Overview
Steel fabrication quotes are sold by the tonne, and the drawings are the line the customer keeps trying to skip
Steel fabrication is the workshop trade that takes engineering drawings and produces structural steel for builds: beams, columns, balustrades, staircases, lintels, gates, and the bespoke metalwork that ties the timber and concrete trades together. The customer can sketch what they want or hand over an architect's drawings. The cheap quote often skips the proper engineered drawings and shop drawings, and the customer ends up with steel that doesn't fit when the contractor arrives to install it. A flat 'steel fabrication, $4,800' quote without the drawing line is a quote that absorbs the cost of remaking a beam that was cut to the wrong dimension.
QuoteGenio gives steel fabricators a quoting shape that includes the drawing work. Engineering and shop drawings as the first line where the customer doesn't supply them, steel by tonne with grade and section specified, cutting and fabrication labour, welding by joint type, surface preparation and coating (zinc primer, galvanise, paint) as named lines, delivery and lifting, and on-site installation labour if the contractor is also fitting. Send via WhatsApp or email to the customer or main contractor with the shop drawings attached, take a deposit on the steel order, raise progress invoices through fabrication, and the final invoice closes with the as-built drawings and the certificates of conformity.
Who it is for
Who uses QuoteGenio
Built for fabrication shops of every size, from one-bay workshops to multi-team plants.
The problem
The quoting headaches every fabricator knows
Steel quoting is part maths, part guesswork. Material, cutting, welding, drilling, and finishing all need pricing without dropping a step.
Per-kg maths drifts on big jobs
Tally plate weight, profile, cut waste, and finish for every line and the total drifts by 10 percent every time.
Scrappy quotes lose tenders
Procurement teams compare quotes line-for-line. A handwritten or messy email gets binned next to a clean structured PDF.
Coating spec gets forgotten
Forgetting hot-dip galv or two-pack epoxy on the quote means you absorb it on the invoice. That kills the margin on a tight bid.
The fix
QuoteGenio makes it simple
A clean workflow built around how steel shops quote: per kg, per cut, per metre of weld, and per coating spec.
The payoff
What you get with QuoteGenio
The everyday wins that add up across a year of quoting and invoicing.
Built for steel shops
Line items for plate, profile, cutting, drilling, weld metres, finish, and freight. Structured the way fabricators actually price.
Works from the floor
Quote from the workshop on your phone. No need to wait for the office to open in the morning to send a price.
Quote in under 5 minutes
A structured workflow that turns a drawing review into a sent quote before the next RFQ lands in the inbox.
Track jobs and statements
See which orders are quoted, accepted, invoiced, and paid. Issue monthly statements with one click.
Built for your trade
Quoting calibrated to how steel fabricators actually work
Pick your trade in Settings and the entire quote flow switches to fit. Line item presets, compliance fields, on-the-quote calculators, and per-m² / after-hours pricing all change to match your industry.
Trade-specific line items
Quick add picker pre-fills the common items your trade quotes. Skip the blank rows.
Brand-specific catalogues
Pylontech, Hikvision, Canadian Solar, Sunsynk and others pre-named. Pick the brand, the description writes itself.
Compliance fields built in
IOPSA, ECASA, PIRB, PSIRA, NHBRC, SAQCC. Set once. Every quote prints them under FROM.
Registration expiry alerts
Dashboard notification 60 days before your PSIRA, CoC or any dated registration lapses.
Per-m² / hour / day billing
Unit selector on every line item: m², hr, linear m, days. Stop doing the maths externally.
After-hours and emergency
1.5× and 2× multipliers as a one-tap toggle. Customer sees the breakdown on the quote.
Quote-flow calculators
Solar size, battery backup, cable run cost. Compute on the spot, drop straight onto the quote.
Staged payments
Deposit on acceptance + balance on completion as two separate amounts on the quote PDF.
Scope-of-work checklist
Structured Included / Not included lists. Client acceptance = signing the scope.
Site-survey mode
Log a location per line item: camera positions, fixtures by room, sensors by zone.
Regional rate hints
Pricing ranges per item per currency shown as you quote.
Free on every plan
All of the above included on the free plan. Premium is for capacity, not the trade tooling.
Why QuoteGenio
Why Steel Fabricators choose QuoteGenio
The tools that matter most when you are quoting on-site, under pressure, and between jobs.
Quote from your phone
Most Steel Fabricators build and send quotes directly from the job site. No laptop, no office, no delays.
Win more jobs, faster
The first professional quote a client receives usually wins. Respond in minutes, not hours.
Quote to invoice in one click
When the job is accepted, convert to an invoice instantly. No retyping, no double entry.
