Structural steel takeoffs, counted element by element.

What a structural steel takeoff from Steelest covers

The takeoff follows the structural set sheet by sheet. Framing plans give the beams, columns and hangers; bracing elevations give the braces; the column schedule and foundation plan give base plates and anchor bolts; the mechanical roof plan gives the roof frames. Nothing is carried over from a previous project.

• Columns by tier, with and without base plates and anchor bolts; posts on beams and HSS hangers listed separately.
• Beams and girders: floor and roof beams, perimeter beams, continuous members, moment-frame beams and infill, with repetitive runs identified so they can be priced as such.
• Braces: vertical X and K bracing, kickers and knee braces from the bracing elevations, each leg counted as its own piece.
• Roof frames and openings for rooftop units, hatches and skylights, from the mechanical and architectural roof plans.
• Loose items: lintels, bollards, embeds, edge angles and bent plates where they belong to the structural package.
• Lengths and tonnage by section size and grade, summarized by level, sequence or area, the way your bid sheet is organized.

How the count is done

Every element gets a Bluebeam marker with an ID, its section and its location. Markers are grouped by subject, so the legend shows a running count for columns, beams, braces and frames while the takeoff is in progress. Before delivery, each plan is walked line by line: every framing line has a marker, and every marker sits on a framing line. Totals in the workbook are reconciled against the marker counts on the PDFs.

Where sheets disagree with each other, or a member cannot be read with confidence, it goes on a list of questions for your engineer instead of being guessed.

What you receive

• A workbook in your template or ours (Excel or ODS): quantities by subject, section, grade and level, with remarks.
• The structural PDFs with all markers, a colour legend and per-subject counters, so any line can be audited on the drawing.
• A takeoff summary that compares the package with a reference project of yours, if you provide one.
• A short list of open questions for the engineer of record.

Standards, units and formats

Imperial packages are taken off to AISC practice in feet, inches and pounds; metric packages to Eurocode practice in millimetres, metres and kilograms, with section weights from the relevant tables. Section designations, grades and bolt sizes are kept exactly as your drawings show them. Results go into your spreadsheet layout, so there is nothing to retype.

Suited to

Commercial and institutional buildings, industrial and warehouse frames, mezzanines, canopies and retail, as single packages or a steady stream of bids. For the hours behind a detailing quote, see steel detailing hour estimates; for stairs, rails and lintels, see miscellaneous metals takeoffs.