On an industrial building the first question is often “how many tons?” Tonnage shows material scale, not difficulty. The same 180 tonnes is one package on a simple warehouse roof and another in a production hall with a double-girder crane. At NFS Çelik & Yapı we price the structural, fabrication and erection package — not a pile of steel.
Three differences tonnage hides
First, connections. A welded moment joint and a bolted, site-friendly joint can weigh the same and still change shop hours and crew size. Second, finish and shipping. If the paint system, piece lengths and truck lots are not fixed before cutting plate, parts stack up on site. Third, temporary stability. A wide-span hall may need temporary bracing for wind and crane movement during erection — work that never appears on a tonnage sheet.
What a usable enquiry includes
Geometry and spans, crane class and wheel loads, the delivery boundary (steel only, or anchors and secondary facade steel as well), access and neighbouring-structure limits. A permit drawing is not enough; the loads and connection approach that will enter the fabrication model need to be written down. Every missing line comes back either as contingency or as a later revision.
That is why we do not price a “cost per tonne” question until it becomes “which loads, which joints, which site sequence?” A clear scope puts the shop and the erection crew on the same line.
