Structural Steel Fabrication Estimate Worksheet
Structural steel is bought and sold by weight, so a clean estimate starts with a takeoff in pounds and ends in dollars per ton. This worksheet keeps each member on its own line and computes weight, material, shop hours and labor automatically.
| Mark | Member | Shape | Weight per ft (lb/ft) | Length (ft) | Qty | Material price ($/cwt) | Shop hours per ton (hr/ton) | Shop rate ($/hr) | Total weight (lb) | Material cost | Shop hours | Labor cost | Line cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7,488 | $5,841 | 67.392 | $4,178 | $10,019 | ||||||||||
1,367.52 | $1,258 | 19.1453 | $1,187 | $2,445 | ||||||||||
1,056 | $866 | 21.12 | $1,309 | $2,175 | ||||||||||
734.4 | $588 | 16.524 | $1,024 | $1,612 | ||||||||||
444.8 | $391 | 7.784 | $483 | $874 |
Weights are nominal AISC values per foot (W12x26 is 26 lb/ft, HSS4x4x1/4 is about 12.21, L4x4x1/4 is 6.6, C10x15.3 is 15.3). Hours per ton are placeholders that depend on complexity, so replace them with your own history. Add freight, galvanizing, paint, erection and detailing separately. Overhead and profit multipliers are fixed in the summary at 15 and 10 percent.
Estimate vs actual by job
Optional review of how to compare estimated tons and hours with actuals from your ERP job cost data.
Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.
How to use it
Add a row for each mark or group of identical pieces. Enter weight per foot from the AISC shape table, length, quantity and your current price per hundredweight. Enter shop hours per ton for that kind of piece and your shop rate. The computed columns produce weight, material, hours and labor, and the summary shows totals, cost per ton and a bid price.
- Light connection-heavy pieces need more hours per ton than big beams
- Group identical marks to keep the sheet short
- Export to Excel to attach to the bid package
The math
Weight equals pounds per foot times length times quantity. Material cost equals weight divided by 100 times the cwt price. Shop hours equal tons times hours per ton, and labor equals hours times the shop rate. Direct cost is material plus labor, and the bid line applies overhead and profit multipliers. Plate is entered as a one foot strip, using 40.8 pounds per foot per inch of thickness for a 12 inch wide strip.
Reading the result
Watch blended hours per ton and cost per ton rather than the grand total. If a job averages well above your normal hours per ton, the member list is heavy on small connection material or the hours inputs are too optimistic. Compare cost per ton against recent awards before submitting.
What it does not include
The sheet covers shop fabrication only. Add detailing, shop drawings, anchor bolts, loose hardware, galvanizing or paint, shipping, erection and any inspection costs as separate lines or add-ons. Also add waste for cut offs on bar and plate, typically a few percent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I get weight per foot?
Use the AISC Steel Construction Manual shape tables or your mill supplier catalog. Wide flange, channel, angle and HSS all list nominal weight per foot.
How do I estimate plate?
Plate steel weighs about 40.8 pounds per square foot per inch of thickness. For a piece, compute area times thickness times 0.2836 pounds per cubic inch, then enter the total as weight per piece with length one.
What are typical hours per ton?
It varies widely with complexity, from low double digits for simple beams to several times that for light, connection-heavy work. Use your own job history, since placeholders here are only examples.
Is the bid price a quote?
No. It is a calculation based on the multipliers shown and the inputs you enter. Review scope, exclusions, escalation and risk before issuing a proposal.
If you want estimates compared to actual shop hours and material usage by job, Netray can connect your ERP job costing to this method and show where bids drift.
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