Steel estimating guides
Practical, no-fluff articles on how structural steel and misc metals actually get estimated: the workflows, the benchmarks, and the traps to avoid.
Steel takeoff from Bluebeam: a faster structural workflow
Mark up the drawings, export to CSV, and import a routed takeoff straight into your estimate instead of re-keying it row by row.
Read the guide → MethodEstimating misc metals: why hours beat tons
Rails, stairs, ladders and embeds are labor-heavy and weight-light. Estimate them by hours per LF, per riser, and per piece, with real benchmark ranges.
Read the guide → MethodHow to estimate structural steel, step by step
Takeoff, connections, shop labor, finish, erection, delivery: the estimator's sequence to a marked-up bid you can defend line by line.
Read the guide → ReferenceStructural steel estimating benchmarks (hrs/ton & $/ton)
Fabrication and erection ranges by complexity: the sanity-check bands to test your bid against before you send it.
Read the guide → StrategyPrice to win: setting a bid you'll actually land
Use your own hit rate and margin history to find the price that maximizes expected profit, not the lowest and not the fattest.
Read the guide →