How to Submit Specs & Get a Fast Fabrication Quote
Exactly what to send a custom metal fabricator so your quote comes back fast, accurate, and ready to order.
The difference between a quote that turns around same-day and one that drags on for a week is almost always the request itself. When a fabrication order stalls, it’s rarely because the shop is slow — it’s because the spec arrived incomplete, and someone has to stop and email back for the missing profile, gauge or dimension before a single number can be quoted. This guide lays out exactly what to send so your request lands complete the first time, gets priced fast, and comes back the way you drew it. It’s written for contractors, builders and installers ordering custom trim, flashing, panels and architectural metal — not homeowners.
What a complete spec package includes
A quotable request answers five questions before anyone has to ask them: what the part is, how big it is, what it’s made of, how it’s finished, and how many you need. Miss one and the quote waits. At minimum, send us:
- Profile: the shape itself — a drawing, a bend diagram, or a sample of the piece you’re matching.
- Dimensions: girth (the flat width before bending), each leg length, and every bend angle. For trim and flashing, a simple cross-section with numbers on it is ideal.
- Material: steel or aluminum. If it’s steel, give the gauge; if it’s aluminum, give the decimal thickness (aluminum isn’t measured in gauge).
- Finish & color: the coating and color, or the color name/number you’re matching on the rest of the job.
- Quantity & lengths: how many pieces, and the lengths you want them cut or formed to.
Not sure on a detail? Tell us the application instead of guessing. “Cap flashing for a 40-foot parapet, high-wind site” gives us enough to recommend a gauge and profile we can stand behind — better than a spec you’re unsure of that we’d have to re-confirm anyway.
Send a drawing — even a rough one
A dimensioned sketch removes more back-and-forth than anything else you can include. It doesn’t need to be a CAD file. A clear hand drawing of the cross-section with the girth, leg lengths and bend angles marked is enough for us to quote and fabricate from. A photo of the existing piece you’re replacing — ideally next to a tape measure — works too. The goal is simply to remove ambiguity: when the drawing is unambiguous, the part comes back right. Our guide to spec’ing custom trim & flashing walks through how to lay out a bend diagram if you’re starting from scratch.
Nail the material and gauge
Two of the most common quote-delaying gaps are gauge and material. If you call for steel, include the gauge — and remember the higher the number, the thinner the metal. If you’re not sure which gauge fits your span and exposure, our metal gauge guide breaks down 22 vs. 24 vs. 26 and when to step up. If you’re weighing steel against aluminum for the application, the aluminum vs. steel guide covers where each makes sense. Getting these two right up front is the single biggest thing you can do to speed up a quote.
The fastest way to submit
Send your spec package through our Request a Quote form with your drawing or photos attached, or call the shop directly if it’s easier to talk through a tricky profile. Either way, the more of the five items above you include, the faster it turns. Complete requests can often be priced quickly; requests missing a profile, gauge or dimension can’t be quoted until the gap is filled — so front-loading the detail is what actually saves you time.
What happens after you submit
Once we have a complete spec, we confirm the profile and material, flag anything that looks off (a gauge that’s light for the span, a finish that won’t match, a girth that won’t nest efficiently), and price it. If something in the request is ambiguous, we’ll ask one focused question rather than guess — because a wrong assumption costs everyone a remake. Lead times depend on the profile complexity, finish and quantity, so if you’re working to a jobsite date, tell us the date you need material in hand and we’ll be straight with you about whether it’s workable.
Quick pre-send checklist
- Drawing or sample of the profile, with a cross-section if it’s trim or flashing.
- Girth, leg lengths and bend angles marked on the drawing.
- Material called out — steel with gauge, or aluminum with decimal thickness.
- Finish and color, or the color you’re matching.
- Quantity and piece lengths.
- Your need-by date if the job is on a clock.
Made in Ogden and shipped nationwide, we brake- and roll-form custom architectural metal for roofing, siding and exterior crews. Send us a complete spec and we’ll price it fast — and if a detail’s missing, we’ll tell you exactly what we need to finish the quote.
Have a profile ready to price?
Send your drawing, material and quantities — we’ll turn a complete spec into a fast, accurate quote.