What does accubid and trimble electrical estimating cover?
Accubid and Trimble electrical estimating covers the quantity takeoff behind a bid: conduit and fittings by size and run, wire and cable by circuit, panelboards, feeders, devices and fixtures, each line carrying its unit, measurement rule and source sheet. We deliver an Excel workbook and PDF summary with marked-up drawings.
Our Professional Accubid & Trimble Electrical Estimating
Accubid and Trimble electrical estimating starts with the drawings and ends with a number someone can defend in a bid review. We read the single line diagram, panel schedules, fixture schedule and floor plans sheet by sheet, then build quantities and labor in the Accubid structure your bid package expects. Every figure on our sheets carries its unit, the measurement rule behind it and the drawing reference it came from, and our rsmeans cost estimates support cross-checks unit prices against a published cost database.
The three service lines below are separate deliverables. You can order any one of them, or all three together on the same drawing set.
Electrical material takeoff by sheet
We count feeders, branch circuits, raceway, wire and cable, panelboards, devices and fixtures from the plan sheets, with each item tied to a sheet and detail number. Units follow the trade: linear feet for conduit by size and type, linear feet of each conductor size, each for fittings, boxes and terminations, and each for devices and luminaires cross-checked against the fixture schedule. The deliverable is a line-item material list organized under CSI MasterFormat Division 26, Division 27 and Division 28, ready to load into your Accubid database electrical takeoff or compare against a supplier quote.
Labor hours priced by task
Labor is priced in hours, not lump sums. We assign labor units by installation task, such as wire pulling per hundred feet by conductor size and raceway type, terminations per conductor, and device installation per opening, then extend them at the electrician wage from published U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and adjust for project conditions. The output shows hours by task, the wage basis and the arithmetic, so a reviewer can trace any line back to the labor unit and the crew assumption behind it.
Bid-ready estimate with open lines
The bid estimate combines material, labor, equipment and indirect costs into the format your bid package requires, with markups shown as separate lines rather than folded into unit prices. We flag scope we could not confirm from the drawings, such as an unclear junction box count or a feeder route shown schematically, so you can price it deliberately or carry a stated allowance. The final workbook includes the marked-up drawing pages, so the quantity behind any line can be checked against the sheet.
What Is Included in Our Accubid & Trimble Electrical Estimates?
Each estimate is built from the same four inputs: the drawing set, the specification sections, the schedule tables and the estimator's measurement rules. We note which revision of the plan sheets we priced, because a takeoff against an outdated set is the most common reason an electrical bid misses. The same discipline applies across accubid and trimble electrical estimating workflows: every quantity carries the sheet it came from and the rule used to measure it.
Service, feeder and distribution components
The takeoff covers the physical distribution system: service entrance equipment, switchboards, panelboards and transformers, feeders from the single line diagram, branch circuits, conduit and raceway by type and size, wire and cable by conductor size and insulation, junction boxes, pull boxes, conduit fittings, supports, devices, luminaires and fire alarm and low-voltage devices where Division 28 scope applies. Equipment is listed by tag number so it matches the panel schedule and the equipment schedule. Where the single line diagram and the panel schedule disagree, we flag the conflict on the drawing markup instead of choosing one silently.
Feet, each, sets and circuit counts
Quantities are reported in the unit the trade buys in. Conduit and wire are measured in linear feet, with a typical waste factor stated per material rather than buried in the total. Boxes, fittings, devices, fixtures and terminations are counted each. Panelboards are counted each with their breaker quantities listed separately by frame and trip rating. Home run lengths are measured from the panel to the first device and recorded per circuit so the wire and conduit totals reconcile with the circuit schedule. Our bluebeam takeoff services team marks each measured run on the plan sheets so a reviewer can trace a linear-foot total back to the drawing.
Materials, labor, equipment and cost breakdowns
The estimate separates the four cost elements so each can be reviewed on its own terms:
- Material: extended quantity times unit price, with copper wire and cable priced from current Producer Price Index movement rather than a stale catalog figure.
