What does a solar and EV charging estimate include?
Solar and EV charging estimating covers a quantity takeoff of PV modules, racking, inverters, DC strings, combiners, EVSE, conduit, wire and switchgear, priced with national average unit costs adjusted by published wage and price data, then reviewed by an estimator before delivery.
Our Professional Solar & EV Charging Estimating
Solar and EV charging work splits cleanly into two estimating problems that share one electrical backbone. The PV side is a modular array with a fixed module count, a racking layout and a balance-of-system package; the charging side is a load calculation, a feeder run and a service upgrade. We measure both from the drawing set you send, and every line on the sheet carries the unit, the counting rule and the source of the price.
| Line item | Unit | Counting rule | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PV modules | each | Count on roof plan, cross-check against DC string schedule | Wattage per module taken from the equipment schedule |
| Racking rails | linear ft | Rail runs scaled from roof plan, plus typical 5% waste | Attachment count taken from structural sheets |
| DC conduit | linear ft | Scaled home runs plus vertical drops to inverters | Trade size per single line diagram |
| DC conductors | linear ft | Run length × conductor count per string | Gauge and insulation from the SLD |
| Inverters | each | Count on electrical plan | Includes wall or pad mounting |
| Rapid shutdown devices | each | One per string or per manufacturer layout | NEC Article 690 requirement |
| Roof flashing kits | each | One per penetration shown on roof plan | Priced with roofing accessories |
Solar & EV Charging material takeoffs
On the PV side we count modules by wattage and type, then racking by rail length, clamp count and roof or ground attachment. Conduit is measured in linear feet by trade size and raceway type, and conductors are pulled by gauge, insulation and run length, with home runs traced back to the inverter or AC combiner. Our solar PV takeoff services also capture the photovoltaic-specific items that get missed: rapid shutdown devices, DC string labeling, grounding lugs, junction boxes and flashing kits at every rooftop penetration. You receive a quantity sheet you can hand to a supplier for pricing.
Labor is built from the quantity sheet, not from a square-foot allowance. Module setting is priced per module, racking per linear foot of rail, conduit per foot by size, and wire pulls per pull by conductor size and run length. Electrician hours are adjusted with published U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data for the trade, and the estimate states the productivity rule behind each line so you can test it against your own crew history. Work that falls under NEC Article 690, such as rapid shutdown and DC grounding, is flagged as its own labor line rather than buried in a general electrical allowance.
The deliverable is an Excel workbook and a PDF summary with marked-up drawing pages, so a reviewer can trace any number back to a sheet and a dimension. Material, labor and equipment are separated, sales tax and freight sit on their own lines, and the summary rolls up by CSI division. You can submit the workbook as-is or re-rate the labor lines with your own crew rates before the bid goes out. Send your plans through our quote request and we will confirm scope before pricing.
Solar & EV Charging labor cost estimates
The permit set drives the labor side: the single line diagram, the site plan and the structural sheets. From those we build a line-item takeoff in CSI MasterFormat Division 48 (Electrical Power Generation) with the Division 26 electrical work broken out separately, so the array and the distribution gear can be bid as one package or two. Where the array lands on a masonry parapet or a block screen wall for the chargers, our block and brick takeoff supports the attachment and penetration pricing rather than leaving it as a lump sum.
Bid-ready solar & EV charging cost estimates
Solar and ev charging estimating starts with the permit set: the single line diagram, the site plan and the structural sheets. From those we build a line-item takeoff in CSI MasterFormat Division 48 (Electrical Power Generation) with the Division 26 electrical work broken out separately, so the array and the distribution gear can be bid as one package or two. Where the array lands on a masonry parapet or a block screen wall for the chargers, our masonry estimating supports the attachment and penetration pricing rather than leaving it as a lump sum.
What Is Included in Our Solar & EV Charging Estimates?
