Structural steel price per ton in UAE: 2026 guide
In 2026 the structural steel price per ton in UAE commercial projects sits between AED 3,300 and AED 4,300 for supply only, AED 5,000 and AED 7,000 fabricated ex-works, and AED 7,500 and AED 11,000 fabricated and erected. The steel is identical in all three cases. The scope is not.
Why work with APEX STEEL WORKS L.L.C
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- In-house steel, stainless steel, GI welding and lathe works under one roof
- Commercial and industrial tonnage packages across all seven emirates
- Mill test certificates to EN 10204 3.1 issued with every dispatch
- Fabrication and welding to BS EN 1090-2 EXC2 with welders qualified to BS EN ISO 9606
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What price per ton actually covers in the UAE market
A ton price in the UAE means one of three scopes, and buyers who mix them up end up comparing numbers that are 200 percent apart. Ask every supplier which of the three they are quoting before you look at the figure.
Supply only
Sections bought and delivered. This covers mill or stockist material, cutting to transport lengths, delivery to site and EN 10204 3.1 mill test certificates. No fabrication, no welds, no coating.
Fabricated ex-works
Adds shop drawings, cutting, drilling, fit up, welding, blasting to Sa 2.5 and one coat of primer. You collect from the workshop or pay transport separately.
Fabricated and erected
Adds site delivery, craneage, bolting, plumbing and alignment, base plate grouting and touch up paint. This is the number most main contractors should be budgeting against for the steel tonnage rate in Abu Dhabi, Dubai or Sharjah.
| Scope | Indicative AED per ton | AED per kg | Included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supply only | 3,300 to 4,300 | 3.30 to 4.30 | Sections, cutting to length, delivery, MTCs |
| Fabricated ex-works | 5,000 to 7,000 | 5.00 to 7.00 | Shop drawings, welding, blasting, primer |
| Fabricated and erected | 7,500 to 11,000 | 7.50 to 11.00 | Above plus transport, craneage, bolting, alignment |
| Hot dip galvanised | 7,000 to 9,500 | 7.00 to 9.50 | Fabricated plus galvanising to BS EN ISO 1461 |
| Intumescent coated | add 900 to 2,200 | add 0.90 to 2.20 | Add per ton for 60 to 120 minute fire rating |
If your enquiry is really about a whole building rather than a frame, the parent guide to steel fabrication cost in the UAE breaks the same project down trade by trade.
I’m really happy with the work done by Apex Workshop. They are very professional, knowledgeable, and pay attention to even the smallest details. alhaf malik, 5 stars
What drives the 2026 AED per ton rate
Mill price and import duty set the floor. Everything above that floor comes from section type, grade, tonnage band, coating and shop hours.
Mill price and import duty
UAE stockists price sections landed, so the number already carries freight, customs and 5 percent import duty where material originates outside the GCC. Expect revisions on roughly 30 day cycles, which is exactly why tonnage quotes are short dated.
Section type
Universal beams and columns are the most competitive per ton because they roll in volume. Channels and angles sit slightly higher. Hollow sections in SHS, RHS and CHS cost 8 to 15 percent more per ton than open sections of the same grade. Plate girders fabricated from plate carry the highest effective rate because welding hours climb while material weight drops.
Tonnage band
A 3 ton job carries a 15 to 25 percent premium over the same work at 50 tons. Between 50 and 150 tons you get normal commercial rates. Above 200 tons there is usually room to negotiate, often 5 to 10 percent off the mid band.
Steel grade
S275 is standard for most frames. S355 adds 6 to 12 percent to the material line but can cut total tonnage by 10 to 15 percent on heavily loaded columns, so the finished frame sometimes costs less.
Coating
Hot dip galvanising adds AED 1,800 to AED 2,500 per ton. Intumescent paint for 60 to 120 minute fire ratings adds AED 900 to AED 2,200 per ton including surface prep, and is applied after erection.
CNC cutting and welding hours
Shop hours are quoted alongside the ton rate on complex work. Plasma or CNC profiling runs AED 35 to 70 per metre of cut. Welding is charged per hour of qualified welder time, not per ton, on anything with moment connections or full penetration welds.
Stainless steel door sets from the same workshop that fabricates structural frames, measured and installed on site.
Indicative 2026 AED per ton ranges by scope and emirate
Rates move by emirate because capacity, stock and transport do. Sharjah Industrial Area holds most of the UAE section stock and fabrication capacity, so its ex-works rates are usually the lowest. Dubai runs 3 to 7 percent above Sharjah. Abu Dhabi jobs in ICAD or KIZAD typically run 5 to 10 percent above Dubai once transport from Sharjah and Dubai plants is added.
Worked example: a 25 ton structural frame for a two level office and warehouse unit in Dubai South.
- Supply only at AED 3,800 per ton: AED 95,000
- Fabricated ex-works at AED 6,000 per ton: AED 150,000
- Fabricated and erected at AED 9,000 per ton: AED 225,000
- Galvanised and erected at AED 10,400 per ton: AED 260,000
The same frame in Musaffah or KIZAD would land around AED 235,000 to AED 245,000 erected, before fire protection. That is the steel tonnage rate Abu Dhabi buyers should expect to see on a compliant quote. On a per kg basis the Dubai job works out at AED 9.00 per kg erected, the simplest figure to hold in your head when reviewing a bill of quantities.
