Takeoff: steel vs. wood framing
Steel vs. wood calculator
A planning tool, not a quote. For wood and for steel it adds up three costs: materials, framing labor, and framing time at your own cost per day. Then weigh the totals against the factors below.
Example values
The rates behind this calculator are placeholder examples, not market prices. They will be replaced with figures from manufacturer and lumber quotes. Use the result only to see how the calculation works.
Result
Example valuesWood framing
- Materials
- $24,900 to $49,700
- Labor
- $11,300 to $22,600
- Framing time 5.5 to 11.5 days at $200/day
- $1,100 to $2,300
- Total
- $37,300 to $74,600
Steel framing
- Materials
- $30,500 to $61,000
- Labor
- $11,300 to $28,300
- Framing time 5.5 to 17 days at $200/day
- $1,100 to $3,400
- Total
- $42,900 to $92,700
Steel minus wood, total+$5,600 to +$18,100
One story on a slab has no framed floor, so floors add nothing here.
Quantities and cost by part
| Part | Qty (sq ft) | Wood materials | Wood labor | Steel materials | Steel labor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roof 2,236 sq ft | 2,236 | $11,200 to $22,400 | $4,500 to $8,900 | $13,400 to $26,800 | $4,500 to $11,200 |
| Walls 3,415 sq ft | 3,415 | $13,700 to $27,300 | $6,800 to $13,700 | $17,100 to $34,200 | $6,800 to $17,100 |
Estimate only. Your manufacturer will provide actual pricing.
How this is calculated
Three costs for each material: framing materials (the package as priced by a supplier), framing labor (the crew's pay to stand the frame), and framing time (how many days framing takes, times your own cost per day while the job runs). Excludes foundation, sheathing, roofing, insulation, finishes, permits, engineering fees and delivery unless your quotes include them.
- Footprint is treated as a rectangle twice as long as it is wide, so perimeter = 6 x sqrt(footprint / 2).
- Sloped roof area = footprint x sqrt(1 + (pitch / 12)^2). Overhangs are not included.
- Exterior wall area = perimeter x wall height x stories, plus the interior wall allowance for the building type. Openings are not deducted.
- Framed floor area = footprint x (stories - 1). The ground floor is assumed to be a slab.
- Labor = the same quantities as materials x a labor rate per sq ft for each material.
- Framing days = quantity / 1,000 x crew days per 1,000 sq ft, rounded to the nearest half day. Time cost = framing days x your cost per day (loan interest, equipment rental, supervision, other trades waiting). Crew pay is in Labor, not here, so nothing is counted twice.
- Dollar amounts are rounded to the nearest $100.
Each part's quantity is multiplied by a low and high rate for each material, for materials and for labor, then by a regional factor for the state. Framing time is turned into dollars with your cost per day. The result is a range, not a single price.
Framing time depends heavily on the crew. In HUD field studies, crews new to steel took longer than with wood, while panels and trusses built in a factory move much of the work off site. Enter what fits your job.
Notes: assumptions used
| Item | Range | Unit | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials: roof, wood | 5–10 | USD per sq ft of sloped roof area | Example value | EXAMPLE VALUE, checked 2026-10-04 |
| Materials: roof, steel | 6–12 | USD per sq ft of sloped roof area | Example value | EXAMPLE VALUE, checked 2026-10-04 |
| Materials: walls, wood | 4–8 | USD per sq ft of framed wall area | Example value | EXAMPLE VALUE, checked 2026-10-04 |
| Materials: walls, steel | 5–10 | USD per sq ft of framed wall area | Example value | EXAMPLE VALUE, checked 2026-10-04 |
| Materials: floors, wood | 5–10 | USD per sq ft of framed floor area | Example value | EXAMPLE VALUE, checked 2026-10-04 |
| Materials: floors, steel | 6–12 | USD per sq ft of framed floor area | Example value | EXAMPLE VALUE, checked 2026-10-04 |
| Labor: roof, wood | 2–4 | USD of framing labor per sq ft of sloped roof area | Example value | EXAMPLE VALUE, checked 2026-10-05 |
| Labor: roof, steel | 2–5 | USD of framing labor per sq ft of sloped roof area | Example value | EXAMPLE VALUE, checked 2026-10-05 |
| Labor: walls, wood | 2–4 | USD of framing labor per sq ft of framed wall area | Example value | EXAMPLE VALUE, checked 2026-10-05 |
| Labor: walls, steel | 2–5 | USD of framing labor per sq ft of framed wall area | Example value | EXAMPLE VALUE, checked 2026-10-05 |
| Labor: floors, wood | 2–4 | USD of framing labor per sq ft of framed floor area | Example value | EXAMPLE VALUE, checked 2026-10-05 |