- Labor: hours by task from labor units, extended at published wage data for electricians and first-line supervisors, with the wage source cited.
- Equipment: lifts, trenchers, coring and other rental or owned equipment listed as separate line items with duration assumptions.
- Indirects and markup: permits, temporary power, supervision, bonds, insurance and overhead shown as visible lines, not blended into the unit price.
The trimble electrical estimating takeoff structure lets you re-sort the same data by area, by panel or by CSI division when you present it internally. That sortable structure is what makes accubid and trimble electrical estimating useful at bid time: the panel schedule and feeder takeoff can be reviewed line by line against the drawings before the number leaves your office.
Who Needs Our Accubid & Trimble Electrical Estimating?
Different readers use the same takeoff for different decisions. We build the estimate so the quantity is visible, because a subcontractor checking a bid, a general contractor comparing packages and a developer testing a budget all need to see where a number came from. Accubid and Trimble electrical estimating both rest on the same counted and measured quantities, so the output serves each reader without a separate survey.
Electrical subcontractors
Electrical contractors use electrical estimating outsourcing accubid when their estimator is at capacity or when a bid package lands with a short turnaround. The takeoff gives them counted devices, measured raceway and wire, and labor hours they can review line by line before adding their own markup. The drawing markup shows where each junction box and home run was counted, which shortens the internal review before submission.
General contractors and home builders
General contractors use the electrical takeoff to level subcontractor bids. When three electrical proposals differ by a wide margin, a quantity survey of the same drawing set shows whether the gap sits in fixture counts, feeder length or labor hours. We report quantities by system so the comparison happens on scope, not on the total alone.
Developers, architects and suppliers
Developers use an early electrical estimate to test whether a budget is realistic before design is complete, at an AACE Class 4 or Class 3 level depending on drawing maturity. Architects use the fixture and device counts to check that the design documents are internally consistent. Suppliers use the material list to prepare a quote against the same quantities the contractor is pricing, which keeps the accubid and trimble electrical estimating figures comparable across all three reviews.
Types of Accubid & Trimble Electrical Projects We Estimate
Scope changes with building type, and so do the measurement rules. A dwelling unit takeoff is dominated by device counts and branch circuits, while an industrial takeoff is dominated by feeders, raceway and terminations. The same split applies to accubid and trimble electrical estimating: the database structure and labor units differ by building type, so we name the project type on the estimate cover sheet and state which rules we applied.
Residential projects
Single-family and multifamily takeoffs are counted per dwelling unit: receptacles, switches, luminaires, smoke and carbon monoxide devices, panelboard and branch circuits, with home runs measured to each unit's panel. Multifamily work adds house panels, corridor and site lighting, and a separate count for common areas. We reference the IRC electrical provisions where the drawings cite them and confirm the local code edition with the building department when the drawings are silent.
Commercial buildings
Office, retail, restaurant and institutional work brings larger service equipment, tenant separation, lighting control and more Division 27 and Division 28 scope. The Accubid database electrical takeoff is organized by panel and by floor so a tenant fit-out can be priced separately from base building work. Feeder lengths come from the single line diagram and the riser, with conduit and raceway measured on the plan sheets. This is where accubid and trimble electrical estimating earns its keep: panel schedules, circuit schedules and device counts stay tied to the sheet each quantity came from.
Industrial and infrastructure projects
Industrial scope adds medium-voltage distribution, motor control centers, process power, cable tray and heavy conduit and raceway runs, where steel and copper price movement matters more than device counts. We record the basis for cable tray and busway lengths and separate owner-furnished equipment from contractor-supplied material. For early-stage budgets, our construction cost estimating services can carry the electrical package alongside the other divisions.
