By the Templateez Team · Licensed Attorney · June 2026

Metalwork and Fabrication Intake Forms: What to Document Before the First Weld

A metalwork shop that starts fabricating without a clear specification document is a shop that eats revision time, argues over scope, and occasionally builds the wrong thing entirely. Metal is not forgiving. A framing carpenter can rip out a miscut stud and grab another one. A welder who burns through the wrong stock or fabricates a railing to the wrong dimension is looking at scrap costs, rebooking the welding table, and explaining to a client why the delivery date slipped.

Most fabrication shops collect a client name, a rough description, and a budget range. That is enough to write a ballpark quote. It is not enough to build from. A real metalwork intake form captures the project type, the material specification, the process, the finish, the dimensions, the installation requirements, and the regulatory constraints that determine whether the job is profitable and whether the finished piece actually fits where the client intends to put it. Here is what that form should cover, and why each section matters.

Project type: structural, ornamental, or custom fabrication

Metalwork covers an enormous range of work, and the first thing your intake needs to do is establish which category the project falls into. The category determines your process, your materials, your finishing options, and often whether any engineering or code compliance is involved:

• Structural steel — beams, columns, lintels, angle iron support for masonry openings, steel moment frames. Structural steel that is part of a building's load path typically requires stamped engineering drawings and inspection. If a client asks you to fabricate a structural beam for a residential addition, your intake needs to ask whether there are engineering drawings. If there are none, that is a problem to surface before you cut steel, not after.
• Ornamental iron — railings, gates, fences, balconies, window guards, stair balusters, driveway entries. Ornamental iron is the broadest category in most residential and light commercial metalwork shops. The work ranges from replicating a simple flat-bar railing to fabricating an elaborate scrollwork gate. Capture the style, whether the client has reference photos or drawings, and whether it needs to match existing work on the property.
• Custom fabrication — one-off pieces that do not fit a standard product category: custom furniture (steel table bases, shelving brackets, bed frames), architectural elements (canopy frames, awning armatures, stair stringers), industrial tooling, equipment stands, or anything the client has drawn on a napkin and brought to you. Custom work is where clear documentation matters most, because there is no catalog item to reference and every assumption left undocumented becomes a dispute.
• Repair and restoration — fixing damaged or deteriorated metalwork: corroded railings, broken gate hardware, bent structural members, cracked welds. Repair work requires your intake to document the existing condition, the cause of the damage if known (impact, corrosion, overload), and whether the repair needs to restore original appearance or just structural function.
• Industrial and commercial — equipment guards, mezzanine platforms, material handling frames, dock bumpers, pipe supports, cable trays. Commercial work often comes with engineering specifications already prepared. Capture whether drawings exist and who is responsible for code submission and inspection.

Material specification: the choice that drives cost, process, and longevity

"Metal" is not a specification. Different metals have different costs, different weldability, different corrosion behavior, and different finishing requirements. Capturing the material at intake prevents the situation where a client expects stainless and you quote mild steel:

• Mild steel (A36) — the workhorse material for most structural and ornamental fabrication. It welds easily, machines well, and is available in every standard shape (flat bar, angle, square tube, round tube, plate, pipe, channel, beam). The major limitation is corrosion — mild steel rusts without a protective finish. For exterior work, this is not optional. Capture the intended environment (interior, exterior, coastal, industrial) so you can spec the right finish from the start.
• Stainless steel — 304 for most architectural and decorative applications, 316 for marine and coastal environments where chloride corrosion is a concern. Stainless is significantly more expensive than mild steel, harder to weld without heat distortion, and requires different consumables. It also shows fingerprints and scratches more readily than a powder-coated mild steel piece. If a client asks for "stainless railing" your intake should confirm the grade, because they will not know the difference between 304 and 316 until they see the bill.
• Aluminum — lightweight, naturally corrosion-resistant, and well-suited for exterior applications where weight matters (awning frames, overhead canopies, marine work). Aluminum requires TIG welding and different filler metals, and it does not respond to the same finishing processes as steel. It cannot be powder-coated to the same adhesion level as steel without an appropriate pretreatment. Capture whether the client is requesting aluminum specifically, or whether they assume "doesn't rust" means stainless.
• Wrought iron — historically the material of choice for ornamental work; rarely used in new fabrication today because it is expensive and difficult to source. Most modern "wrought iron" appearance is achieved with mild steel and appropriate finishing. If a client asks for wrought iron, clarify whether they mean the material or the aesthetic. Genuine wrought iron restoration or replication for historic properties is a different job than standard ornamental fabrication.
• Cast iron — repair and restoration work on existing cast iron (old fencing, historic architectural elements, radiators) is a specialty. Cast iron cannot be welded with standard MIG or TIG processes — it requires either nickel-based filler with strict preheat and slow cooling protocols, or brazing. If a client brings in a broken cast iron piece, your intake should note the base material so you do not burn it up in the booth trying to MIG it.
• Bronze and copper — architectural metalwork for high-end applications: decorative panels, hardware, custom door pulls, sculpture. These materials are expensive, require specialized finishing, and develop a patina over time that clients either want or absolutely do not want. Capture whether the client intends to let the piece age naturally, maintain a polished finish, or apply a chemical patina at delivery.

