Short answer
A kip is a unit of force equal to 1,000 pounds-force. It is used in US structural engineering for loads, reactions and member capacities, so a beam reaction of 12 kips is 12,000 lb. A ksi is a kip per square inch, the unit for steel strength: A992 steel has a 50 ksi yield strength.
Kips on drawings
You will meet kips in beam and connection schedules (end reactions), in column load tables, in anchor rod and base plate notes, and in the general notes for design loads. "k" is the usual abbreviation: 12k, 45 K.
For an estimator, kips are not quantities. A reaction of 12 kips does not mean 12 kips of steel. It is a design force the connection must carry, and it influences how much connection material the detailer will need.
Conversions
| Unit | Value |
|---|---|
| 1 kip | 1,000 lbf |
| 1 kip | about 4.448 kN |
| 1 ksi | 1,000 psi, about 6.895 MPa |
| 50 ksi (A992 yield) | about 345 MPa |
On metric drawings the same loads appear in kN. Do not confuse a kip with a kilogram or a US ton: a kip is a force, not a mass, and a short ton is 2,000 lb.
Why does it matter for takeoff?
Mainly because the number next to a size on a schedule can look like a quantity or a weight when it is a load. On a beam schedule that has "W16x26 | 24 | 12k", the 24 may be a stud count and the 12k is a reaction. Knowing the conventions keeps you from mis-reading a column. See How do you read a beam schedule or column schedule? and the steel estimating glossary.
Kips in connection and base plate notes
Connection notes often read something like "design connections for the reaction shown, minimum 6 kips". Anchor bolt and base plate schedules list tension and shear in kips. For an estimator these numbers hint at how heavy the connection will be. A 6 kip minimum is a light shear tab. A 150 kip reaction is a big plate with many bolts. The detailer will size the plates, and you will carry an allowance by weight or per piece.
If you want to see how much connection steel is typical, compare with similar past jobs. See How much do steel connections cost?.
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