Our Accubid & Trimble Electrical Estimating Process
Every electrical package follows the same three steps, and each step leaves a check behind that you can audit. Send the plan set, the specification book and any addenda together; a missing addendum is the most common cause of a re-priced bid. We quote the fee per project after reviewing the drawings, so scope depth and sheet count are known before any work starts.
The takeoff is organized by CSI MasterFormat Division 26 for power, Division 27 for communications and Division 28 for electronic safety and security, so the estimate drops straight into a bid form sorted the same way. See the quantity takeoff services page if your package also needs general trades measured, and the planswift takeoff page if your team already marks up sheets in that tool and wants the same measurement rules carried across.
Submit drawings and specifications
You send PDF plans, the project manual and the fixture schedule, plus any single line diagram issued by the engineer. We log the sheet list, revision dates and addenda against the set we received, and flag sheets referenced in the spec but missing from the upload. Conduit fittings and wire and cable specifications are read from Division 26 sections, not assumed from the drawings alone.
Plan review and digital takeoff
The estimator scales each sheet, sets the measurement rule for home runs and feeders, and traces branch circuits from panel to device. Devices are counted once at the symbol legend and checked against the room-by-room count on the floor plan. Trimble Accubid bid preparation is used to assemble the priced takeoff from the confirmed quantities, with the labor units attached per item.
Cost calculation, quality checks and delivery
A second estimator re-measures a sample of feeders, conduit runs and device counts against the marked-up sheets before release. Material pricing is applied by item, labor is priced from published wage data, and the totals are cross-footed against the bid form. You receive the Excel workbook, the PDF summary and the marked-up drawing pages; questions on any line are answered against the sheet reference in the workbook.
Sample Accubid & Trimble Electrical Estimate and Deliverables
The table below is an illustrative excerpt from a small tenant fit-out, not a quote for your project. Assumptions: 4,000 sq ft of open office, one 225A panelboard fed overhead from an existing switchgear, 60 duplex receptacles, 48 recessed fixtures and 12 emergency units. Quantities are measured from drawings; unit costs are placeholders to show the arithmetic, and your estimate uses current pricing.
Each deliverable is built for a different reader: the workbook for the estimator pricing the bid, the marked-up sheets for the foreman checking scope, and the summary for the owner. The electrical material takeoff for contractors is the backbone of all three, and every total in the workbook traces back to a highlighted run on a drawing page.
| Item | Qty | Unit | Unit cost range | Extended range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3/4 in. EMT conduit, branch | 1,850 | LF | $2.10 – $2.60 | $3,885 – $4,810 |
| 12 AWG THHN copper wire (3 conductors + ground) | 7,400 | LF | $0.42 – $0.55 | $3,108 – $4,070 |
| Duplex receptacle, 20A | 60 | EA | $22 – $30 | $1,320 – $1,800 |
| 2x4 LED recessed fixture | 48 | EA | $58 – $78 | $2,784 – $3,744 |
| Emergency battery unit | 12 | EA | $135 – $175 | $1,620 – $2,100 |
| 225A panelboard with main breaker | 1 | EA | $1,450 – $1,900 | $1,450 – $1,900 |
| Junction and device boxes | 96 | EA | $4.50 – $7.00 | $432 – $672 |
| Total (illustrative) | — | — | — | $14,599 – $19,096 |
Excel quantity takeoff sheet
One tab per system, with columns for sheet reference, item description, quantity, unit, waste factor and source. Branch circuits are listed by panel and circuit number so a reviewer can trace a wire length back to its home run. Formulas stay live, so a changed conduit length recalculates the extended cost without rekeying.
Marked-up drawings
Every measured run is color-coded by system on the PDF: raceway in one color, wire pulling lengths in another, devices circled with counts. Panelboard and feeder routes are traced from the single line diagram to the plan so the two documents agree. Markups are returned as separate pages, leaving your original set untouched.
