Small steel erection crew for light commercial jobs
Lead a small crew that erects structural steel frames for builders and developers on small commercial and multi-family projects.
- $15k-70k
- Full-time
- Out and about
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the US, not guarantees.
Official data
4,005 US businesses with employees in this field, +0.8% in a year
NAICS 238120 “Structural steel and precast concrete contractors”. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
What it is
A small crew that sets, bolts and welds structural steel (columns, beams, joists and decking) on small commercial, retail, warehouse and multi-family buildings, working from fabricators' drawings.
Your first three steps
- Get experience on an erection crew, or hire an experienced foreman, and complete OSHA 10 or 30 plus fall protection training
- Check your state's contractor licensing rules, then set up an LLC, get an EIN and quotes for general liability and workers' comp insurance
- Introduce yourself to local steel fabricators and general contractors, and bid on a few small jobs to build references
Who pays
General contractors, developers and steel fabricators who hire erectors as subcontractors.
How it makes money
Fixed price per job or per ton of steel erected, or time-and-materials rates for smaller work, billed in stages as the job progresses.
Skills that help
- Reading structural drawings
- Welding and bolting
- Safe working at height
- Crew leadership and scheduling
Watch out for
- Insurance can be costly for steel work; get quotes before you bid, as general contractors will ask for certificates
- Check whether your state or city requires a contractor license for structural steel work
- Welders may need certification (such as AWS) for structural jobs; check what each project requires
- Work at height is high risk, so follow OSHA fall protection rules and keep training records
- Slow payment is common, so check your payment terms and cash flow before taking large jobs
- Some public projects require bonding or prevailing wage payroll; check the requirements
Deep research report · US
Everything you need to start: small steel erection crew for light commercial jobs
Researched with live web search for United States: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a steel erection crew?
Startup costs are typically around $15,000 to $70,000, depending on your equipment, tools and insurance. These are estimates. Insurance can be costly for steel work, so get quotes before you bid.
How much can a small steel erection crew earn?
Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $8,000 to $40,000, depending on the jobs you win and their size. That is revenue before crew, insurance and equipment costs. Slow payment is common, so check payment terms. Expect at least 30 hours a week.
What licenses and rules should I check for steel erection work?
Check whether your state or city requires a contractor license for structural steel work, what welder certification each project requires, and OSHA fall protection rules. Also check bonding or prevailing wage payroll requirements on public projects, and get insurance certificates ready for general contractors.
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