Prices on steel building components.

[green.bubbly]

I am trying to decide if I want to build a porch framed out of metal or treated wood. Rough calculations, it would cost me about about $1,100 for wood minus the steel roofing.

I stopped by a local metal supplier and got some pricing.


3"x3"x12' steel post was $72.00 each.
8"x8' channel was $27.60 each
8"x10' Cee was $34.50 each


The channel and the cee did not seem too out of line but 72 bucks for one post shocked me!!!


Then we were talking about the cost of the 8" PBR panels for the roof. 26 gauge and I thought he said it was $2.25/foot. I got home and started looking at his hand written quote and he has 34 pieces of ivory colored for $884 which comes out to 3.25/foot.

It was a young guy and some of these prices seem to be a little out of line. I will check with Meuller today or tomorrow for a price comparison. Not sure if I just never realized the price of steel components of if he screwed up the quote.

His total quote was for $3,640.00. Like I said, I did a rough calculation framing it with treated wood and even if I doubled my estimate and use his roof sheets, I am only at $2,800. This includes ice damn material to separate the metal from the treated wood, bags of concrete and 4x6 treated posts. And that is based on Lowes pricing which my lumberyard always beats.

Did he maybe screw up the estimate or are current steel prices that high?

 

[LutzTD]

I am trying to decide if I want to build a porch framed out of metal or treated wood. Rough calculations, it would cost me about about $1,100 for wood minus the steel roofing.

I stopped by a local metal supplier and got some pricing.


3"x3"x12' steel post was $72.00 each.
8"x8' channel was $27.60 each
8"x10' Cee was $34.50 each


The channel and the cee did not seem too out of line but 72 bucks for one post shocked me!!!


Then we were talking about the cost of the 8" PBR panels for the roof. 26 gauge and I thought he said it was $2.25/foot. I got home and started looking at his hand written quote and he has 34 pieces of ivory colored for $884 which comes out to 3.25/foot.

It was a young guy and some of these prices seem to be a little out of line. I will check with Meuller today or tomorrow for a price comparison. Not sure if I just never realized the price of steel components of if he screwed up the quote.

His total quote was for $3,640.00. Like I said, I did a rough calculation framing it with treated wood and even if I doubled my estimate and use his roof sheets, I am only at $2,800. This includes ice damn material to separate the metal from the treated wood, bags of concrete and 4x6 treated posts. And that is based on Lowes pricing which my lumberyard always beats.

Did he maybe screw up the estimate or are current steel prices that high?

if you engineer the beams the sizes are likely going to be a lot smaller. Steel is basically priced on weight, smaller OA dims or thinner walls would reduce your price. Problem with steel is the permits, with wood they know exactly what you have, with steel you are likely going to need stamped drawings to prove to them it is correct.

 

[green.bubbly]

Thanks for the reply. Permits will not be an issue where I am. I could probably spend a little more on engineering to save a little on materials. I was just curious if his pricing was out of line and on the two items I spot checked today, he was.

His 3x3x12 posts were $72/ea. Mueller's were only $50.57/each
His 26 gauge colored PBR sheets were $3.25/ft. Mueller's were only $2.48/ft.

The entire home build project, I tried to buy American and buy local. I do not mind paying a little more but I also have a budget to stay in. I just can not spend that much more on a local small company. Like I said, he was a young guy and seemed to be struggling doing the quote. I will visit with them later in the week and give them an opportunity to double check their prices.

I don't mind trying to help out a local company but I will not take it in the **** for them either.

 

[USAF_POL]

Thanks for the reply. Permits will not be an issue where I am. I could probably spend a little more on engineering to save a little on materials. I was just curious if his pricing was out of line and on the two items I spot checked today, he was.

His 3x3x12 posts were $72/ea. Mueller's were only $50.57/each
His 26 gauge colored PBR sheets were $3.25/ft. Mueller's were only $2.48/ft.

The entire home build project, I tried to buy American and buy local. I do not mind paying a little more but I also have a budget to stay in. I just can not spend that much more on a local small company. Like I said, he was a young guy and seemed to be struggling doing the quote. I will visit with them later in the week and give them an opportunity to double check their prices.

I don't mind trying to help out a local company but I will not take it in the **** for them either.

I agree! It is one thing to try and keep things we buy American but sometimes it just isn't in the cards/wallet. It has now become a balance of price vs. quality... find the middle ground of the two and go from there.