Organized by panel, circuit, and system
Estimates are built the way a bidding electrical contractor would build them - organized by panel, circuit, and system.
Quantity takeoff, material pricing, and bid-ready estimates for power, lighting, fire alarm, low voltage, solar, and EV scopes - sized for Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and every jurisdiction in between.
Sample scope
TEXAS ELECTRICAL ESTIMATE
200A Main Distribution Panel
$4,180
LED Troffer Fixtures (2x4, qty 86)
$11,940
Branch Circuit Wiring - THHN/THWN
$8,260
Fire Alarm Devices & Panel
$6,050
Low Voltage / Data Cabling
$5,420
Labor - Rough-in & Trim
$14,300
Sample Scope Subtotal
$50,150
48-hr
Turnaround
254
TX counties covered
±2-5%
Target accuracy
Electrical estimating
EstimatingBuddies builds electrical cost estimates and quantity takeoffs the way a bidding electrical contractor would build them - organized by panel, circuit, and system, priced against current Texas material and labor rates, and delivered in a format your estimator can drop straight into a proposal. We work from PDF plans, Bluebeam and PlanSwift files, or Revit/BIM models, and we scale from a single tenant build-out to a multi-building industrial campus.
Estimates are built the way a bidding electrical contractor would build them - organized by panel, circuit, and system.
Material and labor are priced against current Texas material and labor rates, so the number reflects what suppliers and crews charge here.
The estimate is delivered in a format your estimator can drop straight into a proposal.
We work from PDF plans, Bluebeam and PlanSwift files, or Revit/BIM models, and we scale from a single tenant build-out to a multi-building industrial campus.
What we estimate
Nine core services covering every stage of an electrical bid, from first takeoff to final change order.
01
Panel-by-panel, circuit-by-circuit counts of conduit, wire, devices, and fixtures pulled directly from your plan set. We flag scope gaps and quantity discrepancies before they reach your bid, so the number you submit matches what actually gets installed.
02
A full bid-day package with material pricing, labor hours, and a clean proposal-ready summary. Built to your bid deadline, formatted for your review process, and structured so you can adjust markup and exclusions without re-running the whole takeoff.
03
Switchgear, panelboards, transformers, feeders, and branch circuits priced and quantified together. We size conductor and conduit runs from the one-line diagram so distribution equipment and wiring costs are never estimated in isolation.
04
Interior, exterior, architectural, and LED lighting takeoff with fixture schedules matched to plan symbols. Includes lighting controls, occupancy sensors, and dimming systems, priced against current manufacturer and distributor cost sheets.
05
Structured cabling, data and telecom, access control, CCTV, intercom, and AV systems quantified from low-voltage riser diagrams. A separate scope from power, priced separately, so subs can bid it on its own.
06
Detection devices, notification appliances, panels, and wiring takeoff built to match fire alarm riser and floor plan drawings. Quantities are cross-checked against life-safety plan sheets to keep device counts and coverage accurate.
07
Emergency and exit lighting, generators, automatic transfer switches, and UPS/battery backup systems estimated together as one life-safety package, sized to code-required run time and load.
08
Photovoltaic array takeoff, inverters, and interconnection equipment alongside EV charger and charging-station infrastructure costs - priced as a combined renewable-energy scope for commercial and residential installs.
09
Electrical scope coordinated with mechanical and plumbing quantities for design-phase budgets. Conceptual and preliminary pricing that tracks a project from early feasibility through the final construction-document bid.
Scope breakdown
Power, lighting, and low-voltage life-safety scope are broken out so each system can be reviewed, priced, and bid on its own.
Who it's for
We work directly with the people responsible for the number that gets submitted.
Project types
Compliance
Texas has no single statewide building code, so every estimate accounts for the local amendment layered on top of the state baseline.
Code baseline
Most Texas jurisdictions adopt the NEC as the base electrical code, with the specific edition and local amendments set by the city or county - our takeoff accounts for the edition in force where the project sits.
Licensing
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation sets statewide electrician licensing requirements, which affects labor classification and crew rates used in our cost estimates.
Local amendments
Home-rule cities such as Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio can amend adopted codes locally - permitting and inspection requirements are checked against the project's specific jurisdiction.
Energy code
Lighting power density and lighting control requirements are estimated against the applicable Texas energy code adoption, administered through the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO).
Life safety
Fire alarm and certain low-voltage installations require separate state licensing through TDLR's Fire Alarm program - factored into labor and permitting assumptions for those scopes.