Welding process: matching the process to the job

Most clients do not care which welding process you use, and most of the time that is fine because you will make the process decision based on the material and application. But your intake form should capture enough information that the estimator can flag any process-specific cost or lead time implications before the quote goes out:

• MIG (GMAW) — the fast, versatile process for mild steel fabrication. High deposition rate, relatively easy to achieve consistent welds, and well-suited for production work and repeat components. For most structural and ornamental mild steel work, MIG is the default. Note if the joint configuration or position (overhead, vertical) suggests that MIG may not be optimal.
• TIG (GTAW) — slower and more expensive than MIG, but produces cleaner, more precise welds with minimal spatter. Required for stainless steel and aluminum, and preferred for visible welds on ornamental work where cosmetics matter. If a client is ordering a stainless railing for a high-end lobby, TIG welds finished with a consistent brushed or mirror-polished appearance are part of the spec, not an upgrade. Capture the finish quality expectation so you can quote the right process from the start.
• Stick (SMAW) — still the right choice for field welding on structural steel, particularly in dirty or outdoor conditions where MIG shielding gas is impractical. If the scope includes field welds on a structural element, note it. Field welding versus shop welding affects your labor estimate, your equipment mobilization, and your inspection requirements for structural work.
• Oxy-acetylene — still used for cutting, brazing, and certain repair applications, particularly on cast iron and copper. Not commonly specified by clients, but relevant to note if the project involves brazing joints, silver soldering, or cutting operations where a plasma cutter would not be appropriate.

Dimensions and drawings: the specification that everything else depends on

This is where more quotes fall apart than anywhere else. A client who says "a railing for my stairs" is giving you a category, not a specification. Before you price anything, your intake needs to establish the dimensional scope of the project and whether fabrication drawings exist:

• Overall dimensions — length, height, width, depth as applicable to the project type. For a railing: total run length, number of stair treads (if applicable), rise and run dimensions, and finished height above nosing. For a gate: overall width, overall height, and whether it is a single or double leaf. For a structural element: span, depth, and connection details. "About 10 feet long" is not a dimension. Your intake should ask whether the client has measured, and whether a site visit is required to measure.
• Shop drawings or design intent drawings — has an architect, engineer, or designer provided drawings? If so, capture the drawing revision level and confirm that you are working from the current version. If no drawings exist, note whether you are expected to produce shop drawings as part of the scope, or whether you will fabricate to field dimensions only. Undocumented assumptions about who is responsible for drawing production are a consistent source of scope disputes.
• Templates and patterns — for ornamental work with complex curves, scrollwork, or custom profiles, capturing site dimensions sometimes requires making a paper or plywood template in the field. Your intake should note whether a template visit is needed, and whether that visit is included in the quote or billed separately.
• Material section sizes — what size flat bar, tube, pipe, or plate? For structural work, the engineer specifies this. For ornamental work, you may have a standard section size you use for railings (e.g., 1.5-inch square tube for posts, 0.75-inch square bar for balusters), or the client may have a preference based on visual weight. Capture the preferred section sizes so you can verify material availability before confirming the lead time.