Itemized cost estimate
Material, labor and equipment are separated by line, with Division 28 fire alarm and security devices kept in their own group rather than buried in the electrical total. The summary page shows subtotals by division and the assumptions used for waste and labor units. Send your plans through request a quote to receive the same format for your scope.
Software and Pricing Data We Use
Pricing is only as good as the quantity it multiplies, so the conduit and wire quantity takeoff is finished and checked before any unit price is attached. Branch circuits are measured to the device box, not to the panel, and the home run is added as a separate line with its own length rule. That separation is what keeps terminations and wire pulling priced correctly when the panel location changes late in design.
Material pricing is adjusted with published federal data rather than a single national average, and the labor side is reviewed against the wage table below. The chart below tracks the material series that move an electrical bid most, with each index rebased to 100 so the relative movement is visible at a glance.
Takeoff and estimating software
Our estimators work in three tool categories: PDF and on-screen takeoff for measuring and marking sheets, spreadsheet estimating for the priced workbook, and published cost databases for unit price and labor unit reference. The estimating software we work in supports the markup layer, and the estimating workbook is issued in Excel so your team can audit or re-price any line. Where a client specifies a particular platform, we match the output format to it.
Regional material and labor pricing method
National average unit costs are adjusted with published U.S. wage data and Producer Price Index series for copper wire and cable, steel conduit and related products, then reviewed by an estimator against the local market. The wage table below shows the trade rates behind the labor units, including the electrician rate used for installation labor. Prevailing wage projects, shift work and occupied-building conditions are applied as separate adjustments rather than folded into the base rate. Code references follow the NEC edition adopted by the local authority, which you should confirm with the building department.
Material price movement, Oct 2023 to Sep 2026
| Occupation | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers | $18.57 | $22.66 | $28.72 |
| Carpenters | $23.32 | $29.12 | $36.94 |
| Electricians | $23.76 | $30.38 | $40.36 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters | $24.13 | $30.67 | $40.92 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers | $22.60 | $27.41 | $32.15 |
| First-line supervisors, construction trades | $30.48 | $38.42 | $48.78 |
| Cost estimators | $29.40 | $37.86 | $48.97 |
Base wages before payroll taxes, insurance and benefits. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, national, all industries.
Why Contractors Choose Our Estimating Services
The estimate is built to be checked, not trusted. Every line carries a unit, a measurement rule and a source, so a reviewer can re-measure a feeder or a device count and land on the same number. That structure also makes the electrical bid estimate Excel workbook reusable on the next project with a similar scope.
We do not publish ratings or client lists, so the case for the service rests on the method and the paper trail it leaves behind. Read the construction estimating services overview for how the electrical scope fits a full bid package, and see professional xactimate estimating services for the property-loss side of the same discipline.
Trade-specific expertise
Feeders are measured from the single line diagram with conduit size, conductor count and length stated per run, and branch circuits are tied to a circuit schedule by panel and circuit number. Labor units are assigned per item rather than as a percentage of material, which keeps terminations and wire pulling visible in the total. Device counts are reconciled against the fixture schedule and the symbol legend before pricing.
Quality control and clear assumptions
A second estimator re-measures a sample of the largest-value lines, and the assumptions page states the waste factor, the working height, the ceiling type and the code edition used. Any item excluded from the bid, such as temporary power or utility coordination, is listed explicitly rather than left silent. Where drawings and specifications conflict, both readings are noted so you can decide before submission.
Turnaround, communication and revisions
Delivery dates are agreed when the fee is quoted, based on the sheet count and scope depth in the set you send, and the date is confirmed in writing before work starts. Revisions are handled against the addendum or revised sheet that triggered them, with changed lines highlighted in the workbook. Send revised drawings through send your plans and reference the original estimate number so the changes are tracked.
Accubid & Trimble Electrical Estimating Pricing
The fee is quoted per project after we review the plans, so there is no rate card here to compare against. That is deliberate: a 40-sheet tenant fit-out with a panel schedule and a fixture schedule on sheet E-601 is a different job from a 300-sheet distribution center with medium-voltage feeders and a full single line diagram. We price the work we can see in the documents you send, and the quote names the sheets, divisions and alternates it covers.
