How to Measure and Price a Beam with a Shelf Plate

A simple guide for builders and contractors

We’re often asked how to measure and price beams with shelf plates — especially when builders are trying to get a quick cost together or place an order without full drawings. So we’ve put together this short guide to help you understand what these beams are for, what details your fabricator needs, and how to work out a rough price for supply and delivery.

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Why Beams with Shelf Plates Are Used

​Beams with shelf plates are common in residential construction where part of the load — often brickwork or timber — needs to sit on the steel itself. Think of them as a hybrid between a standard beam and a lintel. The welded shelf plate forms a ledge that supports an outer leaf of masonry or a timber floor, while the beam above carries the main load from the structure.

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What You’ll Need to Get a Quote

Before ordering, your steel supplier or fabricator will need enough detail to ensure the beam is made correctly. If you’ve got structural drawings and calculations, that’s ideal — but if not, you can still get an accurate quote by providing the following:

1. Beam size and plate thickness – e.g. 203x133x30 UB with a 10mm welded plate.
   
2. Span – Measure from brick to brick (not render) along with wall thickness. Most cavity walls are around 300mm overall, but always double-check.
   
3. Bearing details – Include how much of the beam will sit on each wall or padstone.
   
4. Any holes or notches – Let the fabricator know if you need any holes in the web or flange for timber connections or fixings.
   

Once this information is provided, your fabricator (like CMP) will create a simple model for approval before ordering material and starting fabrication.

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How to Work Out a Ballpark Price

When pricing up a beam with a shelf plate, there are three main elements to consider:

1. Material
   
2. Labour (Fabrication)
   
3. Delivery
   

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1. Material
Steel is priced per kilogram. The last number in the beam size gives you the weight per metre.
For example, a 203x203x46 UC weighs 46 kg per metre.
If your beam is 4m long:
46 kg x 4m = 184 kg

At around £1.50 per kg, that’s roughly £276 for the beam.

The shelf plate is worked out separately.
If you need a 10mm plate for a 300mm wall, search for “300x10 flat bar weight per metre” (or ask ChatGPT).
For example, it weighs 23.55 kg per metre.
So for a 4m plate: 23.55 x 4 = 94.2 kg

At around £2.00 per kg, that’s roughly £188.

Alternatively, suppliers like FH Brundle list prices online — at the time of writing, a 6m length of 300x10 flat bar costs around £203.40. Your fabricator will usually buy a full stock bar and add a small margin (around 20%) to cover handling and wastage.

2. Labour
Fabrication costs vary depending on size and complexity.
As a general rule:

• Smaller beams (15–30 kg/m) — around £30 per metre
• Medium beams (30–60 kg/m) — around £45–£60 per metre

A simple rule of thumb:

Use the beam weight as the labour rate per metre.
So for a 203x203x46 UC, allow £46 per metre for fabrication.
For a 254x254x73 UC, allow £73 per metre.

3. Delivery
​Delivery depends on distance and weight but typically sits between £50 and £100.
Always ask for a firm price, as costs can vary depending on access and location.

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Final Thoughts

This quick guide should help you measure up and roughly price beams with shelf plates. It’s not a substitute for proper calculations, but it’ll get you close enough for estimating and budgeting.
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If you’d like an accurate, up-to-date quote — or a simple model based on your measurements — get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.

Click here to email your drawings to us