Steel detailing is like a shop drawing, but for a steel fabricator. The main purpose of steel detailing is to produce the drawing that the steel fabricator will use to cut, weld, and build the steel framework for a construction project. You can think of it as a layout instruction to guide the fabricator on how to install the steel framework. A steel detailer uses the construction plans produced by the architect and engineer to generate the drawings.
In general, the collaboration between the three professionals can be described as such: the architect designs the overall look of the building, the engineer figures out the best steel framework configuration to support the design, and the steel structural detailer gathers information from two sets of plans to produce a practical steel framework installation guide that the steel fabricator can actually use.
A steel detailer is essentially a drafter, but one who specializes in steel framework for construction projects. We have no shortage of steel detailing firms right here in the United States, and then there’s Cad Crowd, an AEC-focused freelancing platform where you can find thousands of pre-qualified drafters, offering steel detailing services at affordable rates. For more US-based steel detailing services, please take a look at the list below.
RELATED: A Comprehensive Guide on Steel Shop Drawings for Freelancers and Construction Companies
1. Cad Crowd
As mentioned earlier, Cad Crowd isn’t your run-of-the-mill structural steel detailing company, but a freelancing platform that specializes in the AEC industry and is therefore frequented by professionals of that specific domain of expertise, including steel detailers. Cad Crowd helps you connect with pre-vetted drafters based on the exact requirements of your projects, with a guaranteed matching accuracy. You get to choose whether to pay on a per-project basis or an hourly rate set by the professionals themselves. Cad Crowd also offers a contest mode where you can expect to receive dozens of design submissions within just a week. The company is headquartered in Glendale, California.
Website: Cadcrowd.com
2. Tesla Outsourcing Services
For more than 18 years, Tesla Outsourcing Services (no, it doesn’t have anything to do with the electric vehicle manufacturer despite the name) has been a trusted BIM provider, offering a comprehensive construction documentation solution. The company specializes in CAD drafting services and 3D visualization, BIM modeling and coordination, Scan to BIM conversion, Revit Family Creation, as-built modeling, and clash detection services. It has all the right tools, skills, and experience to translate even the most complex architectural concept and design into a fully integrated BIM model and detailed visualization, steel detailing included. The company is based in Folsom, California.
Website: Teslaoutsourcingservices.com
3. Advanced Steel Detailing
Services from Advanced Steel Detailing are divided into just two categories: structural and miscellaneous. The former encompasses the documentation and shop drawings of a wide variety of structures, all generated using the latest 3D modeling software. On the other hand, the latter covers miscellaneous steel elements of any kind, including but not limited to railings, stairs, and ladders. The company can work as an independent (outsourced) steel detailer or as part of your existing team, depending on what you need and how you want to get the job done. Advanced Steel Detailing is based in Casper, Wyoming.
Website: Advancedsteeldetailing.com
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4. United Structural LLC
The big promise of United Structural is lean operation, meaning the company runs everything with a heavy emphasis on efficiency without sacrificing quality. Part of the efficiency measure is that the company doesn’t actually operate from the typical brick-and-mortar office. Instead, the steel detaining team works virtually to eliminate the overhead expense associated with utilities, insurance costs, rent, etc. This is very much reflected in their pricing. The company also offers an array of online collaboration tools to help ease teamwork and communication. In addition to structural steel detailing, the services include connection design, engineering design services, project management, and BIM support. United Structural is operating out of Albion, New York.
Website: Unitedstructurallc.com
5. PMC Steel Detailing
Over the course of more than 40 years in the business, PMC Steel Detailing has worked for numerous Fortune 500 clients on massive (1000 tons or more) construction projects. The company claims that every single detailer in the team has an average of 7 years of experience in the field and excels at Tekla Structures, SDS2, and AutoCAD. You can download some samples of their steel detailing and erection sheets from the official website to gauge the level of detail and accuracy of the shop drawings, too. The company says that all the works are done to the rigorous standards of QPP and AISC certifications. PMC is situated in Dearborn, Michigan, and Austin, Texas.
