Why two proposals never match
Every supplier builds a proposal their own way. One includes erection, another doesn't. One counts the foundation, another leaves it to your contractor. In the end, the lowest price is usually just the smallest scope.
To really compare, put the proposals on the same footing: the same items, with what's included and what isn't.
The 7 items a proposal needs to include
1. Structural design and ART
Who calculates the structure, under which standards, and whether the ART is included. Without a design, there is no price. There is an estimate.
2. Fabrication and corrosion protection
The type of paint or galvanizing, suited to the project's environment. Weak protection is cheap now and expensive later.
3. Transport to the site
Freight for the pieces from the plant to the site. It seems like a detail, but on a project far from the plant it adds up.
4. Erection with equipment
Crew, crane and platforms. Check whether erection is done by the same company or subcontracted, and who is responsible if something goes wrong.
5. Who does the foundation
The foundation may be in the proposal or left to your contractor. If it's left out, someone needs to coordinate the bases with the structure.
6. Gutters, flashing and cladding
Roofing, side cladding, gutters and flashing. This is the item that most often disappears from proposals and most often shows up on site.
7. Schedule with dates
Dates for the design, fabrication, delivery of the pieces and erection. A schedule with no dates is just intent.
Kilos of steel: a helpful number, with a caveat
Many proposals state the total weight of the structure in kilos. It's a useful figure, because it shows how much steel each supplier is factoring in.
But weight is only comparable when the proposals start from the same assumptions: the same span, the same height, the same loads and the same standards. A structure that's much lighter than the others could be a better design, or one that accounted for less load. Ask where the difference comes from.
Build a comparison table
Put the suppliers in columns and the items in rows. For each item, mark one of three answers:
- Included: it's in the proposal, with quantity or description.
- Not included: it's on you or another supplier.
- To be defined: it isn't settled, and this is where surprises live.
Add the estimated cost of what's left out to the price of each proposal. Only then compare.
What else is worth asking
- What isn't included? The exclusion list matters as much as the inclusion list.
- What documents does the project receive at the end: ART, design calculation report, material certificates, inspection records?
- How does the proposal handle design changes along the way?
- Who is accountable for the project from start to finish?
- What is the warranty on the structure and the paint, and what does it cover?
Warning signs
- Price only per square meter, with no steel quantity or scope.
- A proposal with no structural design or no ART.
- Foundation, roofing or erection marked "to be defined."
- A schedule with no timeline.
How TechnoAço puts together a proposal
Our proposal lists each of these items separately, with what's included and what's excluded spelled out. Foundation, gutters, flashing and transport appear in the proposal, not as a surprise. That makes it easy to compare.