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.
Automatic steel takeoff from PDF drawings
What software can reliably find on structural drawings, what still needs the estimator, and the review workflow that makes automation safe to bid from.
Read the guide → WorkflowSteel 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 → Field & EquipmentSteel erection costs: price the crane by picks, not tons
Crane duration runs on piece count, not tonnage or crew size. How to build the erection number from picks per day, with working rates.
Read the guide → Data & ImportsDSTV / NC1 files: what they are and why estimators should use them
Every detailed job produces per-piece CNC files with exact profiles, holes, and copes. How to put them to work at the estimating desk.
Read the guide → FinishGalvanizing vs paint: estimating coating costs on steel
Galvanizing prices by the pound, paint by the square foot. Which members flip the answer, and the line items both quotes hide.
Read the guide →