Load-bearing requirements and code compliance

Not all metalwork is structural, but when it is, the code requirements are not optional. Your intake needs to surface the load-bearing and regulatory context early so you can price the right scope and avoid building something that fails inspection:

• IBC railing requirements — the International Building Code (adopted with local amendments in most jurisdictions) requires that guardrails resist a 200-pound concentrated load applied in any direction at the top. Handrails require a 50-pound concentrated load applied in any direction. For commercial and multi-family residential applications, these are mandatory minimums. Your intake should ask whether the project is residential, commercial, or multi-family, because the applicable code and the required structural review differ by occupancy type.
• ADA requirements for accessible routes — handrails on accessible routes must return to the wall or post at both ends (no protruding ends that catch sleeves), maintain a graspable cross-section (typically 1.25- to 2-inch round or equivalent), and provide continuous graspability along the full stair length. If the project is in a commercial space, a public building, or a multifamily building subject to Fair Housing Act requirements, ADA compliance is part of the spec. Capture whether the client or their architect has specified ADA compliance so you can design accordingly.
• Structural engineering — for any metalwork that is part of a building's primary load path (structural steel beams, moment connections, mezzanine framing), stamped engineering drawings and third-party inspection may be required by the building department. Your intake should ask whether engineering drawings have been produced and whether a special inspector will be required. If neither exists and the project requires them, that is a cost and timeline item the client needs to know before you quote.
• Fire escapes and egress components — fire escape fabrication and installation is heavily regulated. New fire escapes require engineering, building permits, and fire marshal inspection. Repairs to existing fire escapes may also require inspection and sign-off. This is not a project category to take on without confirming the regulatory pathway at intake.

Finish specification: the decision that determines longevity and appearance

The finish is what the client will see and touch every day. It is also what determines how long the piece lasts, particularly for exterior work. Getting the finish specification wrong is expensive because finishing is often the last step — and reworking a finished piece adds cost at the worst possible moment:

• Powder coat — the standard finish for exterior mild steel. Electrostatically applied epoxy or polyester powder, cured in an oven. Produces a durable, uniform, corrosion-resistant surface in any RAL or custom color. The process requires the piece to be blasted clean, primed (or a self-priming powder used), then coated. Your intake should capture the color specification (RAL number, color name, or a paint swatch to match), the gloss level (flat, satin, semi-gloss, gloss), and whether the piece is going to a third-party coater or you are handling it in-house. Turnaround time at powder coat shops can range from three days to three weeks depending on the shop and the season.
• Hot-dip galvanizing — the most durable corrosion protection for exterior structural steel: the steel is immersed in molten zinc, which metallurgically bonds to the surface. Galvanizing is common for bridge and highway work, utility structures, and any application where long service life in harsh outdoor environments is required. The limitation is appearance — galvanized steel has a spangled, industrial look that not every client wants. It also changes the dimensions of the piece by 3 to 5 mils, which affects fit-up at installation. For ornamental work where appearance matters, powder coat over galvanized is sometimes specified as a belt-and-suspenders approach.
• Paint — field-applied paint is appropriate for repairs, touch-ups, and situations where the piece cannot be sent to a powder coat facility (large structural elements, field-installed components). Capture the paint system: primer type (epoxy, zinc-rich, alkyd), topcoat type (alkyd, polyurethane, epoxy), and color. For exterior steel, a three-coat system (zinc-rich primer, intermediate coat, topcoat) is the standard for exposed structural work. A single rattle-can topcoat over bare steel is not a finish specification for anything intended to last.
• Patina — for bronze, copper, and some ornamental iron applications, the client may want a chemical patina applied as the finished surface. Common options include liver of sulfur (black), ferric nitrate (brown), cupric nitrate (blue-green on copper and bronze), and oil-blackened finish for ornamental iron. Patina finishes require clear coating or waxing to stabilize them against further oxidation. Capture the desired color, whether a sample is expected before full application, and whether the client understands that natural patina will continue to develop over time unless the piece is sealed.
• Raw or clear coat — for interior decorative pieces (furniture, wall art, custom brackets), some clients want an intentionally raw steel look with only a clear wax or lacquer to prevent rust. This is a legitimate finish choice for interior work, but it is not maintenance-free — the wax or lacquer needs to be renewed periodically, and any moisture will cause surface rust. Set the expectation in writing at intake that a raw steel finish is not appropriate for exterior or high-humidity applications.

