Steel buildings

[SeanMurphy265]

I had a phone call from a company who fabricates steel for Jimmy Johns sandwich shop today. They left a message asking me if I would hang some steel for a location about two hours away. I've done this type of work, but its been 10 years since I have done this type of job. I've never done this for myself as a business, but I'm seriously considering bidding on this job. I know that I would have to rent a lift of some sorts. Most of these buildings are small so it would not take long to assemble. I only want to hang the steel and nothing else. Anyone know how to bid this sort of job? Do you bid it by the square foot?

[DaveO]

I was hoping to watch this thread evolve because in my day job I respond to Government bids and I was curious to see how much similarity there would be. Sean, does "hanging steel" mean framing? If the client has a written RFP it may require you to respond in a certain way. Or, you may be able to ask the company how they'd prefer to see it, and they may have a standard format they prefer so they can compare different bids correctly. If they get multiple bids in different formats they may inadvertently compare apples to oranges, for instance, and make a bad decision.

Hope it comes together for you-

[MoparCar]

I have zero experience on steel, but I am an electrical estimator and project manager for commercial buildings. Anything from small tenant finishes/buildings as you mentioned up to large schools, hospitals, hotels and manufacturing plants. We use estimating software that links to standard labor pricing. The major materials are sent our for quote and the smaller commodities type items are priced off of the weekly updated database. All items are installed in the estimate using the software which automatically assigns a labor hour or percent of labor value for each items or linear foot depending on how it is set up. We also add any misc. items, labor, rental equipment such as lifts, etc. and set the profits, tax in the software and adjust with multipliers to the difficulty of the project and phases.

Almost any type of trade whether electrical, plumbing, concrete, steel erection, etc. have national labor standard unit books which give the average labor per foot of steel, wire, conduit, etc. You could get one of the books and simply build an Excel spreadsheet to extend the labor values and other items. One of the names of such estimating labor hour guides is RM Means. Google it or a general search for steel erection labor units.

Add overhead and burden % to your labor values and also overhead, profit and tax to your materials/rentals. (any costs for running your business such as leases, rentals, insurance, benefits, gas, small tools, etc.)

Sorry that this is not specific to your trade and basically general but maybe it will help.

[DaveO]

Another item that struck me, from Sean's original post:

I only want to hang the steel and nothing else.

If the client is asking for more services than steel construction alone, you may be able to find out who the bidders are and offer your services to them as a subcontractor. Then the arrangement is between you and the general contractor, instead of between you and the client, and still a matter of bidding estimated labor, materials, and other costs (lift rental, for instance) plus overheads and profit.