A supplier does not drag out a quote on principle. In the vast majority of cases, the delay comes from a round trip: a piece of information is missing, someone has to call, wait for the answer, and restart the pricing. Every chase costs half a day. Here is how to avoid it.
The eight pieces of information that suffice
1. The full designation
Not "some angles", but L 50 × 50 × 5. Not "some sheet", but black sheet 3 mm, format 2000 × 1000. A full designation states the shape, every dimension and, if it matters to you, the grade.
2. The quantity, in the right unit
Each product has its natural unit: beams in bars or metres, sheets in pieces, wire in kilograms, mesh in panels. Giving one overall tonnage without a breakdown by reference forces everything to be reconstructed.
3. The grade, or the use
If you know the grade — S235, S275 — state it. Otherwise describe the use: an experienced supplier will deduce what fits. "For an outdoor gate frame" is workable information; "good quality" is not.
4. Surface condition or finish
Bare, galvanised, pre-painted, pickled. It is often the item that swings a price, and the one most often left unstated.
5. The required date
Give a date, not "quickly". Lead time drives the trade-off between what is in stock and what must be procured — and therefore, sometimes, an offer of an immediately available alternative.
6. The delivery location
Town and type of access. A site open to articulated lorries and a narrow city-centre street call for different vehicles and different costs. Say too whether unloading equipment is available on site.
7. The expected packaging
Loose bars or bundles, sheets flat or on stillages, wire in coils of what weight. On sites without lifting gear, the unit weight of each package is not a detail.
8. A reachable contact
Name, direct phone, email. If a detail is still missing, a five-minute answer beats an email left unanswered for two days.
Wordings that waste time
| Instead of… | Write… |
|---|---|
| "Some square tubes" | "Square tube 40 × 40 × 2, galvanised, 30 bars of 6 m" |
| "As strong as possible" | "For an outdoor guardrail, 1 m high, coastal site" |
| "As soon as possible" | "Delivery required before the 15th" |
| "About 2 tonnes of rebar" | "Ø10: 800 kg · Ø12: 1,200 kg, 12 m bars" |
| "Delivery to my site" | "Casablanca, Aïn Sebaâ, HGV access OK, no crane on site" |
None of these rewordings takes more than two minutes. Together, they remove most of the back-and-forth.
Comparing two quotes properly
Two offers showing different prices per kilo are not necessarily comparable. Check four points before concluding.
Which weight is used. Some quotes price on theoretical weight, others on actual weighed weight. On thin sheet the gap can exceed 5 % (see our guide on calculating sheet weight).
What the price includes. Transport, unloading, cutting, fabrication: a lower price per kilo ex-works can cost more delivered to site.
The commercial length. A price per metre on 12 m bars is not comparable to one on 6 m bars if your cutting plan generates different offcuts.
Availability. A slightly lower price with three weeks' lead time is not worth the same as an immediately available one, when the site is waiting.
An example of a complete request
This is what a request that can be answered without chasing looks like:
Subject: quote request — fabrication workshop, Casablanca
Hello,
Please quote for the following:
- Black sheet 3 mm, format 2000 × 1000 — 12 sheets
- Angle L 50 × 50 × 5 — 20 bars of 6 m
- Square tube 40 × 40 × 2 galvanised — 30 bars of 6 m
- Welding electrodes Ø 2.5 — 20 kg
Use: frames and supports, assembled in the workshop, parts intended for outdoor use (Aïn Sebaâ).
Required date: delivery before the 15th of the month.
Delivery: Aïn Sebaâ, HGV access possible, forklift available on site.
Contact: [name] — [phone] — [email]
Everything is there: full designations, quantities per reference, use, a dated deadline, delivery constraints, direct contact. A request like this is priced in one pass.
Frequently asked questions
What information should I give to get a steel quote quickly?
Eight items suffice: full designation of each product, quantity in its natural unit, grade or use, surface condition, a dated deadline, delivery location and conditions, expected packaging, and a reachable contact.
Do I need to know the steel grade to request a quote?
No, it is not essential. Failing that, describe the use precisely: an experienced supplier will deduce the appropriate grade. "Good quality", however, is not workable information.
Why do two quotes show different prices per kilo?
Often because they do not cover the same thing: theoretical or actual weighed weight, transport and unloading included or not, different commercial lengths, different lead times. Check those four points before concluding.
How long does it take to receive a quote?
At Service Acier, a complete request receives an answer within 24 business hours. Longer delays almost always stem from missing information that requires a follow-up call.
The values given in this guide are theoretical benchmarks drawn from the standards cited. They do not replace a structural calculation note, nor the manufacturer's documentation. For any sizing, have your assumptions validated by a design office.