Pricing guide
Typical Steel Fabricators job pricing
A rough guide to what fabrication shops charge. Price varies with steel grade, thickness, finish, and run length. Long runs of identical parts price lower per kg than one-off bespoke work. Use these as a sanity check, not a fixed rate.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Mild steel fabrication (per kg, basic) | R36 - R74 |
| Stainless steel fab (per kg, 304) | R140 - R264 |
| Laser or plasma cutting (per metre) | R74 - R198 |
| Drilling and tapping (per hole) | R30 - R99 |
| Hot-dip galvanising (per kg) | R13 - R26 |
| Two-pack epoxy paint (per square metre) | R297 - R628 |
| Custom balustrade (per linear metre) | R4,628 - R12,395 |
Pricing converted from USD to ZAR at indicative rates. Rates vary significantly by country, region, currency, and market.
Call-out fees
Steel fabricators rarely charge a call-out for shop work, but for site measure or site install you should. Band by distance: under 50km, 50 to 150km, over 150km, with a clear rate for each. Always list it as a separate line so the client sees travel is real cost.
Hourly vs fixed pricing
Use per-kg or per-metre fixed pricing for fabrication off a signed drawing. Use hourly (R1,240 to R2,149 per hour) for site work, repairs, and modifications. On bespoke architectural work, use a fixed price plus a clear allowance for revisions, with extra changes priced hourly.
See it in action
Example quote breakdown
Here's a clean, itemised quote for a typical bespoke staircase. Material, cutting, weld, finish, and install are all separate lines. Architects and procurement teams accept structured quotes faster because they can see exactly where the cost sits.
Try it yourself
Job size
Region
Sample quote
Custom mild steel staircase, 12-step internal
Mild steel plate and stringers (220 kg)
Plasma cutting (treads and end plates)
Weld and assembly labour (14 hrs)
Hot-dip galvanising (subcontracted)
Transport and site install
| Description | Qty | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mild steel plate and stringers (220 kg) | 220 | R53 / kg | R11,635 |
| Plasma cutting (treads and end plates) | 1 | R4,628 | R4,628 |
| Weld and assembly labour (14 hrs) | 14 | R1,405 / hr | R19,667 |
| Hot-dip galvanising (subcontracted) | 220 | R18 / kg | R4,000 |
| Transport and site install | 1 | R7,933 | R7,933 |
| Subtotal | R47,862 | ||
| Tax (10%) | R4,786 | ||
| Total incl. tax | R52,648 | ||
Totals recalculate as you change the controls above. Tax rate inferred from the sample quote.
Items often forgotten
Cut waste (8 to 15 percent on plate), drilling and tapping for fixings, primer or galv, freight to and from the galvaniser, transport to site, install labour, and the second visit for snagging. Add these as standard lines on your template so they stop disappearing.
Peer snapshot
How Steel Fabricators actually use QuoteGenio
Indicative activity for Steel Fabricators on the platform. Use it as a benchmark for how often to quote and how fast to respond.
34
Quotes sent per month
64%
Average quote acceptance
4 min
Median time to send quote
R52,648
Typical quote value
Figures are indicative platform averages for this trade segment.
Start quoting Steel Fabricator jobs like this, free
Build your first quote in under 2 minutes. No credit card, no setup fee, no contract.
Avoid these
Common quoting mistakes
We talk to a lot of fabricators. The same costing mistakes come up over and over. Fix these and you will stop losing margin to forgotten freight, paint, and revisions.
Mistake: Pricing on finished weight only
Better: You buy plate in standard sizes and lose 8 to 15 percent to cutting waste. Quote on raw material weight you have to purchase, not the kg in the finished part.
Mistake: Forgetting freight to galvaniser
Better: Hot-dip galv requires two trips: drop and collect. Build a freight line for it, and one for the site delivery as well. They are real diesel and time costs.
Mistake: One paint line for everything
Better: Split primer, topcoat, and galv as separate lines with spec named. Protects you when the architect later asks for a different finish on a similar job.
Mistake: Not pricing drawing time
Better: Detailed shop drawings, GA, and DXF generation take real hours. Build a 'detailing and drawings' line into bespoke quotes or you bleed margin on the engineer's chair.
Mistake: Same per-kg rate for one-off and run
Better: A run of 50 identical brackets is half the per-kg cost of a single one-off. Have at least two rate tiers in your template: bespoke and production.
Mistake: No allowance for revisions
Better: Architectural work always gets revised. Quote two free revisions, then R1,240 per hour for changes after that. State it in the quote terms upfront, not as a surprise.
Mistake: Open-ended quote validity
Better: Steel and zinc prices move weekly. Set a 14 day expiry on quotes for material-heavy jobs, with a reprice clause if the order is placed after.
Mistake: No follow-up after sending the quote
Better: Most quotes that don't close, don't close because nobody followed up. Send a polite check-in 48 hours after the quote lands, and a second nudge at day 7. Two of every three accepted quotes get there because someone followed up.