Every estimate is organized so a reviewer can follow the same path we did: components, then quantities, then money. Nothing is lumped into a single allowance, and no line appears without a measurement rule behind it. That structure is what makes solar and ev charging estimating reviewable rather than a single number handed across the table.
| Cost category | Unit | Quantity basis | Pricing basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conduit and fittings | linear ft | Scaled run plus verticals | National average unit cost |
| Conductors | linear ft | Run length × conductor count | Price basis date shown on sheet |
| Inverter | each | Equipment schedule | Supplier quote or average unit cost |
| Electrician labor | hours | Feet per hour rule stated on line | Published wage data, estimator-adjusted |
| Lift rental | days | Install duration from schedule | Equipment line with duration |
| Permit and inspection | lump sum | Jurisdiction fee schedule | Carried as its own row |
PV arrays, inverters, EVSE and service equipment
The component list covers the full balance of system. On the generation side that means pv module counts, racking and attachments, inverters, DC and AC combiners, disconnects, and the interconnection point at the service. On the charging side it means Level 2 chargers and DC fast charger cabinets, pedestals, bollards, cable management and the EVSE mounting hardware. Service equipment is itemized separately: panels, transformers, switchgear and metering, including the utility-side work implied by the single line diagram. Work governed by nec article 625 is called out as its own scope block so the charger circuits are not priced as ordinary receptacles.
Watts, conduit feet, conductor lengths and equipment counts
Quantities are reported in the units the trade actually buys in. Modules are counted each and totaled in watts and kilowatts; racking is measured in linear feet of rail; conduit in linear feet by trade size; conductors in linear feet by gauge and by wire pull; equipment in each. Ground-mounted arrays add trench length and excavation volume, which we price alongside the pad and trench work in our sitework estimating services, while rooftop arrays add penetration and flashing counts and carport arrays add structural steel tonnage. Roof area, solar access and array tilt are recorded from the site plan so the production estimate and the structural load assumptions stay visible on the sheet. Where a charger pedestal or equipment pad is set on a block base, the unit and mortar quantities follow the same takeoff rules we apply in our masonry takeoff work.
Materials, labor, equipment and cost breakdowns
Each line splits into four columns, and the totals roll up by CSI division and by system.
- Materials: modules, racking, inverters, chargers, conduit, wire, fittings and gear, priced at national average unit costs.
- Labor: hours by trade, priced with published U.S. wage data and adjusted by an estimator for the access and height conditions shown on the plans.
- Equipment: lifts, cranes, trenchers, coring rigs and testing gear, carried as line items with duration.
- Other: permits, engineering stamps, interconnection fees, freight and sales tax, each on its own row.
Copper and steel move, so the workbook shows the price basis date and lets you re-rate those lines when a quote arrives. Keeping the price basis visible is the part of the sheet that survives a bid opening.
Who Needs Our Solar & EV Charging Estimating?
The estimate is used differently by each party on a project, so we format the workbook so each reader can pull the slice they need without rebuilding the math. Solar and ev charging estimating has to serve the bid, the material order and the permit review from one set of quantities.
Solar and electrical subcontractors
A photovoltaic quantity takeoff is the basis of your bid, your material order and your labor plan at the same time. We give you module and racking counts you can send straight to a distributor, conduit and wire lengths you can check against your own field measurements, and a separate line for every inverter and combiner. Ampacity and voltage drop checks are noted where the drawing forces a larger conductor than the load alone would suggest, so the wire line does not come up short after award.
General contractors and home builders
On a residential or light commercial job the solar package often arrives late and lands on the electrical budget. A line-item estimate lets you carry the array, the service upgrade and the charger circuits as separate scopes from the start. We flag the IBC structural and rooftop penetration items that belong to the roofing and framing trades, so those costs land in the right division instead of the electrical contingency.
Developers, architects and suppliers
Developers use the estimate for pro forma comparison between sites, where the difference is usually service size, trench length and interconnection cost rather than module count. Architects use the marked-up drawings to confirm clearances and equipment locations before the permit set is frozen. Suppliers and distributors use the quantity sheet to stage deliveries against the construction sequence. Our trade estimating services cover the adjacent scopes when a project mixes several trades in one package.
Types of Solar & EV Charging Projects We Estimate
Scope changes with project type more than with array size. The measurement rules for solar and ev charging estimating stay the same; what moves is the racking system, the service equipment and the amount of civil and structural work around the array.
Residential projects
Rooftop residential work is driven by penetration count, flashing details and the service panel rating. A solar panel installation cost estimate for a house usually turns on whether the existing panel can take the backfeed or needs an upgrade, and on the conduit run from the roof to the meter. EV charger additions are priced as a separate circuit with its own conduit and wire pull, and the panel load calculation is shown so the homeowner can see why a service change is or is not included.
Commercial buildings
Commercial rooftop and carport arrays add ballasted or penetrated racking, AC combiners, switchgear and utility interconnection. Voltage drop over long roof runs often pushes conductor sizes up a step, and that shows on the wire line. Carport arrays bring structural steel and foundations into the estimate, which we price alongside the electrical package, with the steel tonnage checked against our structural steel estimating service. The permit set and single line diagram are the controlling documents here.
