Request a Steel Structure Quote

Structural Drawings and Design Data

If you have structural drawings — whether produced by a design institute, an in-house engineering team, or a previous contractor — send them. We accept DWG, PDF, Tekla models (.db1), IFC, and even scanned hand-drawn sketches. From the drawings, our engineers extract member schedules, connection details, steel grades, and coating specifications. If drawings are not yet available, describe the structure in terms of its functional purpose (workshop, warehouse, roof, bridge) and the key dimensions (span, length, height, bay spacing).

Load Requirements

Steel structures are designed for specific loads. For a quote, we need to know: (1) dead load (the weight of the structure itself plus permanent fixtures); (2) live load (occupancy, equipment, stored materials); (3) snow load (for roof structures, depends on geographic location); (4) wind load (also location-dependent); (5) seismic load (if the site is in a seismic zone); and (6) crane load (if overhead cranes are planned, including capacity, span, and operating frequency). If you do not have specific load data, tell us the project location and intended use — we can estimate loads from local building codes.

Steel Grade Preference

Steel grade affects both structural performance and price. Common grades for Chinese-fabricated steel structures include Q235B (basic structural carbon steel), Q355B (high-strength low-alloy, the most common grade for primary members), Q390B and Q420B (higher-strength grades for heavily loaded members), and Q460C (for extreme-load applications such as the 229-meter coal shed). If you have a preference or a design-specified grade, include it. If not, our engineers will recommend a grade based on the structural requirements and provide alternatives with cost implications.

Surface Treatment and Coating System

The anti-corrosion system is a significant portion of the total cost, and the specification depends on the service environment. Tell us: (1) the environmental classification (indoor dry, outdoor atmospheric, coastal/marine, industrial/chemical, extreme-cold); (2) the required coating system (zinc-rich primer + epoxy + polyurethane is the standard three-layer system; hot-dip galvanizing is specified for certain environments); and (3) the design service life (15 years, 25 years, 50 years — longer life requires thicker or more advanced coating systems). For international projects, specify whether the coating must meet ISO 12944, SSPC, or a local standard.

Destination Port and Shipping Requirements

For export projects, the destination port determines shipping cost and logistics planning. We need: (1) the destination port or nearest major port; (2) whether the site is accessible by standard truck or requires special transport (oversized, heavy-haul); (3) whether the destination country has import documentation requirements that affect our export documentation (certificate of origin, mill test certificates, inspection certificates); and (4) the preferred Incoterm (FOB, CIF, DAP, or DDP). If you are unsure about any of these, tell us the destination city and we will recommend a logistics approach.

Project Schedule

The fabrication schedule depends on the delivery deadline. If you need the structure on site within 8 weeks, we allocate production capacity immediately and may recommend design simplifications to accelerate fabrication. If the schedule is 6–12 months out, we can optimize the fabrication sequence for cost efficiency, nesting components across multiple projects in our nesting software and batching similar members on the same production line. Tell us the target delivery date and whether it is fixed (contractual) or flexible.

Applicable Standards

If your project must comply with a specific standard — Chinese GB, American AISC/AWS, European EN 1090/EN 12062, Australian AS 4100, or another national code — tell us at the quotation stage. Different standards have different weld acceptance criteria, material certification requirements, and inspection levels, all of which affect fabrication cost. We are qualified to fabricate to all major international standards; the standard simply needs to be identified early so the correct welding procedure specifications (WPS) and quality control plans are in place from the start.