Quick answer: in Australia, supply-only structural steel typically runs in the low-to-mid $2,000s per tonne for hot rolled sections, more for hollow sections and welded beams - but supplied-and-fabricated steel, which is what most projects actually buy, commonly lands in the $4,000-$7,000+ per tonne range once fabrication labour, coatings, drafting and margin are included. Erected cost is higher again. The spread is wide because "cost per tonne" depends heavily on what the job is.
| Component | How it's priced | Indicative range (AUD) |
|---|---|---|
| Hot rolled sections (UB, UC, PFC, angles) | per tonne supplied | $2,300 – $3,000 /t |
| Hollow sections (SHS, RHS, CHS) | per tonne supplied | $3,000 – $3,800 /t |
| Purlins (C/Z) | per tonne supplied, cut to length | $2,700 – $3,300 /t |
| Welded beams & columns (WB, WC) | per tonne supplied | $4,000 – $4,800 /t |
| Fabrication labour | hours per tonne × shop rate | 10–25 hrs/t at $80–$110/hr |
| Galvanising | per tonne dipped | $1,800 – $2,300 /t |
| Painting | per m² of surface area | $20 – $35 /m² |
| Drafting / shop detailing | per tonne | $1,200 – $1,800 /t |
| Connection bolts | each, supplied | $2 – $5 each |
Indicative Australian market ranges only (mid-2026). Real rates vary by region, volume, complexity and market conditions - always price from your own supplier and shop rates. These are the editable defaults in the Steel Quote calculator.
Raw steel is often less than half the finished cost. A simple, heavy beam with two end plates might take 10 hours of shop time per tonne; light, fiddly work - stairs, handrails, heavily-stiffened connections - can take two to three times that. That's why two jobs of identical tonnage can be quoted thousands of dollars per tonne apart, and why estimating from a single blended "$/t" figure without a take-off is dangerous.
Change the coating to paint, halve the drafting, or use a lighter fabrication allowance and the per-tonne figure moves dramatically - which is the point: cost per tonne is an output of the estimate, not an input to it. Do the take-off first, then apply rates.
Divide the per-tonne figures by 1,000: supply-only hot rolled steel is roughly $2.30-$3.00 per kg, and supplied-and-fabricated steel commonly $4-$7+ per kg depending on complexity and coating.
Simple beamwork can be around 10-12 hours per tonne; typical portal frame work 15-20; complex or light architectural work 25 hours and beyond. Multiply by your shop's hourly rate.
It depends on the section mix. Galvanising is priced per tonne, painting per square metre - so heavy sections (lots of weight, little area) often favour paint, while light sections with high surface area per tonne can make galvanising the cheaper protection. Price both ways on real numbers.
Steel Quote is a free structural steel take-off and cost estimation calculator built for the Australian fabrication industry. Enter your members, set your own rates, and export a working estimate as a PDF or Excel spreadsheet - no sign-up, and your data never leaves your browser.