Because the fee is quoted rather than published, the useful thing to do is send the full bid package — drawings, specifications, addenda and the bid form — so the scope is fixed before the number is set. Quotes for accubid and trimble electrical estimating follow the same basis: sheet count, Division 26 through Division 28 scope, and the depth of takeoff required. The calculator below is a concrete slab quantity tool and nothing more; it does not estimate electrical work.
| Length (ft) | Width (ft) | Thickness (in) | Waste % | Net cubic yards | Order quantity (c.y.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 30 | 4 | 5 | 14.81 | 15.56 |
| 60 | 40 | 5 | 5 | 37.04 | 38.89 |
| 100 | 50 | 6 | 10 | 92.59 | 101.85 |
| 24 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 7.11 | 7.11 |
| 80 | 60 | 8 | 5 | 118.52 | 124.44 |
How quotes are calculated
We read the drawing set, count the devices and fixtures on the plan sheets, trace each home run and feeder on the single line diagram, and price the result at unit price rates for material and labor units for installation. Device counts drive the labor side more than the material side, which is why a plan with 600 duplex receptacles and 40 panelboards prices differently from one with 200 of each even when the wire footage is similar.
A load calculation or circuit schedule that is already complete shortens the review, and that time comes off the quote. Where the documents are silent — an unlabeled panel, a feeder with no conduit size — we list the assumption in the quote rather than absorbing it silently. The fee is then fixed against that stated scope, and a professional bid estimating services review can be added if you want the package checked before submission.
What affects price and delivery time
Sheet count is the first driver, then the number of trades in the package: a Division 26-only set is faster than one that also carries Division 27 and Division 28 scope. Addenda issued late, alternates that must be priced separately, and a fixture schedule that does not match the reflected ceiling plan all add review time. Bid date matters too — a package due the morning after you send it leaves less room than one with a week of lead time.
Delivery time is confirmed with the quote, not promised before we have seen the drawings. When the bid date is tight, tell us the date in the request and we will say what is achievable for that set. The calculator below returns area, cubic feet, net cubic yards and order quantity from length, width, thickness and a waste percentage — use it for slab concrete, not for raceway or wire.
Slab quantity takeoff
- Area
- 2,400 sq ft
- Volume
- 800 cu ft
- Net concrete
- 29.63 cu yd
- Order quantity
- 31.11 cu yd
Formula: length × width × (thickness ÷ 12) ÷ 27 = cubic yards. Thickened edges, footings and pump waste are taken off separately.
Accubid & Trimble Electrical Estimating Across the US
Labor is the largest regional variable in an electrical bid, and the wage table below shows how far apart the trades sit nationally. Public work usually carries a prevailing wage requirement that replaces the open-shop rate in the estimate, so the same drawings can price very differently on a school or a courthouse than on a private warehouse. We ask which wage basis applies before the labor units are applied.
Material delivery and climate change the rest. Copper wire and cable and steel mill products have moved sharply over the past year, so a material takeoff priced from an old quote can miss the current market; the chart below shows the direction. Cold-climate projects add heat trace and freeze protection, coastal projects add corrosion-resistant raceway and devices, and local code editions amend the NEC requirements for boxes, grounding and arc-fault protection. Confirm the adopted edition with the building department.
KNR serves all U.S. states from one team, so the panel schedule and feeder takeoff, fixture schedule, and full quantity survey are produced the same way regardless of where the project sits — only the wage basis and material pricing change. That consistency is what accubid and trimble electrical estimating workflows are meant to deliver, and it holds whether the bid package is a single-tenant fit-out or a multi-building campus. Send the drawings through send your plans and tell us the project state and wage basis.
| Trade | National median hourly wage |
|---|---|
| Electricians | $30.38 |
| First-line supervisors, construction trades | $38.42 |
| Construction laborers | $22.66 |
| Cost estimators | $37.86 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters | $30.67 |
| Carpenters | $29.12 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an accubid & trimble electrical estimate cost?