| Labor: floors, steel | 2–5 | USD of framing labor per sq ft of framed floor area | Example value | EXAMPLE VALUE, checked 2026-10-05 |
| Framing time: roof, wood | 1–2 | crew days per 1,000 sq ft of sloped roof area | Example value | EXAMPLE VALUE, checked 2026-10-05 |
| Framing time: roof, steel | 1–3 | crew days per 1,000 sq ft of sloped roof area | Example value | EXAMPLE VALUE, checked 2026-10-05 |
| Framing time: walls, wood | 1–2 | crew days per 1,000 sq ft of framed wall area | Example value | EXAMPLE VALUE, checked 2026-10-05 |
| Framing time: walls, steel | 1–3 | crew days per 1,000 sq ft of framed wall area | Example value | EXAMPLE VALUE, checked 2026-10-05 |
| Framing time: floors, wood | 1–2 | crew days per 1,000 sq ft of framed floor area | Example value | EXAMPLE VALUE, checked 2026-10-05 |
| Framing time: floors, steel | 1–3 | crew days per 1,000 sq ft of framed floor area | Example value | EXAMPLE VALUE, checked 2026-10-05 |
| Starting cost per day | $200 | USD per day of framing (starting value; visitors can change it) | Example value | EXAMPLE VALUE |
| Regional factor (all states) | 1 | multiplier applied to both materials | Example value | EXAMPLE VALUE |
| Interior wall allowance | 1 / 0.5 / 0 / 0.5 | house / barndominium / garage or shop / commercial | Example value | EXAMPLE VALUE |
Schedule: non-price factors
What you get for the difference
Price is one column. These are the others, with sources. Where the evidence is mixed, we say so. Sources marked as trade groups come from an industry with an interest in one material.
| Factor | What the sources say | Favors | Evidence | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up-front cost | Steel framing generally costs more than wood up front. In a HUD study from the early 1990s, steel walls cost about 7% more than wood and the steel roof about 36% more. In a 2002 HUD demonstration in Beaufort, SC, the steel framing package cost about 42% more, partly blamed on an inexperienced steel crew. Both studies are old. Treat them as direction, not current prices. | Wood | consistent |
|
| Straightness and dimensional consistency | Wood shrinks and swells as its moisture content changes, which can lead to warping, bowing and twisting. Cold-formed steel does not change size with moisture. | Steel | consistent |
|
| Rot, mold and termites | Steel is not food for decay fungi or termites. Steel relies on its galvanized (zinc) coating against corrosion, and coastal or wet sites may call for a heavier coating. Subterranean termites are more common in southern states. Ask the manufacturer what coating weight they specify near the coast. | Steel | consistent |
|
| Combustibility and fire | Cold-formed steel is a noncombustible material. Fire-resistance ratings belong to tested assemblies (framing plus gypsum board and other layers), and wood-frame assemblies can also be rated. We make no fire-rating claim. Ratings come from the tested assembly your designer specifies. | Mixed | consistent |
|
| Insulation and energy | Steel conducts heat far more than wood. Energy codes require extra insulation on steel-framed walls, usually a layer of continuous exterior insulation, to perform like a wood wall. Budget for continuous insulation when comparing prices. | Wood | consistent |
|
| Installation speed and crew skill | Steel framing uses different tools, screws and methods. HUD field studies found it took a little to a lot more labor than wood, depending heavily on crew experience. Panelized walls and trusses move much of that work off site. Ask whether your crew has framed steel before. | Mixed | mixed |
|
| Handling and delivery | Steel members arrive straight and uniform and can be ordered cut to length, usually at extra cost. Steel scrap is recyclable. Weight per foot depends on gauge: a common 2x4-size steel stud weighs about the same as a 2x4. Weight savings claims depend on the gauge used. | Mixed | mixed |
|
| Insurance | Insurers rate buildings by construction class, and the class depends on the whole building, not only the studs. We found no independent public data showing lower homeowner premiums for steel-framed houses. Ask your insurance agent before counting on a savings. | Depends | weak |
|
| Strength | Neither material is stronger in every case. Load capacity depends on member size, wood species and grade or steel gauge, height and bracing. Both are engineered to carry the loads your project requires. The manufacturer's engineering sets member sizes for your loads. | Depends | consistent |
|
Sources checked 2026-10-04. Confirm code, load and permit requirements with your local building department and the engineer of record.