Estimate structural steel by the pound, without errors
Drop the manual spreadsheet. OneEstimate builds steel estimates with tonnage takeoff for beams, columns and plate, ready assemblies for fabrication, coating and erection, and a steel price you can update in one click.
Create your first estimate freeStart plan from $19/mo · No credit card · Runs in your browser
Steel estimating has its own traps
Your cost lives in the tonnage and in shop and field labor. Here is what OneEstimate keeps straight.
Steel prices move constantly
You bid with a number from weeks ago and your margin disappears. Update the price per pound of steel once and every estimate recalculates.
Taking off tonnage member by member
Working out the weight of beams, columns, purlins and plate by hand is slow and risky. With per-pound assemblies and unit weights, the takeoff builds itself.
Mixing fabrication and erection
Shop, galvanizing or paint, freight and field erection all cost differently. Split them into clear line items so you don’t lose money on any of them.
Bids that don’t convince the GC
A branded PDF with a per-member breakdown and total tonnage wins more work than a thrown-together spreadsheet.
See OneEstimate in action
The same software thousands of builders use, with a workflow built for your trade.
Steel assemblies by the pound
Shapes, plate, bolts, welding, galvanizing and erection — with material, labor and productivity, and fully editable.
On-screen takeoff from plans
Upload the structural plan as a PDF, image or DWG, calibrate the scale once, and take off member lengths and plate areas. Quantities feed every line item.
Steel price you control
Update the price per pound of steel or a shape in your database and every estimate uses the new value. Never bid on stale prices again.
Built for structural steel
Everything a fabricator or erector needs to bid fast and win the job.
AI that identifies line items
Describe the scope ("4,000 sf steel-framed warehouse") and the AI proposes line items and quantities so you start with something, not a blank sheet.
Fabrication and erection split out
Break the estimate into shop (fabrication, coating) and field (freight, rigging, erection) to see the real cost of each stage.
Export branded PDF & Excel
Send a professional proposal with your logo in one click, or export to Excel if the client asks.
From plan to proposal in 4 steps
The same workflow fabricators use after dropping the spreadsheet.
1. Upload the plan
Load the structural plan as a PDF, image or DWG and calibrate the scale once.
2. Take off tonnage
Measure member lengths and plate areas; the weight per element is calculated automatically.
3. Build the estimate
Quantities drop into per-pound assemblies; adjust shop and field productivity and the steel price.
4. Send the proposal
Export a professional branded PDF with a per-member breakdown. Ready to win.
A bidding day: structural steel with OneEstimate
A warehouse structural plan arrives and the steel needs a price. In OneEstimate the contractor measures the lengths of beams, columns and bracing, and the platform converts each member to weight and totals the tonnage. Base plates, connections and paint go in as line items with their assemblies. When it’s done, tonnage and cost are ready for the bid.
- Member lengths converted to weight and total tonnage automatically.
- Reusable assemblies for columns, beams, base plates and connections.
- Adjust steel price per ton and the estimate recalculates.
Illustrative walkthrough of the platform workflow.
Steel line items ready out of the box
You start from a base built for structural steel, not from scratch.
Shapes & members
- Beams & columns
- Purlins & girts
- Trusses & bracing
- Base & gusset plates
- Connections & bolts
Shop fabrication
- Cut & fit-up
- Welding
- Blast cleaning
- Hot-dip galvanizing
- Shop primer & paint
Field erection
- Freight
- Rigging & crane
- Erection & plumbing
- Bolt torqueing
- Field touch-up
Frequently asked questions
How do I estimate structural steel fast and get the total tonnage?
How do I calculate steel tonnage from a plan?
Is OneEstimate an affordable alternative for structural steel estimating?
Can I estimate only structural steel?
Can I update the steel price and have everything recalculate?
Can I take off tonnage on the plan?
How much does it cost?
Do I need to install anything?
What contractors say
Professionals who estimate faster and win more bids with OneEstimate.
I measure beam and column lengths and OneEstimate gives me the tonnage automatically. Add base plates and bracing and the estimate comes out by weight, the way I bid.
The member and connection assemblies save me hours. Bidding by the ton has never been this fast.
Solutions by trade
Estimate your next steel package today
Create your first steel estimate free, with per-pound assemblies and a steel price you control.
Start freeStart plan from $19/mo · No credit card · Runs in your browser