Industrial and infrastructure projects
Ground-mounted arrays and DC fast charger sites bring trenching, concrete pads, transformer yards and medium-voltage interconnection into scope. We measure excavation and backfill in cubic yards, concrete in cubic yards, and steel in tons, then carry the electrical work as its own division. Adjacent civil and site work is priced through our civil estimating services and sitework estimating services so the whole site budget lines up, and every solar and ev charging estimating package shows the unit and rule behind each quantity.
Our Solar & EV Charging Estimating Process
Every estimate starts with the documents, not the spreadsheet. Send the permit set, the single line diagram, the structural sheets for any roof-mounted array, and the electrical specifications. If the single line diagram is missing or shows a placeholder for the service panel rating, we flag it in the plan review notes rather than assume a number, because the service panel and utility interconnection scope drive the largest electrical line items.
The sequence below is the same for a 250 kW rooftop array and for a four-post DC fast charger site. Each step produces a checkable output you can audit against our final workbook.
Submit drawings and specifications
Send the full PDF set through the quote request page, including the site plan, the single line diagram, module and inverter cut sheets, and the EVSE spec sheets. We log the drawing revision and issue date on the cover of the workbook so a later addendum can be traced to the estimate it changed. Missing pages are listed back to you before takeoff begins.
Plan review and digital takeoff
We scale the site plan, trace the array boundary, and count modules by string on the roof plan, then reconcile the count against the dc string schedule on the single line diagram. Racking is measured by rail length and attachment count, with each rooftop penetration and flashing detail tagged to its structural sheet, and the attachment loads feed the structural steel estimates when a carport or canopy frame is in scope. The ev charger conduit and wire takeoff follows the feeder route from the service panel or switchgear to each charger, measuring conduit by trade size and wire by phase, neutral and ground conductor, with conduit fill and ampacity checked against the NEC article 690 and 625 requirements shown on the drawings. Balance of system items — disconnects, combiners, monitoring, grounding — are listed individually rather than carried as a percentage.
Cost calculation, quality checks and delivery
Quantities are priced with unit costs adjusted for your state, then a second estimator checks the arithmetic, the unit of measure on every row, and the extension of quantity times unit cost. Waste factors are applied per material at typical rates and shown as a separate column so you can see what was added and why. You receive the Excel workbook, the PDF summary and the marked-up drawing pages together, and the assumptions page lists every item we excluded, such as utility-side transformer work or structural reinforcement. Our trade-scope estimating services follow the same check sequence on the electrical and structural scopes, and the same discipline carries into takeoff for demolition scopes when an existing array or service is removed before the new work starts.
Sample Solar & EV Charging Estimate and Deliverables
The example below is illustrative and uses round numbers so the arithmetic can be followed by hand. It covers a 120 kW rooftop commercial array with four dual-port Level 2 chargers in a surface lot, and it assumes a complete permit set. Your own commercial solar estimating will differ in module count, feeder length and utility scope, so treat the rates as a format demonstration, not a quote.
Assumptions: 240 modules at 500 W each, 12 dc strings of 20 modules, one 120 kW inverter, 145 ft average feeder run per charger, and a pad-mounted transformer supplied by the utility. The table shows the takeoff as it would appear in the workbook, with each row traceable to a drawing sheet and a measurement rule.
| Item | Qty | Unit | Unit cost range | Extended range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PV modules, 500 W, installed on rail | 240 | EA | $180 – $240 | $43,200 – $57,600 |
| Racking rails with clamps and splices | 1,150 | LF | $9 – $14 | $10,350 – $16,100 |
| Rooftop penetration and flashing assembly | 96 | EA | $45 – $75 | $4,320 – $7,200 |
| DC string wiring, 10 AWG PV wire, both directions | 2,400 | LF | $1.60 – $2.40 | $3,840 – $5,760 |
| Inverter, 120 kW, with pad and disconnects | 1 | EA | $12,000 – $17,000 | $12,000 – $17,000 |
| AC feeder to service, 4-in. conduit and conductors | 180 | LF | $38 – $58 | $6,840 – $10,440 |
| Level 2 charger, dual-port, mounted and commissioned | 4 | EA | $6,500 – $9,000 | $26,000 – $36,000 |
| Charger feeder, 1-1/4-in. conduit and 3-conductor pull | 580 | LF | $22 – $34 | $12,760 – $19,720 |
| Total (illustrative) | $119,310 – $169,820 |
Excel quantity takeoff sheet
The workbook opens on a summary tab, then one tab per CSI division — 26 Electrical for the array and chargers, 05 Metals for the racking, 03 Concrete for equipment pads. Each row carries the drawing reference, the measurement rule used, the quantity, the unit of measure and the waste column. The site plan and single line diagram references sit next to the row so a reviewer can jump from the number back to the sheet that produced it. Filtering by sheet number shows every item that came off the roof plan versus the electrical drawings.
