Metals & Structural Steel Estimating Services Steel tonnage that weighs out right.
A dedicated steel estimator, working as part of your shop — structural framing, joists and deck, misc and ornamental metals, stairs and rails, with member weights, connection allowances, and shop-vs-field labor priced to your fabrication. Full-time, part-time, or as-needed.
15 days of free estimating is available to qualified contractors, subject to approval. If you choose to continue afterwards, service moves to a quarterly agreement (3-month term) that renews each quarter until cancelled — full-time, part-time, or as-needed.
- 600+estimators
- 140,000+jobs estimated
- 45 states+ D.C. & PR · Canada · Australia
- 50+trades & scopes
Hiring an estimator is slow, expensive, and risky.
Or have a dedicated estimator on your bids in under 7 days.
Hiring in-house
| 12,435 | open estimator positions across the US — everyone is competing for the same people |
|---|---|
| 3–5 months | typical time to hire an estimator |
| $50,000 | typical cost of a bad hire |
| $100K–$120K | estimator salary, plus benefits, payroll taxes, and overhead |
| 20–25% | typical recruiter or placement fee, charged on first-year salary |
With Bidding Enterprise
- A fraction of the in-house costNo salary, payroll tax, benefits or recruiter fees
- One simple monthly paymentNo benefits to pay. We handle payroll and expenses; it's all included in one monthly payment
- No placement feesZero recruiting or placement fees
- Free replacementNot the right fit? We swap your estimator at no cost
- QA team includedQA and technical managers at no extra cost
- Start within 7 daysYour estimator onboards in about a week
- Your hours, your time zoneWorks your schedule and reports directly to you
Fully managed and AI-enabled. Hiring, training and coverage are handled by us; Build Intel and Dexter speed up the work, and your estimator and our QA team check every output.
Market figures are typical industry estimates and vary by region and role.
Every steel scope, quantified and priced.
Structural, miscellaneous, or ornamental — we weigh out the members, allow for connections, and split shop from field labor so your tonnage and your bid tell the same story.
Structural steel framing
Columns, beams, braces, and base plates weighed from the framing plans and schedules to real member weights.
Joists & metal deck
Open-web joists, girders, and roof/floor deck by profile and gauge, with accessories and closures.
Misc & ornamental metals
Lintels, embeds, bollards, ladders, and architectural metals tallied piece-by-piece.
Stairs & rails
Steel stairs, landings, guardrail, and handrail by riser and run — pan, grating, or plate.
Embeds & connections
Baseplates, anchor bolts, and connection allowances carried as a share of member weight, not guessed.
Shop vs. field coordination
Fabrication, coatings, and erection labor split cleanly so shop hours and field crews price separately.
Structural steel calculator.
Rough your framing weight and tonnage in seconds. A quick planning check — your dedicated estimator delivers the full, schedule-based takeoff.
Structural steel quick estimate
A bid-ready deliverable — not a wall of numbers.
Clean, organized quantities and pricing you can drop straight into your bid, with assumptions and exclusions spelled out. Sample below (illustrative only).
| Description | Qty | Unit | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05 12 00 — Structural Steel | ||||
| Columns & beams — fabricated | 96.4 | TON | $2,850 | $274,740 |
| Connections & misc allowance | 11.6 | TON | $3,200 | $37,120 |
| 05 21 00 — Steel Joists | ||||
| Open-web joists & girders | 38.2 | TON | $2,650 | $101,230 |
| 05 31 00 — Metal Deck | ||||
| Roof deck — 1.5" B | 42,600 | SF | $3.15 | $134,190 |
| Field erection — labor & crane | 146.2 | TON | $720 | $105,264 |
| Estimated subtotal | $752,544 |
One package, or your whole steel desk.
Bid more, hire less
Chase every steel package without adding seats. Extra capacity when you're slammed, or a dedicated estimator who learns your shop and erection rates.
Check the steel sub
Independent tonnage and connection allowances to validate sub bids, carry misc metals, and level steel packages apples-to-apples.
Quote with confidence
Mill quantities, deck areas, and joist counts pulled straight from the plans, so your material and shop quotes match the job.
Build your steel estimating team.
Tell us your trade and the bids you're chasing. Book a free 1-hour pre-construction assessment — we'll review your process; assessment and setup take about an hour, and your estimator is typically on your bids in under 7 days.
Qualified contractors get 15 days of free estimating — your dedicated estimator works your live bids at no cost, full-time, part-time, or as-needed.
Or reach us: Estimate@Biddingenterprise.com · 718-717-2729
Steel estimating services — common questions
What does a steel takeoff include?
A steel estimate covers structural framing, joists and deck, miscellaneous and ornamental metals, stairs, and rails. We calculate member weights and tonnage, carry connection allowances, and separate shop from field labor so pricing matches how you fabricate and erect. Assumptions about connections, coatings, and erection are documented with the numbers.
What software do your steel estimators use?
Any of the 100+ tools you already run. Our steel estimators work natively in your software, templates, and cost data — Bluebeam Revu, PlanSwift, and Tekla-based model quantities are common examples — and deliver in your format, ready to drop into your bid. Your team also gets Build Intel, our AI-assisted estimating software for drawing review and QC checks.
Can I hire a part-time steel estimator?
Yes. Many clients start with a part-time or as-needed steel estimator and move to full-time as their bid list grows. Your estimator is dedicated to your company, trained on your standards and past bids, and backed by our QA and management, so you can chase more steel packages without hiring, training, or covering PTO yourself.
How fast can you start steel estimating for us?
Most clients finish the free assessment and setup in about an hour, with their estimator typically on their bids in under 7 days. We review your steel scope, software, and the bids you're chasing, then map the estimator or team we'd assign. Timelines for individual bids depend on project size and drawings, so we agree on them bid by bid rather than promising a fixed turnaround.
Is your steel estimating AI-enabled?
Yes. Every steel estimating team we build works with Build Intel, our AI-assisted estimating software, and Dexter, our AI co-estimator, which reads drawings and specs and gives cited answers. AI speeds up the first draft; your dedicated estimator checks every quantity and our QA team reviews the work before it reaches you. You review and approve the final bid.
How fast can I get an estimator?
Typically in under 7 days. The free assessment and setup take about an hour; then we match a dedicated estimator trained for your trade, and most clients have that estimator on their bids in under 7 days. It is a good-faith target, not a guarantee — timing depends on your trade, software, and bid volume.