Steel consultant in hard hat and Carhartts standing inside a half-erected agricultural building at golden hour, one hand on a wide-flange column, clipboard in the other
Structural Steel Consulting

Your Steel. Our Eyes. Built Right the First Time.

Grade selection, weld inspection, and load-path review for fabricators, contractors, and ag operations across the rural Midwest.

Get Your Steel ReviewSee Our Work
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Grain Elevator Reinforcement
County Bridge Fabrication
Livestock Shelter Framing
Dairy Parlor Steel
Feed Mill Expansion
Multi-Story Commercial
Township Pedestrian Bridge
Ag Storage Structures
Rural School Additions
Irrigation Infrastructure
Milking Parlor Wide-Flange
Bin Circle Anchor Systems
Grain Elevator Reinforcement
County Bridge Fabrication
Livestock Shelter Framing
Dairy Parlor Steel
Feed Mill Expansion
Multi-Story Commercial
Township Pedestrian Bridge
Ag Storage Structures
Rural School Additions
Irrigation Infrastructure
Milking Parlor Wide-Flange
Bin Circle Anchor Systems
Field Work

Projects from the counties we know.

Interior of a large agricultural steel building showing wide-flange columns and roof trusses bathed in warm afternoon light
01
Agricultural
Jasper County, Iowa

Milking Parlor Wide-Flange Selection

"The dairy co-op needed 40-foot clear spans, but the original spec called for A36 where A572 Grade 50 was the only sensible answer."

We reviewed load paths for a 12-stall rotary parlor, caught an undersized ridge beam in the original drawings, and matched the steel order to a regional mill running the right heats. The building went up in eleven days. No callbacks.

Problem SolvedUndersized A36 ridge beam — replaced with A572 Gr.50 W16×57
Rural pedestrian bridge over a creek surrounded by flat farmland, steel structure visible against a golden sky
02
Municipal
Hardin Township, Ohio

Pedestrian Bridge Corrosion-Resistance Spec

"A township board had a low bid using standard carbon steel for a creek crossing that floods twice a year. We flagged it before the contract was signed."

Weathering steel (Cor-Ten A588) over a 48-foot span, with the right bolt grades and bearing plates to match. The structure will outlast the road it connects to. Total spec change cost the township $4,200 more up front — saved an estimated $38,000 in a fifteen-year maintenance cycle.

Problem SolvedCarbon steel in salt-air flood zone — switched to A588 weathering steel
Grain storage facility with steel bins and structural framework at sunset, warm golden light casting long shadows across the facility
03
Commercial
Dodge County, Nebraska

Feed Mill Second-Floor Expansion

"The existing bin circle was built in 1987. The owner wanted to add a second-floor mixing deck and needed to know what the columns could actually carry."

We pulled the original mill drawings, performed a field audit of the existing W8 columns, and spec'd the new floor beam connections for 180 psf live load. No new footings required. The mill expanded in one off-season without shutting down grain intake.

Problem SolvedUnknown capacity on 1987 W8 columns — field-verified for 180 psf deck addition
❝
Steel doesn't lie. It carries what you put on it or it doesn't. Our job is making sure the numbers behind it are as honest as the metal.
— Forge Structural Consulting
How We Work

Simple as directions
to a neighbor's farm.

Three steps. No retainer. No surprise invoices. You know where you stand from the first call.

01
Intake

Send Us Your Drawings

Architectural drawings and structural blueprints spread on a wooden desk with a pencil and measuring tape

Email your plans, bid specs, or a photo of what you're working with. No CAD required — a clear photo of hand-drawn plans works fine. We respond within one business day to confirm scope and schedule a call.

We've reviewed everything from stamped engineering drawings to napkin sketches. What matters is understanding your load conditions, your site, and your timeline.

02
Review

We Walk the Steel With You

Steel consultant reviewing structural plans on a clipboard while standing inside a partially constructed steel building

A 60-minute working call where we go through your project section by section. We flag grade mismatches, connection details that won't pass inspection, and places where you're over-specifying and paying for steel you don't need.

Our review covers AISC 360 compliance, weld procedure alignment, and regional code requirements for your county or township. We speak fabricator, not engineer-speak.

03
Deliverable

You Get a Written Punch List

Hands writing notes on a clipboard with a steel structure visible in the background at a construction site

A plain-English document listing every correction, substitution, or upgrade — in the order you'll need to act on them. No jargon, no 40-page report. One page per building system, ready to hand to your fabricator.

If something comes up during fabrication or erection, you have our number. Most clients call once. Some never need to. Either way, the door's open.

Rates Posted

Flat-rate. No retainer.
Posted on the fence post.

These clients respect a man who posts his rates. No discovery calls to find out what things cost. No surprise invoices.

Most Requested

Structural Review

For fabricators and GCs who need eyes on the drawings before steel is cut.

$450
  • Full load-path review against AISC 360
  • Grade and section size verification
  • Connection detail check (welds & bolts)
  • Written punch list — one page per system
  • One follow-up call during fabrication
Best ForAg buildings, commercial additions, bridge bids

Material Audit

For operations that already have drawings and just need the steel order verified.

$275
  • Mill cert review against spec requirements
  • Grade substitution check on all line items
  • Corrosion environment assessment
  • Alternate material recommendations
  • Written summary with supplier notes
Best ForExisting structures, pre-bid material lists, procurement review

Schedule Your Review

Fill this out and we'll call you back within one business day to confirm scope and get started.

No spam. No mailing list. Just a call from someone who knows steel.