Marked-up drawings
We return the site plan and single line diagram with color-coded takeoff marks: module and dc string counts on the roof plan, conduit runs measured along their route, and charger locations tagged to their feeder and breaker. Rooftop penetration and flashing points are numbered so the count in the workbook can be verified against the drawing. Any dimension we scaled rather than read from a printed figure is noted on the mark.
Itemized cost estimate
The PDF summary groups the line items by division and shows material, labor and equipment separately, with the labor hours derived from the published wage data described in the next section. The total row in the table is the sum of the extended ranges, not a lump sum, so you can see which rows carry the widest spread. Contingency, permits and utility interconnection fees are listed as separate lines and never buried in a unit rate.
Software and Pricing Data We Use
A solar epc bid estimate lives or dies on two things: complete quantities and defensible unit costs. We separate those jobs. Takeoff produces the quantities from the drawings, and pricing applies published wage and producer price data to those quantities, with an estimator reviewing the result before it leaves the office. The same split applies to the construction estimates we build for the rest of the scope, where the quantity sheet and the rate sheet are kept as separate, checkable documents.
The chart below plots the BLS Producer Price Index series for the materials in this scope, rebased to 100 so the movements can be compared on one axis. Copper wire and cable, steel mill products and plastic construction products each show a different trend, which is why we price conductors, racking and conduit on separate index lines instead of one blanket escalation.
Takeoff and estimating software
We work in three tool categories: PDF and on-screen takeoff for scaled measurement and markups, spreadsheet estimating for the line-item workbook, and a maintained cost database for unit rates. The takeoff tool lets us measure conduit runs and rail lengths directly on the drawing and attach the measurement to a row, so the quantity and its source stay together. The cost database holds the labor and material rates that feed the workbook, and it is updated when the published data behind it is refreshed.
Regional material and labor pricing method
Labor hours come from published national wage data for electricians, sheet metal workers and the other trades in the scope, then adjusted for your state and for prevailing wage where the project requires it. The wage table below shows the national medians we start from. Material pricing follows the index movements in the chart, with copper-bearing items such as feeders and ac combiner wiring tracking the copper series, racking and switchgear enclosures tracking steel, and conduit bodies tracking plastic. Structural load calculations from the structural sheets set the attachment count, which changes both the steel and the labor line. The result is a rate you can trace to a source, not a number pulled from a prior job.
Material price movement, Oct 2023 to Sep 2026
| Occupation | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar photovoltaic installers | $22.45 | $25.55 | $30.23 |
| Electricians | $23.76 | $30.38 | $40.36 |
| Roofers | $22.24 | $26.65 | $31.44 |
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 reasons are procedural, and you can check each one against the workbook you receive. Every quantity traces to a drawing sheet and a measurement rule, every rate traces to a published source, and every assumption is written down where you can dispute it. That matters most on scopes where a missed item is expensive to add later, such as the service upgrade behind a level 2 dc fast charger takeoff or the utility interconnection study that gates the whole schedule.
We also keep the solar and ev charging estimating scope boundaries explicit, so you know what we priced and what the electrical or civil contractor still owns. Where the scope crosses into foundations, the pad and equipment anchorage rows are priced with the same measurement discipline as our concrete takeoff and pricing support, and the full package follows the same conventions as our professional construction estimating services.
Trade-specific expertise
We take off PV and EV work as electrical and structural scopes, not as a single installed watt rate. A level 2 charger row carries its conduit, conductors, breaker, disconnect and mounting, and a DC fast charger row carries the pad, bollards, feeder and the switchgear capacity it consumes. Rooftop penetration counts come from the roof plan and the structural sheets together, because the attachment spacing changes the flashing count. Interconnection and net metering coordination items are listed separately so they are not lost inside a feeder rate.
Quality control and clear assumptions
A second estimator re-extends every row and checks the unit of measure against the quantity before delivery. The assumptions page lists exclusions by name — utility-side transformer work, structural reinforcement, civil trenching beyond the drawing limits — so a bid review can accept or reject each one. Where a drawing is ambiguous, we state the interpretation we used and the sheet it came from rather than pricing a silent guess.