Gulf Coast
For Gulf Coast counties under Texas Department of Insurance windstorm inspection requirements, exterior electrical equipment mounting and enclosures are estimated to the applicable windstorm standard.
How it works
Six steps from the drawings you send to a bid-ready estimate formatted for your proposal.
01
Upload PDF drawings, CAD files, or a Revit/BIM model, along with your bid deadline and any scope exclusions.
02
We review the electrical, low voltage, and fire alarm drawing sets to confirm scope boundaries before takeoff begins.
03
Devices, fixtures, wire, conduit, and equipment are counted and measured system by system using Bluebeam or PlanSwift.
04
Quantities are priced against current Texas material costs, supplier and distributor pricing, and regional labor rates.
05
A second estimator cross-checks quantities against the drawings and flags any scope gaps or pricing anomalies.
06
You receive a bid-ready estimate - panel schedule, cost breakdown, and summary - formatted for your proposal.
Sample scope
A sample electrical scope priced for a Texas bid - power, lighting, fire alarm, low voltage, and labor.
Sample scope - Texas electrical estimate
POWER, LIGHTING, FIRE ALARM, AND LOW VOLTAGE
Item
Amount
200A Main Distribution Panel
$4,180
LED Troffer Fixtures (2x4, qty 86)
$11,940
Branch Circuit Wiring - THHN/THWN
$8,260
Fire Alarm Devices & Panel
$6,050
Low Voltage / Data Cabling
$5,420
Labor - Rough-in & Trim
$14,300
Sample Scope Subtotal
$50,150
Tools
We work from PDF plans, Bluebeam and PlanSwift files, or a native Revit model - no reformatting required on your end.
Bluebeam Revu
Digital takeoff & markup
PlanSwift
Quantity takeoff
On-Screen Takeoff
Quantity takeoff
Revit / BIM Electrical
Model takeoff
Excel Cost Models
Bid-ready deliverable
Coverage
Serving contractors statewide, with jurisdiction-level familiarity in these regions.
Accuracy & review
A second estimator cross-checks quantities against the drawings and flags any scope gaps or pricing anomalies before delivery.
Every estimate is cross-checked by a second estimator before delivery, catching missed devices or mismatched quantities.
Estimators who read one-line diagrams and panel schedules the way an electrical contractor does - not a generic quantity-surveying pass.
Material and labor costs benchmarked to Texas regional rates, not a national average, so your number reflects what suppliers and crews actually charge here.
We work from whatever you send - PDF, Bluebeam, PlanSwift, or a native Revit model - no reformatting required on your end.
Why choose us
Texas regional pricing, trade-level takeoff, and a second estimator check before the number reaches your bid.
01
Material and labor costs benchmarked to Texas regional rates, not a national average, so your number reflects what suppliers and crews actually charge here.
02
Estimators who read one-line diagrams and panel schedules the way an electrical contractor does - not a generic quantity-surveying pass.
03
Most single-trade estimates return within 48 hours; large or multi-building scopes are scheduled against your bid date, not ours.
04
Every estimate is cross-checked by a second estimator before delivery, catching missed devices or mismatched quantities.
05
We work from whatever you send - PDF, Bluebeam, PlanSwift, or a native Revit model - no reformatting required on your end.
06
One tenant build-out or twelve schools bidding the same week - our estimating team scales without slowing your turnaround.
Pricing
Fee and turnaround follow project size, drawing quality, the systems in scope, your bid deadline, and the jurisdiction.
Factor
How it affects your estimate
Larger square footage and more electrical systems (power, lighting, low voltage, fire alarm) increase takeoff hours and fee.
Complete, dimensioned CAD or BIM plans price and turn around faster than scanned or incomplete sketch sets.
Adding low voltage, fire alarm, generator, or solar/EV scope to a base power-and-lighting estimate adds to both price and timeline.
Standard turnaround is 48–72 hours; rush requests within 24 hours are accommodated where capacity allows, at a rush fee.
Projects in home-rule cities with heavier local amendments may need extra code cross-checking, adding some review time.
Get a free estimate
Upload PDF drawings, CAD files, or a Revit/BIM model, along with your bid deadline and any scope exclusions. We'll confirm scope and turnaround before takeoff starts.
Questions
PDF plan sets, CAD drawings (DWG), Bluebeam and PlanSwift files, and native Revit/BIM models. If your files are in another format, send them and we'll confirm compatibility. You can start from the home page to see the complete estimating lineup.
Most single-trade estimates are delivered within 48 hours. Larger or multi-system scopes are scheduled against your bid deadline and quoted before work begins. Related scope on the same drawings can move through our Xactimate estimating services.