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Steelwork - Structural – cost per tonne – UK 2026 Rate Guide

Budget rate for supply & lay · typical budget rate before your adjustments

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Steelwork - Structural
per tonne · supply & lay
£2750 – £9350 / tonne
What is it

Structural steelwork comprises the supply, fabrication, protective treatment, delivery and erection of beams, columns, bracing, plates and standard connections forming the primary structural frame.

Rate guide
Standard beam-and-column frame£3520 – £4620/tonne
Simple portal frame£2750 – £3630/tonne
Complex or heavily connected frame£4400 – £6050/tonne
Architecturally exposed steelwork£5280 – £7480/tonne
Alterations and strengthening works£6050 – £9350/tonne
Labour output
Repetitive portal frame with clear crane access12–20 t/day
Standard multi-storey beam-and-column frame6–10 t/day
Congested frame with numerous secondary members3–6 t/day
Broken-up alterations in an occupied or restricted building1–3 t/day
Key rate adjusters
Section weight
Light members with a high piece count can increase the tonne rate by 15–30% because fabrication and erection effort is driven more by member numbers than weight.
Connection complexity
Moment connections, stiffeners and extensive plated details typically add £400–£1,200 per tonne compared with standard bolted shear connections.
Protective coating
A basic shop primer may be included, while enhanced paint systems or galvanizing commonly add £250–£700 per tonne.
Access and cranage
Restricted lifting positions, mobile-crane oversailing constraints or tower-crane dependency can increase erection costs by 10–25%.
Programme intensity
Accelerated fabrication, phased deliveries, weekend working or multiple erection gangs can add 8–20% to the steelwork package.
Market quantity
Small or fragmented packages below roughly 50 tonnes can attract premiums of £500–£1,500 per tonne against efficient larger-volume procurement.
Quantity surveyor insights
  • Waste and buildability: Rationalising section sizes, standardising connections and designing members for straightforward transport and lifting can materially reduce offcuts, fabrication hours and crane time; early fabricator input often produces greater savings than simply reducing steel tonnage.
  • Scope and procurement: Tender documents should clearly allocate connection design, temporary stability, holding-down bolts, decking trim steel, surveys, fire protection, intumescent compatibility and making good, as these are frequent scope gaps. Secure mill availability and fabrication capacity early, with pricing tied to an agreed steel index where the procurement period is prolonged.

Estimate Anything AI answer · indicative budget rates · updated 31 August 2026

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