An RSJ supply price is only one part of the cost of changing an opening. A useful project budget also records who pays for design, approvals, fabrication, delivery, installation, protection and making good.
RSJ.info does not have a verified survey of current contractor prices, so this guide does not claim a typical 2026 total. Instead, the examples below show how to compare quotations without overlooking exclusions or counting an item twice. All example amounts are invented for the arithmetic.
Separate the packages before collecting prices
Start with the issued design where available. If the design is still being developed, mark quotation assumptions and unresolved items clearly.
| Budget package | What to ask the quotation to identify |
|---|---|
| Survey and engineering | Visits, investigations, calculations, drawings and revisions |
| Approval process | Application charges, submissions and responses to queries |
| Steel supply | Section, grade, lengths, fabrication, finish and drawing revision |
| Delivery and handling | Transport, unloading and the agreed site access arrangement |
| Temporary works and installation | Scope, responsibility, labour and equipment |
| Protection and finishes | Specified fire and corrosion systems, reinstatement and making good |
| Other affected work | Services, decoration, waste and any separately appointed trades |
Assign each item to one party. A builder may include a service that another builder expects you to purchase separately. Use “unquoted” for missing information; entering zero makes an incomplete estimate look complete.
Two offers can have different totals for the same steel
Suppose the same issued order receives these fictional offers. All amounts below are net, before the same assumed VAT treatment.
| Item | Offer A | Offer B |
|---|---|---|
| Steel as initially priced | £688 | £760 |
| Required fabrication | £180 extra | Included |
| Required finish | £90 extra | Included |
| Delivery | £120 | £100 |
| Comparable net supply total | £1,078 | £860 |
Offer A’s headline steel price is lower, but its comparable supply total is £218 higher once the stated extras are included. This example says nothing about current prices or supplier quality. It shows why the scope next to a price matters.
Both offers might still exclude unloading or contain different delivery conditions. Resolve those differences before calling either quotation a complete installed price.
Turn a supply quote into a recorded project subtotal
For a separate arithmetic example, assume a net steel-and-delivery package of £808 with 20% VAT. Its gross amount is £969.60. Suppose the following other amounts have already been quoted including any applicable VAT:
| Entered package | Gross amount |
|---|---|
| Steel and delivery | £969.60 |
| Engineering | £420.00 |
| Approval charges | £260.00 |
| Temporary works and installation | £1,800.00 |
| Protection and making good | £650.00 |
| Total of entered amounts | £4,099.60 |
These figures are a fictional budgeting exercise, not a market quotation. They do not establish the tax treatment of any actual service. If an item is not priced, retain it as an outstanding item rather than implying that this subtotal is the final cost.
The quote calculator can reproduce this example: enter the steel quantities and rate, delivery, the applicable VAT rate, and £3,130 as other gross costs. Those other costs are not taxed again by the tool.
Keep VAT and currency visible
Record whether each amount is net or gross. The UK tool defaults to the standard 20% VAT rate, but your quotation determines the actual treatment. Do not add VAT to an amount that already includes it.
The Poland option uses PLN and its own editable default. It is not an import-cost or currency-conversion feature. Compare cross-border purchases only after identifying currency, delivery, tax and transaction scope; the calculator does not resolve those questions.
Keep the budget current as the design changes
Save quotation dates, expiry dates, drawing revisions, exclusions and payment stages. When the design changes, ask which packages need repricing. A revised steel order can affect fabrication, handling and finishes as well as material mass.
Keep any contingency separate from quoted work and explain the uncertainty it covers. There is no universal percentage on this page. See the calculator instructions for the arithmetic and installation quotation guide for contractor scope questions.
Structural work must be designed by a chartered structural engineer and receive the applicable Building Control approval. A budget does not establish a suitable beam or construction method.