Small steel erection crew for contractors

Steel fabricators, general contractors and builders of warehouses, farm buildings, retail units and small industrial sites.

Fixed price per job, per tonne of steel or per day for the crew. Repeat work from a few fabricators or contractors keeps the crew busy between jobs.

• Ironworker training or experience on steel sites
• Rigging, signalling and working at height
• Reading structural drawings
• Managing a crew and safety paperwork

• Provincial trade certification rules for ironworkers, check your provincial regulator
• Commercial general liability insurance and WCB/WSIB coverage, which large contractors usually ask to see before you start
• Fall protection, rigging and crane safety training required by your province
• Cash flow: contractors may pay 30 to 60 days after invoicing
• Winter weather and seasonal slowdowns in many regions
• Very high injury risk, so never cut corners on safety

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around $15,000 to $60,000 CAD, depending on tools, rigging gear and safety equipment, and whether lifting equipment is rented or supplied by contractors.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $12,000 to $50,000 CAD, depending on crew size, job type and how steady your contractor work is. These are estimates, not guarantees, and contractors may pay well after invoicing, so plan cash flow.

Check provincial trade certification rules for ironworkers with your provincial regulator. Also check fall protection, rigging and crane safety training required by your province, and insurance, including liability and WCB/WSIB coverage that large contractors usually ask to see.