The quality was great, and the price was one of the best I found. Romosh Al Eyoun, 5 stars
Per ton vs per kg vs lump sum: how to compare quotes fairly
Convert everything to one unit before you decide. A quote in kilograms, a quote in tons and a lump sum for the same frame can look wildly different until you normalise them.
- Get the tonnage. Ask for the take off weight including connection plates, stiffeners and base plates, not the net beam weight.
- Fix the unit. Divide the total price by the take off tonnage to get AED per ton, then divide by 1,000 for AED per kg.
- Check the scope list. Supply only, fabricated ex-works and erected are different products. Do not score them on price alone.
- List exclusions in writing. Craneage, anchor bolts, grouting, fire protection, NDT, hot works permits and site storage are the usual gaps.
- Confirm the validity period and the price movement clause. Anything beyond 30 days should carry a written basis tied to mill indices.
- Ask what happens on a plus or minus 10 percent tonnage variation, because drawings always change between tender and IFC.
Approvals and testing that move cost
Compliant paperwork adds a small percentage to the ton rate and removes a large risk from your programme. Fabrication to BS EN 1090-2 EXC2 is standard for commercial and industrial frames in the UAE, with welders qualified to BS EN ISO 9606 and EN 10204 3.1 mill test certificates traceable to each heat number.
Dubai projects usually run through Dubai Municipality and DET submission routes, with structural calculations and shop drawings stamped by a registered engineer. Abu Dhabi work goes through DMT and ADQCC, and consultants there often ask for third party inspection with witness points at fit up and at final dimensional check.
Third party inspection and NDT add roughly AED 120 to AED 350 per ton depending on whether you need visual and dimensional checks only, or ultrasonic testing on full penetration welds. Budget it at tender stage, not after the first inspection visit.
Lead time and logistics across the emirates
Standard lead time for a 25 ton fabricated frame is 3 to 5 weeks from approved shop drawings, plus about a week for erection. Galvanising adds 7 to 10 days because it is a separate process and depends on the dip schedule.
Plants in Sharjah and Dubai normally deliver anywhere in the UAE within a day, so a Sharjah workshop serving a Dubai South or Abu Dhabi site is routine. Where material is imported, Jebel Ali port clearance takes 3 to 7 working days and should sit in the programme before fabrication starts, not after.
Site access decides erection cost more than anything else. A frame that can be lifted by a 50 ton mobile crane from a hard standing will cost less per ton than the same frame erected inside a live facility with a spider crane and night shifts. Tell the fabricator about height restrictions, permit windows and crane positions at enquiry stage. That one conversation is worth more than any discount negotiation.
Fabricated stainless steel drainage runs are priced per item, not per ton, which is why scope lists matter.
If you are ready to move from pricing to scope, look at our structural steel works in Dubai, compare city level rates in steel fabrication cost in Dubai, or request a tonnage quote from APEX Steel Works.
Frequently asked questions
How much does structural steel cost per ton in Dubai?
For 2026, budget AED 3,300 to AED 4,300 per ton supply only, AED 5,000 to AED 7,000 fabricated ex-works, and AED 7,500 to AED 11,000 fabricated and erected. A 25 ton office or warehouse frame in Dubai South or Dubai Industrial City typically lands between AED 190,000 and AED 275,000 erected, before fire protection. Rates improve by 8 to 12 percent once tonnage passes 100 tons.
Is steel price per kg cheaper in Sharjah?
Usually yes. Most UAE section stock and fabrication capacity sits in Sharjah Industrial Area and Hamriyah, so ex-works rates run 3 to 7 percent below Dubai for identical scope, and galvanising lines are concentrated there too. Delivery to an Abu Dhabi site adds roughly AED 90 to AED 160 per ton in transport.
Does the price include erection and bolting?
Only if the quote is written as fabricated and erected. Erection adds roughly AED 1,800 to AED 3,200 per ton on top of the fabricated ex-works rate for a bolted frame with good crane access. Anchor bolts, base plate grouting, fire protection and NDT are normally separate line items, so confirm each one in writing.
How long is a tonnage quote valid?
Most UAE fabricators hold a tonnage rate for 14 to 30 days. Mill and stockist prices move on roughly 30 day cycles and landed material carries freight and duty, so anything longer needs a written basis tied to an index. If your tender window is longer, ask for a rate plus a stated adjustment mechanism.
What is the difference between S275 and S355 pricing?
S355 costs around 6 to 12 percent more per ton than S275. On heavily loaded columns and long span beams it can reduce total tonnage by 10 to 15 percent, which often makes the finished frame cheaper overall. Ask your engineer to compare both grades at concept stage rather than assuming S275 is the cheaper route.
Do you supply mill test certificates and third party inspection?
Yes. Every dispatch carries EN 10204 3.1 mill test certificates traceable to heat numbers, and welding is carried out to BS EN 1090-2 EXC2 by welders qualified to BS EN ISO 9606. Third party inspection for DET or Abu Dhabi DMT and ADQCC submissions is arranged on request and adds about AED 120 to AED 350 per ton depending on the NDT scope.