Turnaround, communication and revisions
Delivery dates are agreed in writing when we confirm the scope, based on the drawing count and the disciplines involved, and we do not publish a fixed turnaround because it depends on the set. Revisions are handled against the drawing revision we logged at intake, so an addendum produces a tracked change list rather than a rebuilt estimate. Questions during review go to the estimator who built the sheet. Start with the quote request page and include the full permit set.
Solar & EV Charging Estimating Pricing
We do not publish a rate card, because a solar and ev charging estimating fee tracks the work in the drawing set rather than the size of the array. A 400 kW rooftop package with a single line diagram, structural calcs and an interconnection application is a different scope from a 12-stall parking canopy with four dc fast charger cabinets and a new service. We review the sheets, count the takeoff items, then quote a fixed fee per project. Send your plans through send your plans and the quote comes back with the scope of the takeoff written out.
Every quote is built from the same three inputs: the number of drawing sheets and disciplines, the count of measured line items, and the number of alternates or addenda in the bid form. A solar racking and module takeoff that runs from the roof plan through the attachment details carries more line items than a module count alone, and the fee reflects that. The calculator below does not price our service; it projects a project budget from your own square footage and cost inputs.
| Input | What we count | Effect on fee |
|---|---|---|
| Drawing sheets | Sheet count by discipline, including electrical and structural | Higher sheet count raises the fee |
| Measured line items | Modules, racking, inverters, conduit, wire, evse units | More items raise the fee |
| Alternates | Each bid alternate and unit-price schedule priced separately | Each alternate adds scope |
| Addenda | Each addendum re-checked against the base takeoff | Addenda add review time |
| Drawing completeness | Single line diagram, site plan, structural details present | Missing sheets force assumptions |
| Bid date | Date the package must be returned | Sets the delivery window |
How quotes are calculated
We start with a sheet inventory: cover and general notes, site plan, roof or structural plan, electrical single line diagram, elevation and section details, and the specification book. From that inventory we list the measured quantities — modules by watt class, racking by row and attachment type, inverter and ac combiner counts, conduit by trade size and run length, wire by conductor size, and the evse units by level. The fee is quoted against that item count and the number of bid alternates, not against a percentage of construction value.
Where the package includes a battery storage estimating scope, the fee covers the energy storage cabinets, the dc and ac connections, and the associated switchgear and transformer entries as separate line items. Where rooftop work is involved, the flashing and penetration details are counted per penetration type so the roofer and the electrical scope do not overlap. Confirm the local code editions for NEC Article 690 and Article 625 with the building department before the estimate is finalized.
What affects price and delivery time
Four things move the fee up: more sheets, more trades in one package, alternates and unit-price schedules in the bid form, and incomplete design that forces assumptions. Four things move the delivery date out: a bid date that arrives before the addenda do, drawings issued as a permit set with no single line diagram, a net metering or interconnection application still pending, and a racking layout that does not match the structural plan.
The delivery date is confirmed with the quote, and no date is promised before we have seen the sheets. If your bid date is tight, say so when you send the package so the scope can be sequenced around it. For the electrical and general trades that sit alongside this scope, our estimating support for the building trades follows the same line-item format.
Square-foot budget calculator
- Hard cost
- $444,000
- Soft costs
- $53,280
- Contingency
- $49,728
- Escalation
- $21,880
- Budget total
- $568,888
- All-in per sq ft
- $237
Enter your own base rate from a recent bid, cost book or estimator. The default values are placeholders for the math, not market prices.
Solar & EV Charging Estimating Across the US
Labor rates are the largest regional variable in a photovoltaic quantity takeoff. An installer crew in a high-wage metro costs more per hour than the same crew in a rural county, and public work adds prevailing wage requirements that change the labor line without changing the module count. We price labor from published wage data by trade and adjust it to the project location, then review the result by hand.
Material delivery and climate drive the rest. Copper wire and cable and steel mill products have both moved sharply in the past year, which shows up in the wire pull and racking lines, so those quantities are priced against current producer price data rather than a stale supplier quote. Cold climates add snow load to the structural load check; hot climates change the rapid shutdown and dc string design margins. Battery storage estimating and evse counts are priced the same way in every state, which is why solar and ev charging estimating cannot rely on a single national unit cost.
