Electrical estimates circuit by circuit,
not dollar per square foot.
Electrical is one of those trades where an estimate that looks reasonable from 10,000 feet falls apart the moment someone actually checks it. Conduit runs measured in plan view without accounting for vertical drops, wire lengths calculated from circuit counts without tracing actual routes, lighting fixtures counted from one sheet while the addenda updated the fixture schedule on another these aren't unusual mistakes. They're what happens when electrical estimating gets rushed. At Remarkable Estimating, we go through every electrical drawing carefully, count every device and fixture, measure every run of conduit with routing in mind, and price everything against what copper, conduit, and gear actually cost in your market right now.
What Is Electrical Estimating?
Electrical estimating is the process of counting every device, fixture and panel on the electrical drawings, measuring conduit and wire runs, and pricing the materials, gear and labor needed to install the electrical system. An electrical takeoff is the quantity part of that work; the estimate adds pricing.
Remarkable Estimating Services, LLC, based in Hawthorne, California, prepares electrical takeoffs and cost estimates for electrical contractors, MEP subcontractors, general contractors and builders in all 50 states. We work remotely from your electrical drawings, one-line diagram and panel schedules, using Accubid, PlanSwift and Bluebeam Revu, and deliver an itemized Excel or PDF estimate organized by system, typically within 48–72 hours. We are an estimating firm: we do not perform electrical work.
Fire alarm, data and security are covered in low voltage estimating. For the whole building, see our full-project cost estimating and quantity takeoffs.
Why Electrical Estimates Have More Moving Parts Than Most Contractors Realize
Electrical estimating has a reputation for being straightforward count the devices, measure the conduit, add wire and labor. In practice, it's one of the most detail-sensitive takeoffs in construction. The number of individual line items on a commercial electrical estimate is larger than almost any other trade, and the opportunity for small counting errors to compound into significant dollar gaps is real.
The conduit routing problem is probably the most persistent one. On a plan, a conduit run from a panel to a device might look like 30 feet. Once you account for the vertical drop from the ceiling to the panel, the horizontal offset to clear a structural beam, the stub-up to the device, and the fittings at every change of direction that run is closer to 50 or 55 feet. Multiply that across hundreds of circuits on a large commercial project and the plan-view conduit count is substantially short. In materials. In wire, which follows the conduit. And in labor hours, which are based on what actually gets installed.
Wire and cable pricing is the other significant variable. Copper prices move constantly, and double-digit swings within a single year are not unusual. An estimate built on copper pricing from six months ago on a project in a different region is not a reliable baseline for a current bid. The larger the project, the more this matters. On a large commercial building, wire and cable can be a substantial share of the electrical scope, so even a modest copper price movement creates exposure that a stale estimate doesn't capture.
Gear pricing switchgear, transformers, distribution panels, and motor control centers is similarly volatile and highly dependent on lead times and manufacturer availability. Switchgear that was available in a few weeks in one bid cycle can be on a much longer lead time in the next, depending on supply chain conditions. That affects both price and project schedule. We check current manufacturer pricing and lead time conditions when pricing electrical gear, not catalog prices from a previous bid cycle.
We read the electrical drawings the way a careful electrician would panel schedule by panel schedule, circuit by circuit, fixture by fixture and we price against what the materials actually cost in your specific market at the time of your estimate.
The electrical estimate that comes in $40,000 short on a mid-size commercial project is almost always a conduit routing problem combined with stale copper pricing. Neither one is hard to get right if you're paying attention. Both are easy to miss when you're going fast.
What Our Electrical Estimating Services Include
A complete electrical estimate covers every component from the service entrance to the last device conduit, wire, panels, gear, lighting, devices, grounding, and all accessories. Here's everything we include in a full electrical takeoff.
Our Electrical Takeoffs Include
- Conduit EMT, rigid (RMC/IMC), PVC, flexible, and liquid-tight by size and run length with routing allowances
- Conduit fittings couplings, connectors, elbows, straps, and sealtite fittings by type and size
- Wire and cable THHN, XHHW, MC cable, armored cable, and service entrance cable by size and length
- Service entrance equipment utility metering, main disconnect, and service conductors
- Switchgear and distribution boards by ampacity, voltage, and number of sections
- Transformers dry-type, pad-mounted, and K-rated by KVA and voltage configuration
- Panelboards and load centers by amp rating, voltage, number of circuits, and mounting
- Motor control centers (MCCs) and variable frequency drives (VFDs)
- Circuit breakers molded case, plug-in, and bolt-on by amp rating and pole count
- Receptacles duplex, GFCI, AFCI, hospital-grade, and specialty outlets by count
- Switches single-pole, 3-way, 4-way, dimmer, and occupancy sensors by count
- Device boxes, junction boxes, and pull boxes by size and mounting type
- Wiring devices plates, cover plates, and weatherproof covers
- Interior lighting fixtures from fixture schedule by type, lamp, and mounting
- Exterior lighting wall packs, pole lights, area fixtures, and controls
- Emergency and exit lighting battery-backed units, central inverter systems
- Lighting controls occupancy sensors, daylight sensors, and dimmer systems
- Grounding and bonding ground rods, grounding conductors, and bonding jumpers
- Cable trays and wireway by type, width, and run length
- Underground conduit and duct banks with pull rope and warning tape
- Sleeves, seals, and fire-stopping at penetrations
- Motor connections and equipment feeders from panel schedules
- Generator systems standby generator, automatic transfer switch, and fuel system
- Temporary power construction power poles, panels, and distribution for site use
- Hangers, supports, strut channel, and seismic bracing by system type
- Labor hours by system type, installation method, conduit type, and project complexity (union, open-shop or prevailing wage rates; see our labor cost estimating guide)
Every circuit, every device, every foot of conduit counted from your electrical drawings and panel schedules, not estimated from a cost-per-square-foot benchmark.
