Structural Steel and Metals Estimating Services

Metal Estimating Services is the takeoff and pricing of structural steel, metal framing, decking, stairs, railings and miscellaneous metals from structural and architectural drawings.

We take off steel by member size and weight, add connections and finishes, and price fabrication, delivery and erection, along with decking, stairs, rails and misc. metals.

What we measure and price

Specifications and CSI MasterFormat references

Metals are specified in Division 05, including 05 12 00 Structural Steel Framing, 05 31 00 Steel Decking, 05 40 00 Cold-Formed Metal Framing and 05 50 00 Metal Fabrications. We read the specification section alongside the drawings so that products, performance requirements, testing, warranties and allowances are priced the way the solicitation intends — not just what appears on the plan sheets.

Pre-bid review: what we check before pricing

• Scope definition: what is in your trade and what belongs to others, with inclusions and exclusions written down.
• Addenda and bulletins: every addendum is logged and its effect on quantities, alternates and unit prices is carried into the estimate.
• Requests for information (RFIs): conflicts between drawings and specifications are listed so they can be submitted before the question deadline.
• Alternates, allowances and unit prices: priced separately and tied to the bid form so the proposal is complete and responsive.
• Bid form and qualifications: required line items, bond and insurance requirements, prevailing-wage or Davis-Bacon language and any bid-day instructions are flagged.

Pricing considerations that move the number

• Steel price volatility between bid and purchase.
• Connection complexity and field welding add labor.
• Crane access, lift sequence and erection time.
• Finish and fire-proofing requirements.

Submittals and shop drawings for this scope

Steel submittals are shop-drawing based: erection plans, connection details and fabrication drawings.

• Structural steel shop and erection drawings with connection details
• Mill certificates, bolting and welding procedures
• Metal deck layout and attachment drawings
• Stair, railing and miscellaneous metals shop drawings

We prepare shop drawings and submittal packages for many of these scopes, and we can resubmit after architect or engineer comments.

Common estimating mistakes we help you avoid

• Taking off members without connection and detailing allowances
• Forgetting shop primer, galvanizing, fireproofing interfaces and touch-up
• Missing crane, access and erection sequencing costs
• Using stale steel pricing between bid and purchase

What you get

• Marked-up plans showing every count and measurement
• Quantity takeoff organized by member type, floor and finish
• Material, labor, equipment and subcontract pricing (or takeoff only)
• Clear assumptions, inclusions, exclusions, alternates and unit prices
• Excel and PDF files ready to drop into your bid or post-bid scope sheets
• Support on addenda, clarifications and bid leveling after delivery

Who this is for

Steel fabricators and erectors, metal subcontractors and general contractors.

How it works

1. Upload your plans, specifications and addenda, or paste a plan-room link, with your bid due date.
2. We confirm scope, price and turnaround before any work starts.
3. Our estimators complete the takeoff and pricing and a second estimator reviews it.
4. You receive the files and we stay available for addenda, RFIs and post-bid clarifications.

Software and standards

We take off in digital takeoff tools such as PlanSwift and Bluebeam Revu, price with RSMeans-style cost data and your own unit prices where you provide them, schedule in Oracle Primavera P6 or Microsoft Project when needed, and organize quantities by CSI MasterFormat (Division 05). Estimating is done remotely from your drawings, so we support public and private projects in every state.

Why contractors outsource metal estimating

Bid season compresses the time estimators have for each solicitation. Outsourcing the metal takeoff and pricing lets your team cover more bids, respond to addenda quickly and keep an independent check on subcontractor and supplier numbers. You keep control of the bid: you review the quantities, adjust unit costs and decide the final price.

Public, private and prevailing-wage projects

We price this scope on public solicitations (IFB, ITB and RFP responses) and private open-shop projects alike. When the solicitation includes a prevailing-wage or Davis-Bacon wage determination, we apply the stated rates and fringe benefits to the labor in each line item and allow for certified payroll administration. See public bid estimating and our prevailing wage guide.

Related services and pages

Combine this scope with quantity takeoff, bid leveling and proposal support, pre-bid and post-bid support, shop drawings and CPM scheduling. Browse every CSI division page, read the CSI MasterFormat guide or check the bidding glossary.