A steel beam's price in Canada is mostly a function of its weight, because steel is sold by mass: a heavier section costs more per metre, and every cut, hole, plate and coat of primer is added on top. That's why a "cost per foot" only means something for one specific beam size, and why two quotes for "a steel beam" can be far apart. Below is what goes into a beam price, how to turn a beam size into a weight you can price, and what to send to get a real number.
Why beam price follows beam weight
Wide-flange beams (W-shapes) are named by depth and mass. In metric, W200x27 is a beam about 200 mm deep that weighs 27 kg per metre. The imperial name for the same beam is W8x18: about 8 inches deep and 18 lb per foot. Our guide to reading steel beam sizes goes through the naming in detail.
Because the mass is built into the name, you can estimate the steel in a beam yourself:
- Take the second number in the metric name (kg per metre).
- Multiply by the length in metres.
- Add plates and connection material if the beam is fabricated.
So a W200x27 at 6 m is about 162 kg of beam. A W250x45 at the same length is about 270 kg, roughly two-thirds more steel, and the raw material price rises with it. This is the "steel beam cost calculator" that every estimator uses: length × mass per metre, then a weight-based price.
To go between units: there are 3.281 feet in a metre and 2.2046 lb in a kg. A price per kg becomes a price per metre by multiplying by the beam's kg/m, and a price per metre becomes a price per foot by dividing by 3.281.
The parts of a beam price
Raw beam
The base cost of the section itself. W-shapes in Canada are typically supplied to ASTM A992, often dual-certified to CSA G40.21 350W, and the grade is set by the engineer. Beams come from the mill in standard stock lengths, so how your lengths cut out of those stock lengths affects how much material you pay for.
Fabrication
This is where beam quotes diverge most:
- Cutting to exact length, square or with copes where the beam frames into another beam.
- Holes for bolted connections, drilled or punched to the shop drawings.
- Connection material such as shear tabs, clip angles, end plates and stiffeners, all cut, drilled and welded.
- Bearing plates where the beam sits on a wall, post or column.
- Camber, when the engineer calls for the beam to be curved upward slightly so it ends up flatter under load. See heat cambering vs cold cambering for how that is done.
- Splices, when a beam is too long to deliver or carry in as one piece. A splice must be designed by the engineer, not improvised.
A beam with two simple bearing ends is quick to fabricate. A beam with moment connections, multiple copes and welded stiffeners can take many times the shop hours of the same weight of plain beam.
Finish
Bare mill finish, shop primer, finish paint, or hot-dip galvanizing for exterior or exposed work. Galvanizing is a separate process at a galvanizing plant, so it also affects schedule and transport.
Drawings and engineering
Shop drawings turn the engineer's design into piece-by-piece fabrication drawings and are usually needed for anything beyond a simple residential beam. Connection design is part of some contracts and not others, so check which applies.
Delivery and installation
Long beams need suitable trucks and unloading equipment. Access matters: a beam going into a house basement may need to fit through a window or door, which affects the length you can deliver and install. Installation is priced separately from supply, and for a basement job it often includes temporary shoring done by the installer under the designer's instructions. For a full picture of a house beam job, read what it costs to install a steel beam in a basement.
What changes the price over time
The underlying steel price moves with the market: mill pricing, raw material and scrap costs, energy and demand. Canada's trade measures add another layer. The US continues to apply Section 232 tariffs to Canadian steel, Canada applies surtaxes to many US-origin steel products (increased effective September 8, 2026), and imports from other countries are subject to tariff rate quotas (structural steel is one of the covered product classes) with a surtax above quota. The practical effects for beam buyers are that the source of the steel can change the cost, and quotes may carry shorter validity periods or material escalation clauses. Ask about both.
Ways to keep beam cost down without cutting corners
The design sets the beam, but some practical choices still affect what you pay:
- Order beams and posts together. One fabricator making the beam, the posts and their plates means connections that match and one delivery.
- Repeat sizes where the engineer allows it. Fewer different sections and repeated connection details are faster to buy and fabricate.
- Do the holes in the shop. Field drilling through flanges is slow, and holes in the wrong place are expensive to fix.
- Raise access early. If the beam must be spliced to get it into a basement, the engineer needs to design that splice before fabrication, not after delivery.
- Pick the finish for the location. Primer for beams that will be enclosed indoors; galvanizing where the steel is exposed to weather.
- Have the site ready. A crew and truck waiting for posts, footings or temporary support to be finished is time you pay for.
How to compare beam quotes
Lay the quotes side by side and check these points before looking at the total:
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Beam size and grade | A lighter or different beam is not an equivalent |
| Length and number of pieces | Splices and extra pieces add fabrication |
| Connections and plates included | Supply-only quotes often leave these out |
| Holes and copes | Site drilling is slower and less accurate |
| Finish | Primer, paint and galvanizing are different scopes |
| Shop drawings and engineering | Some quotes include them, some assume you supply them |
| Delivery, unloading, installation | Can be a large part of a small job |
| Quote validity | Steel prices can move between quote and order |
A supply-only beam and a fabricated, delivered and installed beam are different products. If one quote seems much lower, it is usually because it covers less.
What to send for an accurate beam quote
Send the structural drawings if you have them, or the engineer's or designer's beam schedule. At a minimum we need:
- Beam size (for example W200x27) and grade
- Length and quantity of each beam
- Connection and bearing details: plates, holes, how it attaches to posts or columns
- Camber or splice requirements, if any
- Finish
- Site address, access limits (basement window, laneway, crane access) and whether you need installation
If you don't have a beam size yet, that comes first from a designer or engineer. Our W-shape size chart shows what the common sizes look like, but it is not a substitute for a design.
Get beam pricing from Procut
We supply wide-flange beams cut to length or fabricated with connections, plates and camber as specified, with CWB certified shop welding and in-house shop drawings. We deliver across the GTA and Ontario and install, from basement beams and posts on houses to larger commercial frames.
Send your drawings or beam schedule for a free take-off and quote, or browse our steel beams and other steel products.
Frequently asked questions
Why do suppliers quote steel beams per foot if steel is sold by weight?
Per-foot or per-metre prices are a convenience. They are worked out from a weight-based price multiplied by the beam's mass per metre, so they only apply to that one size. A deeper or heavier beam costs more per foot because it contains more steel.
How do I estimate how much a steel beam weighs?
For metric W-shapes the second number in the name is the mass in kg per metre. A W200x27 weighs about 27 kg per metre, so a 6 m beam is roughly 162 kg before any plates or connections.
Is the cheapest beam quote the best one?
Only if it covers the same scope. Check that the beam size, grade, length, connections, bearing plates, finish, delivery and installation all match before comparing totals.
Can I just buy a beam and have it cut on site?
You can buy raw beam from a service centre, but connections, bearing plates and holes are much easier and more accurate in a shop. The beam size and its connections should come from your designer or engineer.