How Our Electrical Estimating Process Works
From your electrical drawings and panel schedules to a complete, circuit-level estimate ready for submission here's exactly how we work through an electrical takeoff.
You send us your electrical drawings and specifications
Electrical floor plans, one-line diagram, panel schedules, lighting plans, site electrical plans, electrical specifications (Division 26), and any addenda that affect the electrical scope. Panel schedules are critical they define the circuit counts, wire sizes, and breaker ratings that drive a significant portion of the material takeoff. Fixture schedules tell us lamp type, mounting, and controls requirements. If addenda are missing, we flag it before starting because an outdated fixture schedule is one of the most reliable ways to produce an inaccurate lighting takeoff.
PDF, CAD, or Bluebeam all formats accepted
We separate the electrical scope into distinct systems before measuring
Power distribution, branch circuit wiring, lighting, grounding, gear, underground, temporary power, and specialty systems are estimated as separate scopes not blended into a single electrical rate. This matters at buyout because electrical subcontractors and material suppliers price by system, and a blended number can't be broken out or verified. We organize the estimate the way the work actually gets contracted and purchased so your buyout conversations start from a defensible baseline.
System-by-system organized for buyout
Conduit runs measured with routing allowances not from plan view alone
Using Accubid, PlanSwift or Bluebeam Revu, we measure conduit runs from the electrical plans and apply routing multipliers for vertical drops to panels, offsets around structural elements, stub-ups to devices, and coordination clearances in congested ceiling conditions. The routing multiplier varies by building type and floor-to-floor height a single-story retail building is different from a multi-story office building with a crowded mechanical ceiling. We choose the appropriate multiplier and apply it consistently so the conduit quantity reflects what actually gets pulled, not what plan view suggests.
Routing-adjusted conduit not plan view only
Wire lengths calculated from circuit routes copper priced at current market rates
Wire quantities are calculated from actual circuit lengths conduit run footage multiplied by conductor count per circuit, including the neutral and ground where required by code and spec. We don't estimate wire as a multiplier of conduit footage or as a percentage of total scope. Copper pricing is checked at current commodity market rates for your project region at time of estimate not from a previous project's material invoice. On large projects, this distinction is worth real money.
Circuit-traced wire quantities · Current copper pricing
Gear priced from schedules, then missed-item review and clean delivery
Switchgear, transformers, panels, and MCCs are priced from the actual one-line diagram and equipment schedules by ampacity, voltage, and configuration using current manufacturer pricing and lead time conditions. Before delivery, we check for the items most commonly missed in electrical estimates: ground fault protection requirements, seismic bracing for panels and gear, temporary construction power, and addenda-driven fixture or panel schedule changes. Delivery is a clean Excel or PDF organized by electrical system with conduit, wire, devices, fixtures, gear, grounding, and labor all broken out clearly.
Delivered 48–72 hrs · Rush available
Types of Electrical Projects We Estimate
From a residential service upgrade to a full power distribution and lighting package on a large industrial facility electrical estimate complexity scales with system voltage, gear size, and circuit density. Our process handles all of it with the same level of care.
Residential Electrical Estimating
New construction, additions, full rewires, service upgrades, and smart home electrical packages residential electrical estimates need accurate circuit counts, device quantities by room, panel schedules, service entrance equipment, and underground service laterals. We give electrical contractors and builders a complete circuit-by-circuit breakdown with wire sizing, device counts, panel and gear pricing, and lighting fixture quantities all priced to current regional costs so the estimate holds up when you call the electrical supplier.
Commercial Electrical Estimating
Office buildings, schools, hospitals, retail centers, data centers, hotels, and multi-family residential commercial electrical scopes are large, panel-schedule-driven, and involve significant gear costs that are sensitive to current market pricing and lead times. We handle the full commercial electrical scope service entrance, switchgear, distribution, branch circuits, lighting, controls, emergency systems, grounding, and underground organized by system and priced to your project's location and current market conditions.