Step by step
How to quote steel fabrication jobs
Review the drawing or architect's detail properly before you price anything. Mark plate thickness, profile sections, cut method (plasma, laser, saw), drill and tap requirements, grade (mild steel, 304, 316 stainless), and coating spec. Count the number of identical parts, run quantity changes the per-kg rate dramatically. For site install or site measure, walk the site: check square, level, service routes, and how the finished piece actually arrives (lift, crane, team of two through a door). A drawing review plus site walk is the difference between a production run price and a bespoke one-off price.
Itemise per kg on raw material weight, not finished part weight. Plate loses 8 to 15 percent to cutting waste, and you pay for the board-foot. Split plasma or laser cutting as a per-metre line, drilling and tapping per hole, and weld as its own line in metres. Separate primer, topcoat, and hot-dip galv as three distinct lines with spec named (red oxide, two-pack epoxy, galv to SANS 121). List freight to and from the galvaniser, transport to site, and drawing or detailing time for bespoke work. For architectural steel, quote two free revisions then $ 75 per hour beyond, and keep one-off rates 1.5x to 3x your production run rate.
Set a 14 day validity on material-heavy quotes. Steel and zinc prices move weekly, and a two-week-old quote often no longer covers raw material. State a reprice clause on the PDF for orders placed after expiry. Use 30/40/30 progress invoices on large fab jobs (order, fabrication complete, install sign-off). For architectural and custom balustrade work, take a 40 to 50 percent deposit on order because your material buy is committed the moment the drawing is signed. Note on the quote that hidden site conditions or late spec changes are priced as variations.
Send the structured PDF to procurement before the buyer calls the next fabricator. Brand and developer procurement teams shortlist quotes they can compare apples to apples, and a clean line-by-line document beats a competitor's scrappy email every time. Build the quote from the workshop floor on your phone, email it to the buyer, WhatsApp the site contact, and note the run quantity assumption on the face of the document. Follow up after three days. When the architect revises, issue a variation through QuoteGenio rather than re-cutting steel on a verbal change.
FAQ
Common questions from steel fabricators
Everything you need to know before getting started.
Yes. Set the line item unit to kg (or tonne) and your rate. QuoteGenio multiplies it out and shows the calculation clearly on the PDF for the client and procurement.
Yes. Every quote becomes a branded PDF and a public link. Send by email to procurement, by WhatsApp to the site contact, or both. The client gets the same document either way.
Add separate line items for material, cutting, welding, finish, freight, and detailing. Use a fixed price for the agreed scope plus a clear note on revisions and variations.
Yes. Every quote has a unique public link that the client opens on any device. They accept online with one tap and you get notified instantly.
Yes. Duplicate the quote into invoices for 30/40/30 or any milestone split. All line items carry over so you just adjust the percentages.
Yes. The free plan gives you 5 quotes and 2 invoices per month with no credit card required. Upgrade to Premium for unlimited quotes, invoices, statements, and reports.
One-off bespoke parts carry setup, programming, and detailing costs that get diluted across a production run. Quote a per-kg or per-part rate that is 1.5x to 3x higher for one-offs versus runs of 25 plus. Note the run quantity on the line so the client sees the maths.
No. Galv is subcontracted, priced by the galvaniser per kg, and changes with load size and steel section. List it as its own line at cost plus your handling and freight. Bundling it hides margin and causes disputes when the spec changes.
Quote two free revisions in your standard terms. After that, charge an hourly drafting rate plus a re-cut fee if material is already on the floor. State this upfront on the quote so the architect signs up to it on acceptance.
If you are VAT registered, yes. Material, labour, finish, and freight all attract VAT. Show it as a separate line on the quote. If you are under the threshold, state on the quote that prices are VAT exempt.
Still have questions? We would rather answer them now than after you have signed up.
Explore more
Related trades in Specialist Trades
QuoteGenio is built for a whole family of trades. Explore other pages that might fit how you work.
Reviews
Trusted by tradespeople
Real feedback from people who quote for a living.
"I use it daily. Swift, multi-currency, and works perfectly on my phone. Worth every krona."
Oscar Bergström
Handyman · Stockholm
"Simple pricing, no hidden fees. The free plan was enough to try it out and I upgraded within the first week. Well worth it."
André Pretorius
Tiler · Stellenbosch
"Fast, modern, and my customers love the clean look of the quotes. Perfect for small trade businesses."
Lukas Becker
Electrician · Berlin
Guides
Guides for Steel Fabricators
Practical advice to help you quote better, get paid faster, and grow your business.
Free forever plan
Start quoting faster. Win more jobs.
Create professional quotes in minutes, send instantly, and stay on top of your work without the admin slowing you down.
Free to start. No credit card required.