Website: detailing.pmcorp.com
6. CompuSteel Detailing, Inc.
The family-owned steel detailing company has been around since 1995. Throughout the decades, it has worked on a number of such high-profile projects as the Illinois Institute of Technology’s McCormick Tribune Campus Center, the Civil War Museum in Racine (Wisconsin), the 7Seventy7 Apartment Tower in Milwaukee, the Basket Bridge in Tucson (Arizona), and more. All drawings are sent as digital files in the most common formats, like DWG, DXF, Navisworks, etc. You can even ask for 3D PDF of an entire model or individual assemblies. CompuSteel Detailing also provides field bolt lists and assembly lists at no extra cost. The company is situated in Chilton, Wisconsin.
Website: Compusteelinc.com
7. M-SAC Steel Detail
All the team members at M-SAC are well-versed in just about every aspect of steel fabrication, from estimating and fitting to welding and erecting steel structures of any size. Apart from the primary service of steel detailing, the company also offers BIM modeling, CAD editing, and structural engineering. M-SAC boasts unmatched accuracy and quick turnaround time by utilizing the latest versions of Tekla Structures and AutoCAD software packages. To help you gauge the company’s skills and capabilities, you can download some steel detailing samples available from the official website. M-SAC Steel Detail is based in Kissimmee, Florida.
Website: Msacsteeldetail.com
RELATED: Benefits of Outsourcing Steel Detailing Services for Engineering Firms and CAD Design Companies
8. X-Steel Detailing
The multidisciplinary team at X-Steel Detailing is composed not only of steel detailer professionals but also 3D modelers and project managers. Together, the team specializes in structural (columns, beams, braces) and miscellaneous (railings, stairs, ladders, etc.) steel structures for construction projects big and small. Apart from steel detailing itself, the services also include connection design, BIM support, model-based estimating, and takeoffs. All shop drawings are produced using SDS2 and Tekla software tools. The company adheres to the AISC code in every aspect of the operation to minimize any possible project hiccups. X-Steel Detailing is based in Elgin, Illinois.
Website: X-steeldetail.com
9. ESD
Since 2013, ESD has completed more than 4,000 steel detailing projects, including structural frames and miscellaneous steel elements like railings and stairs. Every deliverable is produced in adherence to applicable standards in the United States, including OSHA, AISC, and AWS. Right from the very start of the design process, all the way to the final submittal, all the shop drawings are fully coordinated models with accurate reports to ensure faultless steel fabrication. Thanks to an entirely in-house team of engineers and steel detailers, ESD can generate shop and erection drawings as well as CNC files and BIM outputs under one roof for better workflow efficiency. ESD is headquartered in Minsk, Belarus, but it also has a secondary office in New York.
Website: Esd-s.com
10. Structural Engineering & Detailing, Inc.
Came into existence in 1999, Structural Engineering & Detailing (SED) was later incorporated in 2006 to provide a more reliable steel detailing service for clients nationwide and accommodate the needs of fabricators in the industry at large. Main services include structural and miscellaneous steel detailing, advanced material takeoffs, and 3D modeling services. Over the decades, SED has been involved in numerous well-known projects in California, including the Rise Hollywood in Los Angeles, Our Lady of La Vang Shrine in Garden Grove, and the SAP Innovation Center in Newport Beach. SED implements a systematic review of every shop drawing prior to submission to help eliminate design oversight or fabrication errors. The company is based in Panorama City, California.