Industrial Electrical Estimating
Manufacturing plants, warehouses, food processing facilities, pharmaceutical production, power generation, and utility infrastructure industrial electrical work involves large power distribution at medium and high voltage, motor control centers, variable frequency drives, heavy-duty conduit systems, process equipment feeders, and specialized grounding requirements. These are not standard commercial electrical conditions. We price industrial electrical systems from the actual specifications, panel schedules, and one-line diagrams not from commercial electrical benchmarks that bear no relationship to industrial power distribution costs.
Why Electrical Contractors Choose Remarkable Estimating
Here's what working with us on an electrical scope actually looks like in practice.
Conduit Measured With Routing in Mind Not From Plan Dimensions Alone
Plan view conduit footage and actual installed conduit footage are consistently different numbers. Vertical drops to panels, offsets around structural elements, stub-ups at devices, and coordination clearances all add footage that doesn't show on a flat plan. We apply routing multipliers calibrated to building type and ceiling height on every conduit takeoff so the quantity that lands in your estimate is what the electrician actually pulls, not what the drawing suggests if everything ran in a straight line.
Copper Priced at Current Market Rates Not Last Quarter's Costs
Copper is one of the most volatile commodities in construction materials. Large swings in copper pricing within a single year are not unusual. We pull current copper market pricing for your project's region at the time of estimate, not from a previous project's material invoice that may be months or more out of date. On large commercial and industrial projects, getting the copper price right is worth real money.
Gear Priced From One-Line and Schedules Current Lead Times Noted
Switchgear, transformers, distribution panels, and MCCs are priced from the actual one-line diagram and equipment schedules ampacity, voltage, number of sections, and configuration. We use current manufacturer pricing, and we note lead time conditions where they're relevant to project scheduling. Equipment that's on an extended lead time in the current market gets flagged so the project team knows before bid submission, not after award.
Panel Schedules Read Not Assumed From Floor Plans Alone
The panel schedule tells you what the floor plan doesn't circuit counts, wire sizes, breaker ratings, and load assignments. We read every panel schedule as a separate source document and reconcile it against what's shown on the floor plans. Where there are discrepancies between the schedule and the plan and there often are on complex projects we note them as scope clarifications so nothing is hidden in an assumption that could surface as a change order after award.
Addenda and Fixture Schedule Updates Checked Before Takeoff
Lighting fixture schedules are among the most frequently updated documents in a bid set. A fixture type changed by addendum that doesn't get incorporated into the estimate creates a quantity error that the electrical sub discovers when they price the actual fixtures usually after bid. We review all addenda before starting a takeoff and flag any scope changes that affect quantities or pricing. The estimate reflects the current bid set, not the original issue drawings.
48–72 Hour Turnaround Flat Project Pricing
Electrical bids often have tight windows on competitive commercial and industrial projects. Standard turnaround is 48–72 hours from receiving a complete document set. Rush delivery is available when your bid timeline is tighter just tell us upfront. Pricing is quoted based on project scope and may be provided as a flat project fee or hourly rate. Flat project fees are agreed upfront. No retainers, no revision fees for reasonable clarification questions, no surprises. Your drawings and project documents stay completely confidential throughout.
Related Trade Estimating
Get a Free Electrical Estimate
Send us your drawings and we'll come back with a clear scope, a realistic turnaround, and a quote for the estimate, usually within 24 hours. Want to see our work first? Ask for a free sample estimate.
Prefer to send plans directly? Email info@remarkableestimating.com or call (424) 441-4101.
Electrical Estimating Services Across All 50 States
We're based in Hawthorne, California, and work remotely with electrical contractors, MEP subcontractors, general contractors, and building owners in every state across the US. Whether you're bidding a commercial electrical package in California, an industrial power distribution system in Texas, a hospital fit-out in New York, or a large residential development in Florida you get the same circuit-level detail and pricing that reflects your actual regional material and labor market. Hover over your state below.
Electrical Estimating FAQs
What does an electrical estimate include?
How fast will I receive my electrical estimate?
What pricing data and deliverables do you use?
Can I see a free sample before sending a real project?
What documents do you need for an electrical estimate?
Do you include low voltage systems?
How much does an electrical estimate cost?
Does Remarkable Estimating perform electrical work?
Which software do you use for electrical estimating?
Got an electrical scope to bid? Let's count every circuit properly.
Send us your electrical drawings, panel schedules, and project specifications. We'll come back with a circuit-level takeoff, clear scope notes, and a quote for the estimate before you commit to anything. Want to see our work first? Ask for a free sample estimate.
Mon – Fri, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Pacific · Rush turnaround available