Site conditions and installation method

A piece that is fabricated correctly but installed incorrectly is still a problem. Your intake should capture the installation context so you can design the right connection details and price the installation scope accurately:

• Bolt-down installation — posts set with base plates and anchor bolts into concrete or masonry. The most common installation method for railings on concrete stoops, commercial walkways, and concrete landings. Your intake needs to capture the substrate type (concrete slab, concrete block, stone, brick) and whether the anchor layout needs to avoid existing reinforcing or conduit. Base plate size and anchor bolt diameter should be determined by the load requirement, not just by what fits aesthetically.
• Embed installation — posts set in sleeves or pockets cast into the concrete, or welded to embedded plates that were cast into the slab during concrete placement. Common for higher-load applications and architecturally clean looks where no exposed base plate is desired. Embed installation requires coordination with the concrete contractor during the pour, so your intake needs to establish the construction sequence and whether the embeds need to be specified before the concrete is placed.
• Weld in place — field welding of new metalwork to existing steel structure. Common when tying into structural steel framing. Field welding has different cost, inspection, and access implications than shop welding. Note whether the connection points are accessible, whether overhead welding will be required, and whether the existing steel condition (paint, galvanizing, rust) needs surface preparation before welding.
• Core drilling — drilling a hole in existing concrete or masonry and setting a post or sleeve with epoxy anchor. Common for adding a railing post to an existing slab without a base plate. Core drilling requires specialized equipment, and the concrete thickness and reinforcing location affect the anchor depth. Your intake should note whether core drilling is in scope and who provides the drill.

Pricing: shop time, materials, finishing, and installation

Metalwork pricing is more complex than most home service trades because the material and process costs vary significantly by project type, material, and finish. Your intake needs enough information to produce a real quote, not a rough guess:

• Shop time — layout, cutting, fitting, welding, grinding, finishing prep. For a straightforward mild steel railing, experienced shops often work from established square-foot rates for common configurations. For custom work, you are estimating hours against the design complexity. Your intake should capture the overall complexity (standard railing configuration vs. custom scrollwork vs. one-of-a-kind sculptural piece) so the estimator applies the right basis.
• Materials — base metal (steel, stainless, aluminum), hardware (hinges, latches, closers, cap rails), and consumables (wire, gas, grinding wheels). Stainless and aluminum carry a significant premium over mild steel. If the client has not committed to a material, note both options in the intake so the quote can include a mild steel base price and a stainless upcharge.
• Finishing costs — powder coat, galvanizing, and paint are typically priced per pound or per square foot of surface area at outside finishing facilities. Your intake should capture the approximate piece dimensions so you can estimate the finishing cost before the quote goes out, not after the piece is built and you discover the coating shop charges by the load minimum.
• Installation — labor, equipment (lift rental for overhead work, core drill rental, concrete anchor system), and any permits required for the installation. If the installation involves field welding, capture whether a fire watch or hot work permit is required at the site. Installation pricing is often the least-well-documented part of a metalwork quote, and the most common source of margin erosion on projects that seemed profitable in the shop.

Lead time and scheduling expectations

Custom metal fabrication is not a same-week service for most shops. Your intake should establish the timeline early, before the client assumes they can get a custom gate in two weeks:

Standard lead times for custom ornamental work run four to eight weeks in most market conditions: one to two weeks for shop drawing and client approval, one to two weeks for material procurement (particularly for stainless and aluminum, which may require mill orders for specific sizes), two to three weeks of shop fabrication time, and one to two weeks for finishing and installation scheduling. Projects that involve engineer review, building permit submission, or third-party inspection add time on both ends.

Capture the client's desired completion date at intake. If it is not achievable, say so at intake — not after you have collected a deposit. A client who needs a railing installed before their open house in three weeks may be able to expedite by paying for a rush slot, by accepting a more standard design that requires less fabrication time, or by acknowledging that the target date is not feasible and adjusting their timeline. All three of those conversations are better had at intake than after the shop schedule is set.

From intake to fabrication: the documentation that prevents rework

Metalwork combines significant material cost, skilled labor, and irreversible process steps in a way that makes ambiguity genuinely expensive. A welder who builds to the wrong dimension, in the wrong material, with the wrong finish, has produced scrap — not a job that can be adjusted with a small callback. The intake form is the document that translates a client conversation into a buildable specification.

When a client fills out a form that asks about the material grade, the finish color with a RAL number, the base plate size, the anchor substrate, and the applicable code requirements, two things happen: the estimator can write an accurate quote, and the welder can build the right piece the first time. That combination is what separates a profitable fabrication shop from one that chronically runs over on custom work.

Related reading: if the project involves perimeter fencing or ornamental iron fence panels, the fencing contractor intake form guide covers fence-specific scope items including property lines, HOA approvals, underground utilities, and gate hardware. If the metalwork is part of a larger construction scope, see the general contractor intake form guide for how to document work across multiple trades in a single project.