Website: Sedinc-us.com
11. Tinker Steel Detailing
Popular for its robust training program, Tinker Steel Detailing combines parametric checking and apprenticeship into the trade, so that it may offer quality professional-level services at a relatively affordable cost. The structural design services include shop drawings (steel detailing), engineering calculations, CNC data for production, RFI coordination, BIM collaboration, Bill of Materials, and reports (field bolt, shop bolt, etc.). All services are available for new construction, retrofitting, and remodeling. Since 2015, the company has been involved in projects of various sizes and complexities, from private residences and commercial buildings to utility infrastructures and industrial pipe supports. Tinker Steel Detailing is based in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Website: Tinkerdetailing.com
RELATED: A Comprehensive Overview of Steel Detailing Services and Its Importance for Construction Companies
12. SteelTek Unlimited
The main offerings from SteelTek Unlimited include steel detailing, Tekla training, and custom programming. Steel detailing services cover structural as well as miscellaneous steel frameworks for commercial, industrial, civil, and DOT projects. SteelTek primarily uses Tekla Structures to generate complete 3D models, Bill of Materials, customized reports, and most shop drawings. The company also provides CNC information for fabrication. Custom CNC programming is done via the company’s own versatile SDK to help clients create tailored solutions, such as with plugins or custom drawing automations, to streamline any project. SteelTek is headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
Website: Steelteku.com
13. T&S Steel Detailing
Services from T&S Steel Detailing include the creation of 3D model using Tekla Structures and SDS2 software tools, 2D shop drawing designers, anchor bolt setting plan, single part drawings, Bill of Materials, RFI queries, and field bolts summaries. The company is best known for its robust shop drawing review process, using both automated and manual procedures to make sure that every deliverable meets the standard of quality expected by the clients. To have a better idea of the company’s capability, you may want to download the sample drawings available from the website. T&S Steel Detailing is based in Conroe, Texas.
Website: T-ssteeldetailing.com
14. SMA Estimating
It’s primarily a construction estimating company, which also offers structural steel detailing services. The company has been around for more than 15 years, with a proven track record in producing shop drawings and cost estimations even for the most complex construction projects. Using a combination of AutoCAD, Revit, and Tekla, the company generates detailed visualizations of steel components, shop drawings, and material lists based on project blueprints. The architectural design services cover such projects as residential buildings, bridges, metro rails, chemical plants and refineries, wastewater treatment plants, and tilt-up panels. SMA Estimating is based in St. Louis, Missouri
Website: Smaestimating.com
15. Vegazva
An international steel detailing company with service areas covering the United States, UAE, and India, Vegazva can handle construction projects of any kind, from residential and commercial to industrial buildings. The company claims to have always managed every project with a strong focus on adherence to international standards and codes of practice, including OSHA, AWS, AISC, and NISD. The steel detailers’ primary software tools are Tekla, SDS2, and Autodesk Advance Steel. In the United States, Vegazva is situated in Rolling Meadows, Illinois.
Website: Vegazva.com
RELATED: Fabrication Shop Drawing Services For Companies: All You Need To Know
16. HitechDigital
A multidisciplinary BIM consulting company, HitechDigital, provides end-to-end architectural design solutions, including steel detailing services. Throughout the company’s 10 years of history, it has worked on at least 1,000 projects spanning over 4 million square meters of building area and 500,000 work hours. While it specializes in airports and hospitals, some of its previous projects included residential and public buildings as well. The team itself consists of more than 200 BIM modeling consultants, engineers, architects, and Revit technicians to ensure optimized workflow for every client. HitechDigital operates as an extension of your team and will work with you both on and off the construction site to keep up with your aggressive schedules. The company is based in Austin, Texas.
Website: Hitechdigital.com
17. American Steel Detailing
Over the course of the last nine years, American Steel Detailing has completed more than 700 projects of all sizes, including those that required more than 3000+ tons of steel framework. The company provides steel detailing services most commonly for commercial and public buildings such as schools, retail stores, churches, and industrial facilities. This is not to say that ASD doesn’t do residential buildings, whether new constructions or renovations. It also offers miscellaneous steel detailing, such as for stair towers, ladders, flat rails, and more. Other services include “estimodeling” and connection engineering and design. American Steel Detailing is headquartered in Medina, Ohio.