The fee is quoted per project after we review the plans, so it depends on drawing count, circuit and feeder density, the number of panelboards and fixture schedules, and whether you need a full bid package or a partial takeoff. Send the plan set and your scope split, and the quote states the fee and the deliverable format before any work starts.
How long does an accubid & trimble electrical takeoff take?
Delivery is set by sheet count, the number of single line diagrams and panel schedules, and how much of the scope you want priced. We confirm the delivery date with the quote once the drawings are reviewed, so the date you receive is tied to the actual plan set rather than a general promise.
Do you estimate labor and material costs?
Yes. Each line carries a quantity, a unit, a material unit price and a labor unit, and the labor is priced from published U.S. wage data reviewed by an estimator. Copper wire and cable, steel conduit and raceway, and devices are adjusted with Producer Price Index movement, so the material side of the bid reflects current pricing.
What drawings do you need?
Send the electrical plan sheets, single line diagram, panel schedules, fixture schedule and any specification sections for Division 26, Division 27 and Division 28 scope. A site plan and the architectural floor plans help with home run routing, junction box locations and ceiling heights. Missing sheets are listed as assumptions in the workbook.
Can you use my estimate template?
Send your template with the plans and we confirm whether the estimate can be delivered in it. If your template carries its own labor units, account codes or bid summary structure, include those with the drawings so the takeoff lines map to your columns instead of being rebuilt afterward.
Do you sign NDAs?
Clients can request one before sending drawings, and the terms are agreed before plan review begins. Tell us early so the agreement is in place before the first sheet is opened. We do not publish a standard policy, so the terms are settled case by case with your document or ours.
What is the difference between an accubid and trimble electrical estimating takeoff and a plain quantity survey?
A quantity survey counts items; an accubid and trimble electrical estimating takeoff also assigns labor units, material unit prices and bid structure to each count. That means conduit and wire quantities arrive with raceway fittings, terminations, wire pulling labor and a priced bid summary rather than a bare list of devices.
How do you handle conduit and wire quantity takeoff on a feeder run?
We scale the feeder route from the single line diagram, add the vertical drops and terminations, then apply a typical waste factor for conduit and conductor cuts. Wire lengths are recorded per size and insulation type so the copper wire and cable line can be repriced when the index moves.
Do you count devices and fixtures from the fixture schedule?
Yes. Fixtures are counted by type against the fixture schedule, and devices, plates and boxes are counted per room from the floor plans, with branch circuit home runs traced back to their panelboard. Each count is tagged to the sheet number so you can check it against the drawing.
Can you price a bid package from a partial plan set?
Yes, with the gaps stated. When the single line diagram or panel schedules are missing, we price what is shown and list the excluded scope, such as feeders or switchgear, as a clearly labeled assumption. That keeps the bid package honest instead of filling gaps with guessed quantities.
What does the electrical bid estimate Excel workbook contain?
The workbook carries the material takeoff, labor units, unit prices, extension arithmetic and a bid summary by system, with a PDF summary and marked-up drawing pages showing what was counted. Panelboard, feeder and branch circuit totals reconcile to the takeoff lines so a reviewer can trace any number back to its sheet.
Do you work with contractors outside your home state?
We estimate electrical work for contractors across all U.S. states, using national average unit costs adjusted with published wage and price data. Local labor rates and code editions vary, so we ask for the project city and state and you confirm the adopted NEC edition with the local building department.
How are labor units applied to electrical takeoff lines?
Each line item carries a labor unit expressed in hours per unit of measure, multiplied by the quantity and the wage rate for the trade performing the work. Electrician and construction labor rates come from published wage data, and the estimator reviews the result before it reaches the bid summary.