If you're after a free structural steel estimating template, there are two ways to get one. You can build a spreadsheet yourself using the structure and formulas below - or skip the setup entirely: the free Steel Quote calculator does the whole take-off in your browser and exports a finished estimating spreadsheet as an XLSX file, with every line item, rate and total already calculated. No sign-up, and your data never leaves your machine.
A working template is a take-off sheet plus rates. Every steel member gets a line, and each line carries enough information to convert it to weight, coating area and cost:
| Column | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Item mark | Ties the line back to the drawings so the take-off can be checked | B1, C2, R1 |
| Description | What the member is | Roof rafter |
| Section | The designation, which sets kg/m | 310UB40.4 |
| Quantity | How many identical members | 6 |
| Length (m) | Actual member length, not grid dimension | 9.0 |
| kg/m | Section weight from a weight table | 40.4 |
| Weight (kg) | = kg/m × length × quantity | 2,181.6 |
| Waste % | Offcuts and mill-length rounding, typically 5–10% | 7.5% |
| Cleats % | Connection material not itemised on drawings, 5–10% | 7.5% |
| Coating | Paint (per m² of surface area) or galvanising (per tonne) | Paint |
| Bolts | Connection bolts per member end × quantity | 12 × M20 |
Below the line items sit the rates - supply $/t by section family, fabrication hours per tonne × shop rate, coating rates, drafting and margin - and the totals: total weight, total paint area, total bolts, total cost. Indicative Australian rates are covered in structural steel cost per tonne.
The quickest way to a finished spreadsheet is to not start from a blank one. In the Steel Quote calculator:
There's also a print-ready PDF export for issuing the quote, and a save format so you can reopen and revise the estimate later. Everything runs in the browser - nothing is uploaded.
If you'd rather roll your own, the arithmetic is straightforward:
weight (kg) = kg/m × length (m) × quantity
buy weight = weight × (1 + waste% + cleats%)
paint area (m²) = surface area per metre × length × quantity
cost = buy weight × supply rate + fab hours × shop rate + coating + drafting + bolts, plus margin
The formulas aren't the hard part. The hard part is the lookup data: a kg/m table covering every section you'll ever take off, and - if you paint - a surface area (m² per metre) table for every one of those sections, because painted area cannot be calculated from weight. Both tables are published free here as steel weight tables if you want to build them into your spreadsheet with VLOOKUP or INDEX/MATCH.
| DIY Excel template | Steel Quote calculator | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free (your time) | Free |
| Section weights | You build and maintain the lookup tables | Built in, picked from a list |
| Painting surface areas | Rarely included - the classic template gap | Built in per section |
| Waste & cleat allowances | Your formulas | Built in, adjustable per item |
| Bolt counts | Manual | Estimated per connection, editable |
| Take-off from PDF drawings | No | Load a drawing, measure and mark up on screen |
| Output | Whatever you format | XLSX and PDF exports, save/reopen files |
Yes. The calculator is free with no sign-up, and the Excel export is a normal XLSX file that's yours to keep, edit and reuse.
XLSX - it opens in Excel, Google Sheets or LibreOffice. The PDF export is for issuing a formatted quote.
No. The whole calculator runs in your browser; take-off data and exports never leave your device.
The section lists cover standard Australian designations. Anything unusual can be entered as a custom item with its own kg/m value.
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.