A steel erector in Indianapolis used IronKit to bid on the structural steel package for a single-story retail building. The engineer's spec called for W14 columns and beams as the primary frame, with W8 purlins for the roof and pre-engineered bar joists excluded from the steel scope. Total structural steel in the bid was approximately 40 tons. The shop quoted fabrication, erection, connections, and shop primer in a single package — 847 LF of weld tracked across moment connections and base plates. The GC had three bids within 5% of each other; this one won on detail and turnaround speed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a $47K structural steel bid include?
All primary structural members (columns, beams, purlins), base plates, connections, shop fabrication, field erection with a 4-man crew, primer, and hardware. Engineering drawings and bar joists are excluded — typical for a steel subcontract.
How does IronKit track weld footage?
IronKit calculates total weld linear feet from the connection schedule — moment connections, base plates, and fillet welds are each tracked separately so you can verify the number against shop estimates.
Is $47K competitive for 40 tons of structural steel?
At roughly $1,175/ton installed (including fab, erection, and primer), this is within the 2026 Midwest market range. The formula uses $0.85/lb material, $72/hr shop rate, and standard overhead/profit markup.