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Structural & Miscellaneous Steel: what bids leave out
On small commercial and TI jobs, steel is often a short list: a few beams and posts, lintels, a roof frame for new rooftop units, maybe a stair. That's exactly why the edges get missed. One fabricator carries the lintels, the RTU frames, the embeds and erection. Another prices the beams and columns on the structural sheets only and leaves the miscellaneous metals, the deck and the crane to someone else. Line up every steel item on the drawings before you compare.
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Standard scope checklist
Send this to every bidder and ask them to mark each line Included, Excluded or give an Add $. Silence is not inclusion.
Sending it out? Use the free scope letter template to ask every bidder for line-item scope, inclusions, exclusions and alternates. Terms to know: by others, unit price, qualification, exclusion.
| # | Scope item |
|---|---|
| 1 | Drawings and details the price is based on (structural sheets plus architectural details) |
| 2 | Furnish only, or furnish and erect |
| 3 | Structural beams, columns and posts per the structural drawings |
| 4 | Connection design by the fabricator's engineer, if the drawings call for it (confirm with your design team) |
| 5 | Shop drawings, submittals and field measuring |
| 6 | Anchor bolts and embed plates: furnished only, or furnished and set (concrete sub often sets them) |
| 7 | Base plates, leveling plates and grout under base plates |
| 8 | Lintels at masonry and storefront openings (steel sub or masonry sub) |
| 9 | Roof frames and supports for rooftop units, fans and roof openings |
| 10 | Miscellaneous metals: angles, ledgers, bracing, hangers and support steel for other trades |
| 11 | Steel stairs, landings, handrails and guardrails (if in scope) |
| 12 | Ladders, roof hatches and roof access (steel, roofing or specialties) |
| 13 | Metal roof or floor deck, and deck attachment (steel sub or separate deck installer) |
| 14 | Bollards and pipe guards (steel or site sub) |
| 15 | Shop primer, finish paint or galvanizing, and field touch-up |
| 16 | Spray fireproofing or intumescent paint where required (usually a separate sub; confirm with your design team/AHJ) |
| 17 | Welding to existing structure on TI or renovation work |
| 18 | Field verification of existing conditions before fabrication |
| 19 | Crane, lifts, rigging and shoring |
| 20 | Special inspection, bolt torque and weld testing (often an owner-paid third party; confirm with your design team/AHJ) |
| 21 | Fire watch and hot work permits for field welding |
| 22 | Delivery, unloading and laydown area |
| 23 | Cleanup and removal of scrap |
| 24 | Sales tax, freight, bond and prevailing wage |
Common exclusions and how they are worded
| Exclusion | Typical wording | Why it matters | Typical cost to cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous metals |
| Lintels, RTU frames, ledgers and support angles are scattered across the architectural and MEP drawings, not just the structural sheets. If the steel bid covers only the structural sheets, those small pieces have no home. | TBD |
| Connection design |
| Some drawings leave connections for the fabricator's engineer to design. That's real engineering time and cost. Ask your design team whether it's required, then make sure every bid carries it the same way. | TBD |
| Anchor bolt & embed setting |
| Anchor bolts and embeds have to be set before the concrete is poured. If the steel bid furnishes them and the concrete bid doesn't mention setting them, nobody places them, and drilled anchors later cost more. | TBD |
| Metal deck |
| Deck is sometimes bid by the steel fabricator and sometimes by a separate installer. Closures, edge angles and deck openings get dropped easily when it's split. | TBD |
| Fireproofing |
| If the steel needs a fire rating, the fireproofing is usually a separate sub. Confirm with your design team/AHJ what's needed, and make sure one bid carries it. | TBD |
| Finish paint & touch-up |
| Exposed steel needs finish paint or galvanizing, and field welds and scrapes need touch-up. Check that the steel or painting bid covers it. | TBD |
| Crane & rigging |
| On tight sites or inside existing buildings, setting steel may need a crane, a lift or hand rigging. That can be a big part of the price. | TBD |
| Special inspection & testing |
| Bolted connections and field welds often need inspection. That's usually paid by the owner, but it still belongs in your budget. Confirm with your design team/AHJ. | TBD |
| Existing conditions |
| On TI and renovation work, steel that's fabricated to drawing dimensions may not fit what's really there. Ask who field-verifies before fabrication and who pays when it doesn't fit. | TBD |
“Typical cost to cover” is TBD. We will publish ranges only once we have real, sourced data. Until then, use your own estimate or a confirmed add price from a bidder.
Questions to ask bidders
- Does your price cover the miscellaneous metals on the architectural and MEP drawings, or just the structural sheets?
- Are anchor bolts and embeds furnished only, or furnished and set? Who sets them?
- Is connection design included, and is it stamped by your engineer if the drawings require it?
- Is metal deck in your price, including closures, edge angles and openings?
- What coating is included: shop primer, finish paint or galvanizing? Is field touch-up included?
- What crane, lift or rigging have you carried, and what access do you need?
- Will you field-verify existing conditions before fabrication?
- What's your shop drawing turnaround and fabrication lead time after approval?
Bid-ready structural steel contractors
Contractors who agree to price against the standard checklist above, with exclusions spelled out line by line. Listings are not live yet.
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