Direct Answer
Steel detailing fees for a typical commercial project run 5–10% of the total fabrication cost, or roughly $0.50–
Full Explanation
Detailing fee drivers: (1) Member count — more pieces = more drawings = more cost. (2) Connection complexity — standard shear tabs are fast to detail; seismic moment connections take 3–5× longer per connection. (3) BIM requirements — LOD 400 models with IFC deliverables cost 20–30% more than LOD 300. (4) Schedule — rushed delivery (faster than 6 weeks for a mid-size project) typically adds 15–25% premium. (5) Revision volume — projects with significant design changes after modeling begins add cost. Most detailers price on a lump sum or per-drawing basis after reviewing design documents.
What This Means for Your Shop
Detailing is typically 1–3% of total project cost but has an outsize impact on your fabrication cost. A $50,000 detailing investment that produces clean BOM outputs and zero field fit-up issues saves far more than that in fabrication efficiency.
Common Mistakes
Selecting the lowest-cost detailer without evaluating their track record with similar connection types. A detailer who is 20% cheaper but generates 3× the RFIs and 2 revision rounds costs more in total project impact.
Recommended Process
Get detailing proposals from 2–3 firms with relevant experience. Evaluate on: fee, schedule, revision allowance, and BIM deliverables included in scope. Ask about their per-revision pricing — some firms include a set number of revision rounds; additional rounds can add significantly to the base fee.