$15 for one stick of 1/2" square

[bigjohn]

I just finished a large railing 560' in length, the steel was $22,640. The price of steel is not going to go down, it may level off for about an hour or so. The thing is no matter how much I raise prices, my customers are still wanting product and services. The price of steel is just a part of doing business, same as the $7,900 worth of fuel my rig has eaten in 9 months. That good old American greed will take us all down, some much sooner than others. Until then I'll keep banging on iron and charging what I think will pay my bills.

[the_sandy_creek_forge]

Originally Posted by arftist

I now insert a clause at the bottom of proposals, This price expires in x number of days due to the ever increasing cost of steel...

I don't even go that far. My disclaimer on my quotes now is to the effect of "quoted labor costs guaranteed for x days(usually 30). Quoted prices of steel subject to change depending on supplier's prices"

Last two projects (one I finished up a month ago or so, other one a proposal in the hands of the clients now) I've explained to the clients that steel prices are rising everytime my supplier gets a shipment in. Those two clients at least have been pretty understanding about why I can't guarantee the price of steel past what I was quoted yesterday...

-Aaron @ the SCF

[KYBOY]

I just sold my last batch of trap drags. Ive already told people that either the size of the material will get smaller for the same price or the price of the original size will go up by "X"%. Their choice. I dont expect to sell to many more to be honest. Trappers are a tight waded bunch by nature I know,Im one of them

[Birdman]

I heard that steel mills were shut down in Beijing, China in preparation for the Olympics -- to clean the air up.

[alfonso]

Here in Cleveland, OH, there is a steel supply guy that had a lot of Canadian steel; mostly structuals, plate, sheet, tube, and bars. I buy mostly "cut offs" on the cheap. He use to charge [last bought 1 1/2 years ago] 40 cents a pound on anything in the short rack, picked up. Now he's up to 75 cents for shorts. 90 cents for full lengths. As far as delivered "Iam not in that league and am afraid to ask"
He was going really good for 15 years, added another location 5 years ago, and this month he had to give up the second shop and move it into the first...Sales are WAY DOWN and he's the lowest price in N.E. OH.!