How much does steel fabrication cost in the UK? What goes into a quote
Why there is no price list for bespoke steel fabrication, the six things that drive the cost of a fabricated part, and how to get a sharper quote from your fabricator.
Every fabricator gets asked for a ballpark, and every honest one gives the same frustrating answer: it depends. Bespoke steelwork is priced from scratch each time because no two jobs are the same. What we can do is show you exactly what goes into a quote — and how to bring the number down.
1. Material
The steel itself: section, plate or tube, in mild steel, stainless or aluminium. Prices move with the market, and stainless carries a significant premium over mild steel. Standard stock sizes are cheaper and quicker than specials. If your design can use a common section or a stock plate thickness, say so.
2. Cutting and machine time
Profiles come off our CNC plasma table; time on the machine, consumables and the amount of plate consumed by nesting all count. Efficient nesting of multiple parts on one sheet cuts waste — another reason batch runs cost less per part than one-offs.
3. Fabrication and welding hours
This is usually the largest slice. Welding, drilling, forming, fitting and assembly are skilled labour, priced by the hour. Design choices matter here: fewer, simpler welds; standard hole patterns; symmetrical parts that cannot be fitted the wrong way round. A drawing that is clear and complete saves hours of interpretation.
4. Finish
Shot-blast and prime, paint to a specification, powder coat or hot-dip galvanise — each is a separate operation and, for galvanising and powder coating, a trip to a specialist. Leave the finish off the enquiry and the quote cannot include it.
5. Delivery
A pallet of brackets to a Manchester address is very different from a platform delivered to Cornwall. Tell us where it is going.
6. Quantity and repeatability
One-offs carry all the setup cost. Ten of the same part share it. If you expect repeat orders, tell us — we will keep the drawings and nests on file and the second batch is cheaper than the first.
How to get a sharper quote
- Send a dimensioned drawing or DXF, not just a description
- State material, grade, thickness and quantity
- Specify the finish and where the part will live
- Give a realistic date you need it by
- Tell us if the job will repeat
The more complete the enquiry, the tighter and quicker the quote. Send yours through the contact page or call 01457 371246 — an honest price and a realistic lead time, from the people who will build it.
