A Denver structural shop bid structural steel to a commercial roofing contractor building a standing-seam metal roof on a pre-engineered metal building. The roofing contractor needed angle struts at each purlin location, purlin clips welded to the existing frame, and miscellaneous attachment plates for rooftop equipment supports. IronKit generated a complete itemized bid at $22,460. The roofing contractor said the itemized takeoff — broken down by member type and connection — made it easy to get the GC to approve the sub-change.
Frequently Asked Questions
What structural steel does a standing-seam roof require?
Typically: purlin clips (welded to existing frame at each purlin), angle struts (supporting the eave strut and ridge), and attachment plates for rooftop equipment (HVAC units, walkways, support frames). The steel is light — 1,500–3,000 lbs for a typical commercial building — but it must be fabricated to close tolerances so the standing-seam panels line up correctly.
Why does a roofing contractor need a structural steel bid?
Most roofing contractors don t have a fabrication shop or qualified welders. Standing-seam metal roofs require structural steel sub-framing, and the GC wants one contractor to own the entire envelope. The roofing contractor subcontracts the steel to a fab shop — IronKit generates the bid that lets the roofing contractor present a single number to the GC.
Is the $22K estimate competitive for this scope?
Yes — for 1,800 lbs of miscellaneous structural steel in the Denver market with field installation. The $22,460 total works out to about $12.50/lb all-in (materials + fab + install), which is within the $10–$15/lb range for light structural work in the Mountain region.
Can IronKit adjust the attachment plate sizes?
IronKit generates from the parameters you enter — plate dimensions, quantity, material grade. Adjust any field and the total updates. If the engineering says a different size is needed, just change the dimensions and re-run.