Author: admin

  • Procedure for starting jobs

    1. Check the terms.
    2. If the terms demand a deposit DO NOT START. Please check with Ben periodically to see when you can start.

    What does do not start mean?

    • Do not open the drawings.
    • do not read the drawings.
    • do not write RFIs.
    • Do not communicate with the client.
    • Do not do any modelling.
    • And DEFINITELY DO NOT SEND DRAWINGS.
    • Do not start means DO NOT START.

    Reason:

    • If you start, without getting the deposit paid, then you will not get the deposit paid.
    • And clients will know that they can take us for a ride.
    • Because we will not be internally consistent.

  • How can I earn the Big Bucks at Tek1?

    Juniors enter the firm. They complain they have “low wages”. Then they also complain that their earnings are “not stable”……but others are earning HUUUGE dollars.

    Please note – as we improve in our firm, we are always looking towards better pay. But better pay can only come with better skills. And more innovation for the benefit of clients.

    Bonuses

    • Biggest bonus we’ve ever paid in one month to one senior guy was about $6000. Which is a huge, huge bonus. For one month. Add on the wages to that. That’s not bad.

    Wages

    • Top TLs earn anywhere between 1.7 – 2.6 lakhs per month.
    • Then EBs and bonuses come on top of that.

    But why am I not earning that much?

    • It is because you don’t know (much), if at all anything.
    • If you KNOW – then CLIENTS will pay you for your knowledge.
    • If you don’t know then clients will not pay for mistake and ignorance.
    • Clients hire us to help make THEM money.

    How can I earn more?

    • Learn. If i ask you to read a memo – read it and learn it. Don’t pretend you read it, and then lie to cover up your ignorance.
    • Learn the standards: we have standards available. Learn them. Read them.
    • Read Tek1 Memos: We write memos so you can learn and improve.
    • Follow TL instructions: a great way of learning.

    For Bonus Points:

    • Publish what you learn: Every time you learn something that is useful – help other people learn by publishing your learnings on our blog!
    • Publish tutorial videos on Loom: this helps our staff internally and builds confidence with clients.
    • Publish a portfolio of your work: Firstly for your own benefit, and also for clients who will hire you, after seeing your work.
    • And if nothing else – you can use your online presence to BID UP offers from other firms if you want to leave.

    How to maintain a low wage for life:

    • Don’t bother learning.
    • Don’t read standards.
    • Make mistakes, destroy your clients and and apologise and say: “i will take care next time” without actually changing anything.
    • Rather than learning and improving at Tek1 – simply jump from job to job every 12 months for higher increments. That is a strategy that will work in the short run, but probably may not be the best in the long run. Because wherever you go – people will pay you only for what you know.
    • Hurt your clients with mediocre work.

    We will rapidly increase your bonuses / billables if you rapidly learn: We’ve done this with at least two guys. I can’t name them publicly.

    June 2026 – Top Bonuses for Juniors

    Employee A:

    • Join date: 11/12/2023
    • EB and Bonus for June 26: 31454.40
    • Not bad for someone with under 3 years experience.

    Employee B:

    • Join Date: 11/08/2025
    • EB and Bonus for June 26: 19842.48
    • Not bad for someone under 3 years.

    June 2026 – Top Gross Take Home for Juniors

    Employee C:

    • Join Date: 11/08/2025
    • Gross Take Home: 60842
    • Not bad for someone under 3 years.

    Employee D:

    • Join Date: 01/06/2023
    • Gross Take Home: 45930
    • Not bad for someone under 3 years.

    This is just a random month. Some months may be higher. Some lower.

    Consistency

    The best way to have a consistent income is to do consistently great work. There is no other way.

  • Steel Detailing Tips – Things to Watch out for when Steel Interfaces with Precast Panels

    Steel Detailing Tips – Things to Watch out for when Steel Interfaces with Precast Panels

    You need to watch out for:

    • Tolerances and making things fit.
    • The more bolt holes you have, the tighter the tolerances required.
    • If possible, try to eliminate work, time and cost on site.

    Visit https://www.tek1.com.au/category/steel-detailing/

    if you wish to learn more about steel detailing, and Tekla. Video by Ben Koshy.

    For more details about my work. If you’re interested in Tek1 to do your steel detailing, please email: koshy@tek1.com.au with details about your project and a description of your goals / objective.

  • Detailed Precast Take Off

    Full Reports

    Reo Modelled

    Mesh Details

    Snap shots of Model

    Trimble Connect Model

    Full Reports

    Tek1 Precast Take off provides you with full reports on the take off

    • Panel Area
    • Panel volume
    • Panel Weight
    • Reo Weights
    • Caulling Lengths
    • grout Volume
    • Individual Panel information (size, weight vol, reo)
    Panel details with Reo, Ligs
    Panel details with Reo, Ligs
    Precast Model Screen Shots
    Precast Model Screen shots
    MTO Summary Reports
    Precast Model Screen shots
    Precast Model Screen shots
  • How Tekla Defines a Beam’s Coordinate System

    How Tekla Defines a Beam’s Coordinate System

    An explanation of how a Tekla's Beam Coordinate System works.

