Quoting
What plans do we need to quote your steel frame?
By Lockyer Sheds, Crowley Vale QLD ·Ready to quote · 6 min read · Published
Short answer
To quote a steel frame, Lockyer Sheds needs your floor plans, elevations, sections and a roof plan, plus the site address so the wind classification can be worked out. Engineering, if it already exists, helps. PDF is the easiest format. Early concept plans can be priced as a budget figure; a firm quote needs the plans that will be built.
The short list
- Floor plans with dimensions, including every level.
- Elevations showing wall heights, openings and roof shape.
- At least one section through the building, showing ceiling heights and roof pitch.
- A roof plan showing hips, valleys, pitches and overhangs.
- The site address.
- Any structural engineering already prepared for the job.
- Which parts you want: wall frames, roof trusses, floor system or all three.
Why each drawing matters
Floor plans
Floor plans give us the wall layout: lengths, positions, which walls are load-bearing, and where doors and windows sit. Clear dimensions save a round of questions.
Elevations and sections
Elevations and sections set wall heights, opening heights, ceiling lines and the roof pitch. Raked ceilings, split levels and changes in plate height all show up here, and each changes the frame.
Roof plan
Trusses are designed for the roof, so the roof plan does a lot of work. Pitches, hips, valleys, overhangs and the roof material all feed into the truss design.
Site address
Wind actions for housing are determined to AS 4055 or AS/NZS 1170.2, and the result depends on the site. NASH Part 2 design solutions cover wind classifications N1 to N4 and C1 to C2. Sites outside that range, and buildings outside the AS 4055 limits (eaves height 6 m, overall height 8.5 m, width 16 m, length five times width, roof pitch 35 degrees), need engineered design. The address lets us work out where your job sits.
Existing engineering
If an engineer has already designed beams, lintels, bracing or tie-downs for the job, send those drawings. They affect what we supply and stop two designs drifting apart.
File formats
PDF is the easiest format for everyone. Send a full set rather than screenshots, at a scale where dimensions can be read. If your designer works in CAD, DWG files are welcome in addition to the PDFs. You can attach plans to the quote form; they are stored privately and are only seen by our team.
What we don't need for a frame quote
Interior finishes, colour selections and landscaping don't affect the frame. Electrical and plumbing layouts are useful only where they change the framing, for example a large penetration or a wall that has to carry a heavy fixture. If in doubt, include the full drawing set and we will pick out what matters.
Early plans and budget prices
Concept plans can be priced to give you a budget figure while the design is settling. Treat it as a guide: a change to the roof, an extra opening or a taller wall will move the number. When the plans are final, send them again for a firm quote. Any change after the frame layouts are approved costs more than a change made on paper.
Extensions and alterations
For an extension, we need to know where the new frame meets the existing building: the existing wall heights, floor levels and roof line at the junction. Photos of the junction help, as do any existing plans. If the existing house is timber-framed, tell us, because the connection detail is designed with that in mind.
Duplexes, townhouses and multi-unit jobs
For more than one dwelling, send the full set for every unit type and a site plan showing how many of each there are. Tell us how you plan to stage the build, because that changes how the kits are packed and delivered. Where units mirror each other, say so on the drawings; it saves checking. Owner-builders should note that QBCC does not allow owner-builders to build duplexes or multiple dwellings.
Common gaps that slow a quote
- No roof plan, so pitches and hips have to be guessed from elevations.
- Elevations that don't match the floor plan because one was updated and the other wasn't.
- No site address, so the wind classification can't be worked out.
- Scanned drawings where dimensions can't be read.
- No indication of whether the floor system, the roof trusses or both are wanted.
If your plan set has one of these gaps, send it anyway and we will ask the specific question rather than hold the whole quote.
Quote checklist
| Item | Needed for | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Floor plans (all levels) | Wall layout and floor system | Yes |
| Elevations | Wall heights, openings, roof shape | Yes |
| Section | Ceiling heights, roof pitch | Yes |
| Roof plan | Truss design | Yes, for trusses |
| Site address | Wind classification and delivery | Yes |
| Structural engineering | Beams, lintels, tie-downs already designed | If it exists |
| DWG files | Faster detailing | Optional |
| Supply or supply and erect | Scope of quote | Tell us |
Note:Quote turnaround depends on the size and completeness of the plans. We confirm it when we receive them. Queensland applies NCC 2022 until 1 May 2027, when NCC 2025 is adopted. Clause numbers on this page are NCC 2022 references and will be reviewed after that date.
Next step
Attach your plans to the quote form or call 07 2142 1772 to talk through what you have. We will tell you if anything is missing before we price the job.