Electical Contractor

Are you still using spreadsheets and file folders filled with project documents to manage projects and track the incredible volume of details that make up a single job?

An electrical estimator has to deal with a lot of people, including general contractors, engineers and architects. Many estimators interact with vendors. How they treat those vendors can make a world of difference.

With their vast capabilities, emerging building information modeling (BIM) technologies continue to challenge and transform the construction industry.

For each forward-looking company that embraces building information modeling (BIM), tablets and time-capture technologies, there are two or three who still use spreadsheets to estimate and paper for daily reports and timesheets, according to a survey, “The 2012 Construction Estimating Benchmark Repo

Every contractor runs projects in a slightly different manner. The Truland Group Inc. has a high project base and large portfolio. Talking with H.

Many estimators in today’s market attempt to bid any and all projects regardless of the type of work. The company’s need to secure work can cause some estimators to lose sight of one of the primary goals of an educated bid—understanding the true cost of a project as it relates to their company.

There’s a lot to learn from stories. In our industry, there are many stories being told: crazy, scary stories about bids and deadlines, addendums and job walks. Stories like, “One time I forgot to enter the feeder conduits for the fourth-floor electrical room. We won the bid by pennies!

Six years ago, I wrote, “[estimating] software technology is not going to dramatically change” (“Smart Buys,” Electrical Contractor, September 2005). Wow, was I ever wrong about that. It has changed quite dramatically.

This article is for all the junior and associate estimators out there whose estimating clocks have run out. Your time is up. Addendum 7 isn’t coming, and that bid extension is not going to happen.