options, the tradeoffs, and recommend based on your application. Not every job needs mirror polish — but some do.
Red flag: "We do standard marine finish" without being able to explain what that means.
11. Do you do on-vessel measurement and template work?
Precision fabrication requires accurate measurement — ideally on the actual vessel. Off-vessel fabrication from drawings alone can work, but it adds fitting time and the risk of fit-up issues.
What to listen for: Whether they come to the vessel for measurement and templating, or whether they work from drawings only. On-vessel templating is not always required, but it's worth discussing for complex railings or custom hardware.
Red flag: "We can fabricate from your measurements" without asking about your measurement method or offering to verify on-site.
12. What's your rework and warranty policy?
Even with good fabricators, fit-up issues happen. The question is how they handle them. You want to understand their rework process, who bears the cost of modifications, and what warranty they provide on their work.
What to listen for: A clear rework policy. Who pays for corrections? What's the process? What's the typical scope of rework on comparable projects? What warranty period do they provide, and what does it cover?
Red flag: "We haven't had issues" — which may be true but doesn't answer the question of what happens if issues arise.
The Bottom Line
The fabricator who answers these questions directly and specifically is the one who knows what they're doing. The one who deflects, is vague, or treats these as trick questions — those are the ones who'll have surprises for you later.
If you want to talk through a project with someone who can answer all 12, request a quote and mention the certification requirements for your vessel.