Website: Americansteeldetailing.com
18. CAD Outsourcing
Throughout the company’s 16 years of history, CAD Outsourcing has provided a whole range of BIM and structural engineering services in more than 11,000 projects nationwide. In addition to steel detailing and estimodeling, it also offers CAD to BIM conversion, as-built construction feasibility analysis, BIM implementation plan, and construction documentation services. This is almost like a one-stop company for all your architectural drafting needs. CAD Outsourcing is based in Maple Grove, California.
Website: Cadoutsourcing.net
19. eLogicTech Solutions
The collective knowledge and experience of more than 150 AEC professionals at eLogicTech Solutions gives the much-needed assurance for quality BIM, MEP, and CAD drafting services. The company produces construction documentation, including technical drawings and precise 3D models for architectural projects, whether residential or industrial. It also offers construction engineering and inspection services such as structural and miscellaneous steel detailing, detailed manufacturing drawings, and layout designs. eLogicTech has been in the business for more than 25 years, with a record of at least 10,000 project completions in its portfolio. The company is situated in Denver, Colorado.
Website: Elogitech.com
RELATED: As-Built Drawings vs Shop Drawings: What Freelancers and Service Providers Need to Know
20. Strand Consulting
With an impressive record of error-free shop drawings since 2008, Strand Consulting brings the big promise of cost savings regardless of the project size. The company specializes in structural and miscellaneous steel detailing, connection design, and BIM coordination designers for commercial and industrial buildings. And based on the project requirements, the company can help generate various reports, such as field bolt summary, preliminary advanced bill of materials, shear stud list, and more. It also makes 3D modeling and as-built drawings. Strand Consulting is situated in Hauppauge, New York.
Website: Strand-co.com
21. Advanced Structural Solutions
For nearly two decades, Advanced Structural Solutions has been a leading steel detailing company in Central Colorado, providing full-scale construction cost estimating and project management services. It’s a member of both the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) and the National Institute of Steel Detailing (NISD), backed by an A+ computer technician certification. The company’s typical scope of work includes structural steel shop drawing submittal preparation, preliminary shop drawing cost estimation, and full quantity survey. Advanced Structural Solutions is based in Grand Junction, Colorado.
Website: Advancedstructuralsolutions.com
22. Designing Drafting
Every single steel detailing project in the hands of Designing Drafting is done in accordance with the standards of practices set forth by the American Concrete Institute (ACI), the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), the Reinforcing Steel Institute of Ontario (RSIO), and the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI). The company can work on just about any type of construction from small residential homes to complex industrial buildings like skyscrapers, airports, and stadiums. Designing Drafting is based on Arlington, Virginia.
Website: Designingdrafting.com
23. Mastiff Pro Detailing
Established in 2006, Mastiff Pro Detailing specializes in pre-construction services, BIM coordination, and structural as well as miscellaneous steel detailing. It can work with steel fabrication shops all around the country, providing accurate technical drawings and 3D models to minimize and mitigate any potential clashes in construction sites. The architectural drafting team at Mastiff Pro has a collective experience of 40 years in creating early construction models and cost estimation, essential for the bidding process. The company has its main office located in Brigham City, Utah.
Website: Promastiff.com
RELATED: Fabrication Shop Drawing Services For Companies: All You Need To Know
24. CAD Drafter
Composed of a multidisciplinary team of CAD professionals, the company can produce a vast array of technical drawings as well as 3D models for all sorts of architectural projects and industrial applications in general. CAD Drafter offers a broad range of architectural CAD services, including but not limited to Point Cloud Modeling, BIM Coordination, 3D visualization services, and Tekla Steel Detailing. The official website hosts a lot of downloadable sample drawings, like as-built, steel fabrication, 3D renderings, and more. The company is situated in San Diego, California.