    The documentation is perfectly opaque. As expected. What is the X and Y and Z axis in relation to a beam?

    Easy. Check the picture.

    Furthermore, now you also know what “Rotation” means in relation to a beam. Tekla does this because it is difficult for humans to define a beam using a change of basic matrix.

    For more information on the code behind it, check out this post, or check out the extension methods I have published and open sourced

    X vector of a beam is always the start and end point of the beam.

    Checkout Tek1’s blog posts for more content on the Tekla Open API. https://www.tek1.com.au/category/tekla-api/

    If you need to hire us to do your Tekla API work, please send us your proposal to koshy@tek1.com.au

  • Tekla API Move Object – Mutates Points Without Telling me!

    Tekla API Move Object – Mutates Points Without Telling me!

    Yet another Tekla API gotcha.

    If you wanna waste many hours wondering why your code doesn’t work – try the Tekla API!

    Here is a note for the benefit of the public – where they mutate objects – which SHOULD NOT be mutated. Perhaps they have their own reasons, but the general boy-scount principle(s) should apply:

    • The principle of LEAST surprise, and
    • Leave things AS YOU FOUND THEM.

    They voilate both, IMO:

    Working with the Tekla API is just unecessarily difficult!

    Checkout Tek1’s blog posts for more content on the Tekla Open API.

    If you need to hire us to do your Tekla API work, please send us your proposal to koshy@tek1.com.au

  • FromCoordinateSystem and ToCoordinateSystem Explained (Tekla Open API)

    FromCoordinateSystem and ToCoordinateSystem Explained (Tekla Open API)

    The documentation of the Tekla API – IMO is inadequate. That is why we need supplemental explanations and code samples.

    Here is another example that hopefully benefits the community.

    I have written a bunch of extension methods (Tekla.ExtensionMethods) that would hopefully simplify a lot of the headaches associated with using the API. This is already published as an Open Source project under an MIT license and is available on Nuget. As of 2026-06-25 it is released under an alpha release – meaning that the API might change drastically.

    Checkout Tek1’s blog posts for more content on the Tekla Open API.

    If you need to hire us to do your Tekla API work, please send us your proposal to koshy@tek1.com.au

  • Freeway Gantries and Signage

    Freeway Gantries and Signage

    Shop drawings for Signages

    Steel Detailing and shop drawings for Airport Gantries at Tullamarine Airport

    (more…)
    GANTRY SIGNAGE
    GANTRY SIGNAGE

    Shop drawings for Signages

    Steel Detailing and shop drawings for Airport Gantries at Tullamarine Airport

    (more…)
    GANTRY SIGNAGE
    GANTRY SIGNAGE

    Shop drawings for Signages

    Steel Detailing and shop drawings for Airport Gantries at Tullamarine Airport

    (more…)
  • Office / Ware House Projects

    • Millar Warehouse

      Tek1 has successfully completed the industrial project for the reputed organisation in Australia. This project does not have any structural design drawings. Instead, the client has provided sample design drawings. Therefore, we need to coordinate our structural design with the architect’s drawings. We need to provide structural support for an overhead crane. TEK1 has provided…

    • PROPOSED WAREHOUSE DEVELOPMENT AT 29-33 HAWKER STREET.

    • WAREHOUSE LINK ROOF

      TEK1 Successfully done this warehouse link roof by one time detailing without any hitch.

    • WAREHOUSE STRUCTURAL STEEL SHOP DRAWINGS

      This is a Video of Bunnings Warehouse Bunnings Warehouse was a design and build project for us. We have been given original structural drawings to make it suitable for manufacture overseas in China. These instructions along with very short delivery times added significant challenges in shop drawings. One of the requirements by the clients was…

    • KEV GRESS STAIR

      Steel Stairs | Melbourne | Sydney | WA

    • FARM SHEDS

      SHEDS | Class 9 Structures

    • Fast Track to Tekla Career

      Fast Track to a Tekla Career

    • Exporting Tekla Models to Strumis in bswx format

    • How to Create a Curved Beam using the Tekla Open API (c#)

    • Tek1 RFI System

    • Reload reference model

    • Adding surface finish to Single part Drawings

    • Showing N bars on beams

    • What is a work shop drawing

    • New requirements for Stairs as per AS 1657-2013

    • Tekla Tutorial | Add Points

    • FORCING LOOSE PARTS TO TAKE ASSY MARKS

    • Estimation Services

    • Miscellaneous Steel Detailing: Stairways, Balustrades, Handrails to Australian and US Codes