The professional
steel frame estimator
Parametric design, technical checks and a review-ready package for professional handoff. Draw walls with click-and-drag, report the standards basis for Argentina, Chile, Uruguay or Paraguay, build the BOM with offcut reuse, and export PDF, DXF and IFC. One-time payment, works offline.
Design, pre-sizing and technical traceability tool. The final package is intended for professional review and signature; it does not replace licensed professional responsibility.
The app in action
3D design, bill of materials, structural analysis, traceable compliance and full estimate.
Everything you need to estimate and build
From slab to roof, every profile, every fastener, every weight. Includes structural verification, configurable bracing, hybrid concrete and BIM export.
Parametric 3D Design
Walls, doors and windows on a configurable slab. Draw quickly with click-and-drag, or use coordinates/angles for precision. Auto-generated structure: studs, tracks, headers, jacks, cripples and blocking.
Automatic BOM
PGC/PGU profile count by type and size. Linear meters, commercial bars, total weight and purchase plan grouped by system. Updates in real time.
Barbieri Pricing
Integrated catalog with technical specs. Cut optimization with an offcut reserve: exact leftovers are used first, then the smallest leftover that fits.
Layer System
Configure exterior/interior layers: cement board, OSB, membrane, fiberglass, vapor barrier, gypsum. 3D visualization + fasteners.
Compliance dossier
Discipline-grouped items, country standards basis, governing results, evidence and simplified assumptions for professional review.
Multi-Story + Roof
Up to 3 stories with intermediate floor joists. Roof with Fink, Howe, Pratt and King Post trusses. Straight, L and U stairs.
Zoning (FOS/FOT)
Lot setup with front, back and side setbacks. Automatic floor-area-ratio calculation with compliance indicator.
Party Wall + Acoustics
Double party wall with fire-rated gypsum (F60). IRAM 4044 acoustic verification with R'w estimation between dwellings.
Point Loads
Water tanks placed on the roof. Per-truss load analysis with reinforcement recommendation by weight.
Prefab Panelization
Automatic wall splitting into transportable panels (max. 2.40m). Panel list with weight and parts for the shop.
Advanced Structural Analysis
Header verification (CIRSOC 303), lateral bracing with OSB, diagonal straps or OSB + straps, IRAM 4044 acoustic analysis, and SF vs masonry comparison.
Angled Walls
Free-form design with walls at any angle. Drag to create, 45° snap with Shift and 5° with Alt. Ideal for L-shaped houses, irregular frontages and non-orthogonal lots.
Concrete + Steel Frame
Hybrid system: reinforced concrete ground floor (H13–H30, 12–40 cm), upper floors in steel frame. Automatic weight and footing calculation.
Professional Export
DXF for AutoCAD, IFC for Revit/ArchiCAD/BIM, PDF with drawings + BOM + structural analysis + cutting diagrams. DXF import for surveyor lot outlines.
International
Support for Argentina (CIRSOC/IRAM), Chile (NCh + Metalcon), Uruguay (UNIT) and Paraguay (INTN NP), with explicit caveats where official tables require acquisition or review.
Hard numbers for professionals
Supported Profiles
- ArgentinaPGC/PGU 90–200
- ChileMetalcon (Cintac)
- Uruguay/ParaguayPGC-compatible
- GaugesBWG 25/22/20
- CatalogsBarbieri + 3 more
- ConcreteH13–H30, 12–40 cm
Standards
- ArgentinaCIRSOC 101/102/103/104
- Cold-formedCIRSOC 303
- ThermalIRAM 11601/11605
- AcousticIRAM 4044
- ChileNCh 432:2025 / 433 / 431
- CombinationsLRFD
Generated Elements
- StudsKing, jack, cripple
- HeadersVerified (CIRSOC 303)
- BracingOSB / straps / combined
- TrussesFink/Howe/Pratt/KingPost
- StairsStraight / L / U
- ConcreteSolid walls
Requirements
- Windows10+ (x64)
- macOS12+ (Universal)
- GPUVulkan/Metal/DX12
- RAM4 GB min
- Disk~50 MB
- InternetNot required
Compare and decide
SteelFrame Studio vs. the alternatives you already know.
| Feature | SteelFrame Studio | Excel spreadsheet | Barbieri Calc | CYPECAD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic BOM by profile | ✓ | Manual | ✓ | ✗ |
| Parametric 3D visualization | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Waste optimization with offcut reserve | ✓ | ✗ | Partial | ✗ |
| Integrated CIRSOC analysis | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Live pricing | ✓ Barbieri | Manual | ✓ | ✗ |
| Works offline | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Steel frame-specific | ✓ | Depends | ✓ | General |
| Seismic + snow + thermal | ✓ CIRSOC/IRAM | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Zoning (FOS/FOT) + party wall | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Cutting diagrams | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Prefab panelization | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Header verification | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Lateral bracing | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Drag-to-draw and angled walls | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Hybrid concrete (ground + SF) | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | Manual |
| International support (4 countries) | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | Parcial |
| IFC export (BIM) | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Lot DXF import | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
Pays for itself on the first project
Real numbers for a builder running five 80 m² projects per year.
Saved per project
Estimating that used to take 2 days, now done in 2 hours.
Less waste
Cut optimization and offcut reuse = USD 500 per project.
Annual savings
Time + materials on 5 projects. The license pays off 35×.
Structural analysis and review-ready dossier
No need to open another spreadsheet or look up tables. Analysis runs in real time on your design.
- Dead loads computed from the actual wall layers
- Wind pressure per CIRSOC 102 with per-city velocities
- Seismic per CIRSOC 103: zones 0–4, soil types, equivalent lateral force
- Snow per CIRSOC 104: zones 0–5, slope and exposure factors
- Thermal per IRAM 11601/11605: U-value, bioclimatic zones, Level B
- Acoustics per IRAM 4044: R'w estimation with mass law + cavity
- LRFD combinations: 1.4D, 1.2D+1.6L, 1.2D+0.5L+1.6S
- Stud, header (CIRSOC 303) and deflection (L/360) verification
- Lateral bracing with OSB, diagonal strap crosses or a combined system, depending on wall configuration
- Foundation: footing width per soil capacity, adjusted for concrete
- International: NCh 432:2025/433/431 for Chile, UNIT 50 for Uruguay and INTN NP 196 for Paraguay, with scope traceability
Cities with preset wind speed
Start estimating today
Download SteelFrame Studio and deliver your first estimate in under an hour.
