Custom steel fabrication workshop

Contractors, builders, farms, small manufacturers and private homeowners who need one-off or short-run steel work.

Quoted price per job, based on materials, your hourly shop rate and finishing. Repeat trade clients give steadier work than one-off home jobs.

• Welding and metal cutting
• Reading drawings and measuring accurately
• Quoting jobs and managing deadlines

• General custom fabrication usually needs no trade-specific licence, but check with your city or municipality whether you need a business licence and an occupancy or zoning approval for your unit
• Welding certification: structural work and some building or pressure-related jobs may require certified welders or a certified fabrication shop (for example through the Canadian Welding Bureau), so check with your province and your customers before quoting this work
• Commercial general liability insurance, plus fire cover for your unit and equipment
• Fire code and ventilation rules for your unit, and workers' compensation coverage (WCB/WSIB or equivalent) if you hire; check with your provincial board
• Steel price swings, so build quote validity dates into your pricing
• In Quebec, check with the RBQ and CCQ whether any of your work counts as construction work with its own licence or requirements

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around $15,000 to $60,000 CAD, depending on the unit you rent, the welding and cutting equipment you buy and the materials you hold. Get local quotes for your own situation.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $6,000 to $30,000, depending on the jobs you win, your mix of clients and the hours you work. Steel price swings can affect margins, so build quote validity dates into pricing.

General custom fabrication usually needs no trade-specific licence, but check for a business licence and zoning approval for your unit. Structural or pressure-related work may require certified welders or a certified shop. In Quebec, check RBQ and CCQ requirements.