Steel Detailing | Precast Detailing | Estimation

Month: May 2025

  • Steel Finishes – what are they? Why should I care?

    What is HGD?  

    • It is an acronym for hot dipped galvanising.
    • It’s when you dip steel into a bath of molten zinc. But why? To protect steel from the elements.
    • Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXm9DlMfQtQ
    • Note: you will need to prepare steel in order to galvanise. This may involve adding holes to the steel, in order explosions in the galvanising bath, so that air can always escape.

    What is primer?

    • It is a coating you apply to steel, in order to help paint stick on to it. It can also have some durability benefits e.g. preventing corrosion.
    • Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLO-lv1mNLo

    What is EPOXY?

    • A type of primer.

    You must follow the finish notes listed in Engineer and Architectural drawings.

    If the steel is exposed to the elements, it will usually be specified as Hot Dip Galvanized (HDG). For interior structural steel, a primer coating is typically applied. And perhaps, where required, a top coat finish will be applied to make it look aesthetically pleasing.

    What happens if you ignore or avoid finishes?

    • Rework & Labor Costs:
      Mistakes in applying paint, primer, or epoxy can lead to complete rectivication works. HDG requires a lead time and is particularly expensive.
    • Increased Maintenance: with poorly applied finishes.
    • Structural Damage Repair: with mis-specified finishes.
    • Legal and Warranty Implications: You could lose insurance.
    • Financial Impact: Could be significant.

    What is the lesson learned?

    • When steel detailing, it is critical that you look carefully at the finishes of steel. 

  • Memo 47 – Mediocre Work will incur demerits

    Axiomatic statement:

    Clients will only pay for fantastic work, not “mediocre” work.

    If the work is mediocre here is what will happen:

    • Client will not pay you for your existing jobs.
    • The client will walk away.
    • If that happens, how do you plan to get paid?
    • If you have any remaining clients, and if you service them poorly – then you will lose those clients as well.
    • Then you will be forced to reduce your prices, out of desperation in order to win the little work available.

    Every business in the world faces this problem.

    We are not a government office. We are operating in a highly competitive and commodified market. This means it’s easy for clients to get another detailer. And if that happens en masse then we will all lose our jobs. Every one of us.

    Till now, it has been the policy of the firm to make corrections by mere words.

    This has not proven very effective because mistakes have been repeated: especially when people have been warned via memos, training videos, phone calls, messages etc. I will accept that not everyone will bother to educate themselves – which is fine. From now on you will be educated by a demerit system:

    • A formal record of your performance (of mediocre work).
    • And you may incur a tariff which will be applied against your bonuses / EBs.

    YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. Igorance of this memo is not a good excuse.

    Mediocre work will be penalised with demerits / backcharges.

  • VSBA-School-Building-51

    VSBA-School-Building-51

    We are proud to be a part of the team in VSBA School-51 project.

    Our detailing team worked closely with architects to ensure tolerances and offsets were met without compromising design intent With a limited fabrication and erection window, our detailing team adopted a fast-track workflow using Tekla Structures for 3D modeling.

    This allowed us to provide early shop drawings for procurement and parallel review of sections still under coordination.

  • Maclean Water Reservoir Stairs

    Maclean Water Reservoir Stairs

  • A New Addition to Launceston Christian School, Tasmania

    A New Addition to Launceston Christian School, Tasmania

    Let’s dive into the exciting expansion at Launceston Christian School in Tasmania—a thoughtfully designed new building covering an area of 1,440 square meters. This structure adds essential facilities to the campus, including classrooms, an auditorium, a storage room, and a library.

    Challenges:

    A key engineering challenge in this project was related to the cast-in base plates. These base plates had to be finalized and fabricated before the slab pour could begin. This required us to release accurate base plate fabrication drawings and exact location details early in the project timeline.

    Since altering column positions later would not be feasible—especially if rafter alignments or other components demanded changes—we had to finalize all column locations at the earliest stage. This meant that the column modeling had to be both precise and quick.

    Once the column layout was locked in, the modeling of the beams and girts progressed smoothly without any complications.

    This project serves as a great example of how early coordination, clarity in design, and proactive decision-making contribute to successful structural outcomes.

  • Claiming Variations Made Easy

    Navigating the Maze of Contract Variations: Documentation is Your Compass

    Estimating contract variations can feel like navigating a minefield – time-consuming, fraught with disputes, and often leading to costly litigation. Securing payment for variations hinges on one crucial element: impeccable documentation that leaves no room for argument.

    It’s no secret that estimators command significant salaries, largely dedicated to the intricate task of unraveling and quantifying these changes.

    So, how does Tek1 empower you to confidently claim contract variations when design drawings shift?

    We understand firsthand the frustration of pursuing variation claims without bulletproof evidence. That’s why we developed a proprietary app – a game-changer for our clients. This isn’t a publicly available tool; it’s an exclusive advantage for those who partner with us on their projects.

    Unlocking the Power of Real-Time Documentation

    Our app revolutionizes the variation claim process by putting the power directly in the hands of those closest to the changes: the detailers.

    Imagine this: As soon as a drawing change occurs, the detailer meticulously documents it within the app. This includes:

    • Precise markups of the alterations on the drawings.
    • Detailed reports of added or removed materials with quantities.
    • Specific notes on additional work required, both in detailing and fabrication.
    • A clear breakdown of the detailer’s associated costs.
    • All this information compiled into a single line item, complete with supporting attachments.

    Instantly, our clients gain access to this comprehensive documentation, alongside readily available Excel spreadsheets and PDF reports (with and without pricing).

    Effortless Claiming for Our Clients

    Claiming for variations becomes a streamlined process:

    • Instant Access: All the necessary data is available at the click of a button. No more time wasted chasing information or sifting through emails.
    • Transparent Costing: Our detailed breakdown provides a clear foundation for your claim.
    • Simplified Upstream Process: Your team can easily integrate our costs, add your own material and labor expenses, and confidently present a well-supported variation claim. (While the final upstream process involves your specific procedures, our app provides the bedrock of information you need.)

    The Undeniable Value of This Level of Reporting

    Consider the tangible benefits our app delivers:

    • Eliminate Time-Consuming Collation: No more hours spent gathering and organizing change-related information.
    • Strengthen Justification: The detailed documentation speaks for itself, significantly reducing the potential for disputes.
    • Instant Excel Reports: Generate comprehensive reports with a single click, ready for upstreaming with your added costs.

    By providing this level of clarity and detail, Tek1 empowers our clients to claim variations accurately, efficiently, and with the confidence that comes from having indisputable documentation at their fingertips.