Website: Caddrafter.us
25. Advenser
For almost 10 years, Advenser has been a prominent steel detailing company providing services for designers, contractors, structural engineers, and fabricators. Advenser claims to have the expertise to handle the steel detailing workload of up to 5,000 tons per month while maintaining international standards by AISC, RSIO, ANSI, and OSHA. The typical scope of work includes structural and miscellaneous steel detailing, quantity takeoff services, advanced bill of materials, 3D modeling, advanced material list, and estimating models. Advenser is based in Trevose, Pennsylvania.
Website: Advenser.com
26. Structural Drafting Group
Since it was founded in 2009, Structural Drafting Group has completed more than 5,000 steel detailing projects ranging from 500-50,000 tons capacity. The steel detailing services cover detailed shop drawings and erection plans along with fabrication documents for essential elements such as beams, trusses, canopies, ladders, handrails, staircases, etc. In addition to steel detailing, the company also offers BIM modeling, scan to BIM, and CAD conversion services. Structural Drafting Group is based in Dover, Delaware.
Website: Structural-drafting.com
27. DreamCAD
Having been in the business for 8 years, DreamCAD has already completed more than 150 projects for at least 20 global clients. Its structural steel detailing services encompass shop drawings for fabrication shops, erection drawings for the general contractor, connection design, anchor setting plans, embed setting plans, chimney foundation drawings, and precast panel setting plans. The company also offers miscellaneous steel detailing, connection design, and steel takeoff and estimating services. DreamCAD is situated in Sheridan, Wyoming.
Website: Dreamcadsteel.com
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28. 7 Continent Technical Services
The 7 Continent Technical Services, often referred to simply as 7CTS, is an architectural drafting company that specializes in steel detailing services, with a secondary precast division. The company has so far completed more than 225 projects throughout its 25 years of existence. All the structural steel shop drawings are delivered in various formats via Google Drive or Dropbox, and every single one of them has been thoroughly checked by a team of experienced drafters. 7CTS offers additional files, such as the filed bolt list and assembly lists, on request at no additional cost. The company is based in San Francisco, California.
Website: Sevencts.com
29. Simsona Corporation
The range of services from Simsona Corporation is divided into four categories, including structural steel detailing, miscellaneous steel detailing, 3D laser scanning services, and scan to BIM. Services are available for residential/custom homes as well as commercial building projects. The company also helps generate tracking reports, shop bolt lists, field bolt lists, material summaries, and gather sheets for steel fabrication and erection processes. In addition, Simsona provides structural calculations and PE-stamped drawings applicable in all 50 states. The company is based in Rockville, Maryland.
Website: Simsona.com
30. Watson Drafting
Providing all sorts of technical and fabrication drawings, Watson Drafting uses only professional-grade software packages, including Tekla, AutoCAD, and STAAD, to produce all the deliverables in any project. The company implements the “best project practice” approach, which prioritizes adherence to international standard operating procedures in all stages of the project, from initial design analysis to the final reports. Apart from the primary drafting services, the company also offers feasibility analysis and specific designs based on environmental conditions. Watson Drafting is located in Clearwater, Florida.
Website: Watsondrafting.com
Takeaway
Structural steel detailing is one of the fundamentals in a construction project, no matter the size. It makes sure that every single column, beam, truss, and basically the entire steel framework of a structure can fit together exactly as intended. A simple mistake can lead to expensive rework, or worse, an unstable structure that puts the whole project at a serious risk of failure; with so much at stake, steel detailing is a task best left to professionals who actually understand the complexity of the job and can navigate the intricacy of RFI along the process.
How Cad Crowd can help
Cad Crowd can connect you with the right steel detailing professionals for CAD drafting and engineering design projects. Contact us for a free quote today. Partnering with experienced steel detailing companies is a safe bet, but hiring a freelancer from a reputable platform like Cad Crowd promises a good balance between quality and affordability.