Code adoption differs by jurisdiction: NEC Article 690 and Article 625 editions, IBC amendments and local interconnection rules all shift the scope. We serve all states from one team, so the measurement rules stay identical and only the labor and material adjustments change. For the civil and sitework scope around a ground-mount array, see our civil estimating services.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a solar & EV charging estimate cost?
The fee is quoted per project after we review the plans, so it depends on the drawing set you send. Count of PV modules and strings, number of inverters and combiners, racking type and roof or ground condition, and the length of the EVSE feeder routes all move the takeoff hours. Single line diagrams and a complete permit set shorten review; missing sheets add work. We confirm the fee in writing before any takeoff begins.
How long does a solar & EV charging takeoff take?
The delivery date is set when we quote and is confirmed with the fee, not before. What drives it: sheet count, whether the single line diagram matches the site plan, how many separate structures or service points are involved, and whether you need the EV charger conduit and wire takeoff priced in the same pass as the PV scope. Send the full set at once and the schedule holds; send revisions in batches and it moves.
Do you estimate labor and material costs?
Yes. Every line carries a quantity, a unit, and a labor hours figure built from the measurement rule on the sheet, then priced with national average unit costs adjusted by published U.S. wage and price data and reviewed by an estimator. Material lines separate modules, inverters, racking, conduit, wire, and switchgear so you can see which commodity is moving your number. You get the arithmetic, not just a total.
What drawings do you need?
Send the permit set: site plan, roof or foundation framing plan, structural load pages, the single line diagram, and the electrical panel schedules. For EV work, add the charger location plan, the service panel or switchgear schedule, and the utility interconnection or service upgrade details. A production estimate is not a takeoff input, but a solar access or shading sheet helps us flag array layout questions early.
Can you use my estimate template?
Send the template with the plans and we confirm whether the estimate can be delivered in it. CSI MasterFormat division and line structure, unit of measure conventions, and any labor rate tables in your workbook are checked before plan review so the takeoff lands in your format rather than being reformatted afterward. If a field in your template has no source on the drawings, we tell you instead of filling it.
Do you sign NDAs?
Clients can request one before sending drawings, and the terms are agreed before plan review starts. Send the draft with your plan submission so the paperwork does not sit between the drawings and the takeoff. We do not publish a standard NDA policy, so the agreement is whatever both sides sign for that project.
Do you handle solar and ev charging estimating for both scopes on one project?
Yes. Solar and ev charging estimating on a single set means the PV array, the inverter and interconnection scope, and the EVSE feeders are measured together so shared conduit runs, panel capacity, and service upgrades are counted once rather than twice. We flag where the charger load and the PV backfeed compete for the same busbar, since that drives switchgear size.
How do you measure a photovoltaic quantity takeoff?
Module count comes from the array layout, cross-checked against the string schedule and the inverter DC input rating. Racking is measured by rail length, attachment count, and roof penetration count, with flashing counted per penetration. Balance of system covers DC string wire by home run, AC combiner and disconnect, grounding, and rapid shutdown devices, each tied to a drawing sheet reference.
How is an EV charger conduit and wire takeoff built?
We scale each feeder route from the charger to its source panel, then size conduit by fill and wire by ampacity after derating, checking voltage drop against the run length. Level 2 chargers and DC fast charger takeoffs differ sharply: a DC fast charger adds a dedicated service, transformer, and switchgear line that a Level 2 job does not. Every length is shown with the scale and route it came from.
Do you estimate battery storage with the PV scope?
Yes, when the drawings show it. Battery storage estimating needs the inverter or hybrid equipment schedule, the ESS location and clearances, the disconnect and rapid shutdown arrangement, and the conduit run between the ESS and the main service. If the drawings show a future storage stub-out only, we price the stub and note the assumption rather than guessing at equipment.
Which code editions do you reference in the takeoff?
We reference the code family named on the drawings: NEC Article 690 for PV systems, NEC Article 625 for EVSE, and the IBC or IRC edition cited in the permit set. Rapid shutdown, grounding, and conduit fill checks follow the edition shown. Confirm the locally adopted edition with your building department, since the takeoff reflects the drawings, not the jurisdiction's amendment list.
Can you price a solar EPC bid estimate against a general contractor's format?
Yes. A solar EPC bid estimate usually needs the scope split by subcontract package, so we organize the takeoff by racking, modules, electrical, and civil rather than by drawing sheet. Send the bid form with the plans and we map each line to the quantity that supports it, so your bid review can trace any number back to a measurement.