01Trade cost
Structural steel and welding cost in Canada
Fabricated structural steel, joists, deck, miscellaneous metals and field welding. Fabrication lead time is as much a project constraint as the price per tonne.
02The rate
Commercial hourly
$95 – $165
Billed rate, national band
General hourly
$85 – $145
House-scale work
Commercial $/sf
$17 – $27
8% of hard cost
General $/sf
$22 – $34
From the residential band
The cost per square foot above is not a separate dataset. It is 8% of the curated new-build hard-cost band and 0% of the curated fit-out band that the market pages already publish, so this page can never contradict them.
03General versus commercial
The two segments, side by side
| Segment | Hourly | New build $/sf | Fit-out $/sf |
|---|---|---|---|
| General / residential | $85 – $145 | $22 – $34 | — |
| Commercial | $95 – $165 | $17 – $27 | — |
Why commercial structural steel and welding bills higher
This trade is almost entirely commercial and industrial: certified fabrication, engineered connections and third-party weld inspection. Residential steel is limited to beams and lintels.
What the quoted rate covers
Normally: Shop drawings, fabrication and delivery; Erection, bolting and field welding; Deck supply and installation. Normally not: Connection design by the fabricator's engineer; Third-party weld and bolt inspection; Fireproofing and intumescent coating; Crane standby beyond the erection sequence.
Buildlor facts
- Structural steel and welding is 8% of hard cost on a new build.
- Structural steel and welding is 0% of hard cost on a fit-out.
- Hard cost is typically 60 to 75 percent of an all-in budget, so a trade's share of the total is smaller again.
04What moves the number
Cost drivers
- Tonnage and connection count: complexity costs more than weight.
- Fabrication lead time can dictate the entire construction schedule.
- Steel price is a global commodity and moves independently of local labour.
- Fireproofing requirements are a separate trade but are triggered by the steel design.
05By market
Structural steel and welding cost by city
Every market below carries a curated cost factor, so the trade rate moves with it. Markets we publish a dedicated page for are linked.
| Market | Commercial $/sf | General $/sf |
|---|---|---|
| Toronto, ON | $18 – $29 | $24 – $36 |
| Montreal, QC | $16 – $26 | $21 – $33 |
| Calgary, AB | $17 – $26 | $22 – $33 |
| Ottawa, ON | $17 – $27 | $22 – $35 |
| Edmonton, AB | $16 – $26 | $21 – $33 |
| Winnipeg, MB | $16 – $25 | $20 – $31 |
| Mississauga, ON | $18 – $28 | $23 – $36 |
| Vancouver, BC | $19 – $30 | $25 – $39 |
06Questions
How much does structural steel and welding cost per hour?
Structural steel and welding is billed in a band, not at one rate. Commercial work bills above general work for the same hour because of documentation, inspection and coordination. The bands on this page are national baselines; the market table shows how they move by city.
Why is commercial structural steel and welding more expensive than residential?
This trade is almost entirely commercial and industrial: certified fabrication, engineered connections and third-party weld inspection. Residential steel is limited to beams and lintels.
What share of a construction budget is structural steel and welding?
8% of hard cost on a new build and 0% of a fit-out, on the division splits Buildlor publishes. Those shares are how the cost per square foot on this page is derived.
Is this a quote?
No. Buildlor is a data publisher, not a contractor. These are indicative benchmarks for the stage before you tender, and every page states what it excludes.
Buildlor Construction Cost Index · Last updated 2026-01-15 · Maintained by Buildlor Cost Desk
Not advice — Buildlor is a data publisher. We do not bid, price, estimate, or build work, and nothing here is a quote, a tender price, or construction advice. Figures are indicative order-of-magnitude benchmarks for early budgeting and must be confirmed by a qualified cost consultant, quantity surveyor, or general contractor before you rely on them. About Buildlor