Steel Detailing Outsourcing

Outsource structural steel detailing to a nearshore AISC team

Senior steel detailers in Sonora, Mexico — AISC 360, AWS D1.1, NISD-trained, working in Tekla Structures, Advance Steel, and AutoCAD. Same time zone as the U.S. western and central markets. Fixed-scope, fixed-fee engagements with five-to-ten-day first submittals.

Same time zone

No DST shifts

AISC compliant

AWS · NISD

Native English

On every call

24-48h quotes

Real numbers

Request a Quote Why Nearshore

Steel detailing outsourcing only works when the detailer thinks like a fabricator. Connections that match shop capability. Erection plans that match field reality. Bolt lists that match what your purchasing actually buys. We deliver structural and miscellaneous steel detailing for U.S. fabricators, erectors, and general contractors — production-grade shop drawings that move from kickoff to first submittal in five to ten business days, validated against AISC, AWS, and NISD references. Sonora puts our team an hour from the U.S. border on Mountain Standard Time year-round (no DST shifts), with native English on every call and AISC literacy that comes from years of serving American fabricators — not from a training video.

What you get

Structural steel shop drawings

Erection drawings, anchor bolt plans, assembly and part drawings, bolt lists, weld maps, and bills of material. AISC 360 and AWS D1.1 compliant, dimensioned to fabrication tolerance.

Tekla Structures detailing

LOD 350 and LOD 400 Tekla models organized by lot and sequence. CNC-ready output: KISS files, NC files, Fabtrol reports. Custom components for your standard connections.

Connection coordination

Connection design coordination with the EOR or your in-house PE. We resolve ambiguity during detailing, not after — fewer RFIs, faster submittals, cleaner approvals.

Miscellaneous metals detailing

Stairs, rails, ladders, platforms, embeds, and industrial steel. The work most outsourcing partners deprioritize — for us it is a core scope, not an afterthought.

RFI management on your letterhead

We maintain the RFI log on your project conventions and your branding. Your EOR sees one consistent voice, not a vendor with a different format every project.

Erector and fabricator handoff

Erection sequences, lift drawings, and shop-ready outputs that respect your shop's actual capacity. Field-checked geometry, not theoretical.

Our process

Four steps from your scope to clean, fabrication-ready files

1. Discovery call

Thirty minutes with the lead detailer who will own your project. Scope, shop conventions, EOR relationship, schedule, and deliverable spec.

2. Fixed quote

Twenty-four to forty-eight hours after discovery. Fixed scope, fixed fee, fixed timeline, named team. No open-ended hourly billing.

3. Detailing production

Submittal cycles on your cadence. Weekly status calls. RFIs resolved same business day. First submittal typically within five to ten days of kickoff.

4. Revisions and close-out

Two revision rounds included by default. Final deliverables in your conventions, on your timeline, ready for the shop floor.

Common questions

What buyers ask before sending us their first project

What standards do you detail to?

AISC 360 for structural steel, AWS D1.1 for welding, NISD detailing references, OSHA 1926 for erection. We adapt to firm-specific and project-specific conventions once they are documented and we treat your standards as the baseline, not ours.

How fast can you turn around a first submittal?

Most structural steel projects move from kickoff to first submittal within five to ten business days. Larger industrial scopes may take longer; the quote will tell you the real number, not an optimistic one.

Do you handle connection design or just detailing?

We detail to the EOR's connections by default. Connection design is available as a separate scope when the EOR delegates it — coordinated with a licensed PE on our team and stamped where required. Tell us which model fits your project and we will scope accordingly.

What software do you work in?

Tekla Structures, Advance Steel, AutoCAD, and SDS/2 on request. We deliver in the file formats you specify, and integrate with Trimble Connect, ProjectSight, or whichever collaboration platform your project uses.

How does nearshore outsourcing compare to offshore on cost?

Offshore steel detailing typically runs twenty to thirty-five dollars per hour; nearshore Sonora typically runs thirty-five to fifty-five per hour. The all-in cost — once rework, time-zone management, and RFI cycles are included — usually lands within five to fifteen percent of offshore, with a meaningfully shorter project clock and far fewer escalations.

Will you work directly with our EOR?

Yes, on your terms. We can be invisible to the EOR (you front-channel us) or named as your detailing partner (we represent your firm under your conventions). Most clients start with the invisible model and transition to named once trust is established.

What types of projects do you detail?

Industrial steel, commercial structural, multifamily, mixed-use, miscellaneous metals, and connection-heavy retrofits. We serve fabricators across the western, central, and east-coast U.S. — Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, Denver, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, San Diego, and beyond.

How do you handle confidentiality?

Mutual NDA standard before discovery. Project files stay in whatever environment you prefer — shared drive, your project portal, or direct transfer. All IP is yours by contract. We do not portfolio your projects without written consent.

Get a quote

Send your scope. Get a real quote in 24 to 48 hours.

No commitment, no sales sequence. Tell us about your project and we'll respond with a real number, a real schedule, and a named team.