Estimation Only, or a Full Detailing Engagement?

You're evaluating whether a project pencils out before committing to design. A tonnage-based cost estimate is all you need at this stage — no fabricator, no drawings, no PE.

You're an owner or developer building a pro forma. You need a number to plug into a financial model, not a construction-ready package.

You're a GC screening whether a steel scope fits your bid before deciding to pursue it. A cost forecast is the right scope — a full detailing engagement is premature.

The structural engineer's design drawings are not fabrication documents. A fabricator cannot cut steel from an EOR's framing plan. You need a detailer to convert design intent into shop drawings.

Most building departments require stamped connection calculations as part of the permit submission. Estimation tools do not produce these. A licensed structural engineer must design and stamp them.

If your contract includes LOD 300+ BIM coordination, IFC handover, or Navisworks clash detection, you need a detailer producing a live structural model — not a quantity spreadsheet.

Revision management is where estimation tools fall apart entirely. When the EOR re-issues drawings, someone needs to track exactly what changed, update shop drawings, and re-check compliance. That requires a detailing team.