Question 1

What do I need to send to get a quote?

Accepted Answer

The EOR's structural drawing set as PDFs — framing plans, elevations, and connection details. A brief project description (structure type, building size, location), and your target delivery date. If you have a structural model (IFC, STAAD, Revit), include it, but drawings alone are enough to scope the work.

Question 2

What happens after I submit my drawings?

Accepted Answer

StruxBIM™ reads your drawings at intake: it extracts every member designation, grid line, and connection type, then flags ambiguities — missing dimensions, conflicting elevations, undefined connection types. We'll draft a technically precise RFI to the EOR for any critical gaps, or resolve minor issues directly. You receive a scoped quote and timeline within one business day.

Question 3

How long does quoting and scoping take?

Accepted Answer

One business day, guaranteed. For straightforward projects with clear drawings, we typically respond the same day. Projects with ambiguous or incomplete drawing sets may take slightly longer to scope accurately — we'll tell you upfront if we need more information before quoting.

Question 4

What does a complete Zenith deliverable include?

Accepted Answer

Fabrication-ready shop drawings (DXF + PDF with revision history), PE/SE-stamped connection design calculations, an IFC 4.x BIM model, and an Excel bill of materials with member weights and quantities. Every drawing passes StruxBIM™'s 80+ quality checks before it reaches you.

Question 5

What file formats do you deliver in?

Accepted Answer

Shop drawings in DXF (AutoCAD-compatible) and PDF. Structural calculations as a stamped PDF. BIM model as IFC 4.x — compatible with Revit, Tekla Structures, and Navisworks. Bill of materials as Excel (.xlsx). Additional formats are available on request.

Question 6

Do your shop drawings follow AISC detailing standards?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Shop drawings follow AISC 303-22 (Standard Practice for Steel Buildings and Bridges). Every member and connection is independently verified by StruxBIM™ against AISC 360-22 for member design, ASCE 7-22 for load combinations and deflection limits, and IBC for serviceability. Seismic systems are checked against AISC 341-22.

Question 7

How long does a typical project take?

Accepted Answer

A single-story industrial building with 50–100 connections: 10–15 business days from receipt of complete, unambiguous drawings. Multi-story commercial: 15–25 business days. PE/SE-stamped connection calculations add 5–10 business days. We confirm the timeline at scoping and flag any changes before they happen — never after.

Question 8

What factors affect the timeline the most?

Accepted Answer

Drawing clarity is the biggest factor. Ambiguities in the EOR's drawings trigger RFIs, and detailing cannot proceed until critical questions are answered by the engineer of record. Providing the complete drawing set upfront — including all addenda — gives us the fastest path to delivery.

Question 9

How are drawing revisions handled mid-project?

Accepted Answer

When the EOR issues revised drawings, StruxBIM™ compares the new set against the previous extraction and identifies exactly which member designations, dimensions, and connection types changed — and which shop drawings are affected. We notify you, agree on any scope adjustment in writing, and update only the affected drawings rather than reworking the full package.

Question 10

Do your engineers stamp the connection calculations?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All Zenith connection design packages are reviewed and sealed by licensed Professional Engineers (PE) or Structural Engineers (SE) registered in the relevant state. Calculation packages reference governing AISC 360-22 equations, load inputs, connection geometry, and utilization ratios — everything a building department requires for permit submission.

Question 11

Which US states are you registered in?

Accepted Answer

All 50 US states. We maintain active PE/SE registrations nationwide and can handle multi-state projects with a single consolidated calculation package. International projects are handled case-by-case — contact us with your jurisdiction and we'll confirm coverage.

Question 12

Can I commission connection design and stamping only, without full detailing?

Accepted Answer

Yes. If you already have shop drawings or a structural model and only need connection calculations with PE/SE stamping, we can scope that as a standalone engagement. Send us your drawings and scope description and we'll quote the calculation package separately.

Question 13

What is StruxBIM™ and do I need to interact with it?

Accepted Answer

StruxBIM™ is Zenith's internal AI platform — you don't log into it or interact with it directly. It runs automatically at two points on every project: at intake (reading the EOR's drawings, extracting member data, flagging ambiguities, drafting RFIs) and before delivery (verifying every member and connection against AISC, ASCE, and IBC). You receive the output — accurate drawings, fewer revision cycles — not the software.

Question 14

How does AI actually improve the quality of my deliverables?

Accepted Answer

At intake, StruxBIM™ catches ambiguities in the EOR's drawings before modeling starts — issues that would otherwise surface mid-project as expensive revision cycles. Before delivery, it runs 80+ error categories across every drawing: dimension consistency, weld symbol placement, bolt edge distances, cope and block conditions. Then it verifies every member against the governing code. The result is drawings that pass fabricator review on the first submission.

Question 15

What exactly does StruxBIM™ check before drawings leave your desk?

Accepted Answer

80+ categories of known detailing errors — on every drawing, not a spot sample. Then code verification: AISC 360-22 member design (flexure, shear, axial, combined loading), ASCE 7-22 load verification, and IBC deflection limits. Seismic systems are verified against AISC 341-22. Each check returns the governing equation and utilization ratio. No drawing leaves without passing this gate.

Question 16

How is project pricing structured?

Accepted Answer

Fixed project quotes, not hourly billing. We review your drawings, define the exact scope, and give you a fixed price before any work starts. No surprise invoices mid-project. The quote covers everything in scope — shop drawings, BIM model, BOM, and PE/SE-stamped connection calcs if included.

Question 17

Is there an upfront commitment or deposit required?

Accepted Answer

No upfront commitment or deposit. We review your drawings, send a scoped quote, and you decide whether to proceed. If a project is more complex than it initially appeared, we tell you before work begins, not after.

Question 18

What happens if the scope changes mid-project?

Accepted Answer

We notify you before performing any out-of-scope work. If the EOR issues revised drawings that affect already-completed shop drawings, we send a brief scope amendment describing the additional work, cost, and timeline impact — and wait for your approval before proceeding. Minor clarifications within the original scope are typically absorbed.

Questions about our steel detailing service, answered.

Getting Started

Deliverables

Timeline & Revisions

PE/SE Stamping

StruxBIM™ & AI

Pricing & Process

Still have questions? Talk to our team.