I have been fortunate in my career to participate in electrical estimating as part of a team, within one company or with many, to complete estimates. It hasn’t always gone well, but I’ve learned a lot along the way.

From trainee to chief estimator, team estimating was the norm. As a trainee, it was simple as long as I did as I was told. However, I soon found that the pedestal I put my bosses on had a few cracks. They made mistakes, just like the rest of us. This revelation was why I started thinking about practices that make team estimating safer and more accurate.

Who are you working with?

Did you ever participate in a group project at school? I did several times. I have many memories about those projects (so does my wife, and I bet you do, too). There are always leaders and slackers. People fall into the same categories as electrical estimators. 

I had to learn the hard way that some people were not dependable. Their tasks were either completed late or not at all. There were also people whose work had to be reviewed closely for errors and omissions. Most teams I have been on also had a natural leader, and the absence of one can be a problem. I eventually learned, in the interest of getting the work done, to jump in and start leading if no one else will.

While I was working at the will-call counter of an electrical wholesale house, an electronics professor from the local college talked me into going back to school for advanced electronics and digital logic. While taking those classes, I participated in several team projects. During one, several of us could not agree on the answers to some difficult trigonometry problems. It did not seem to be about egos or the group pecking order. We simply could not agree on the answer. Eventually, I suggested that we get together and solve the equations step by step, examining each other’s work as we went. It worked. We found that everyone made different mistakes with their math. When the mistakes were corrected, we all had the same answer.

Managing people is not always easy. However, dealing with different people’s personalities, strengths and weaknesses is essential to completing a project accurately and on time. It is important to learn how to assess people’s talents and delegate tasks accordingly. For instance, my wife, a licensed speech and language pathologist, frequently works with me. She processes information and types faster than anyone I have ever worked with, so I usually ask for her help with analytical tasks and data entry.

Working on a multicompany team

As an estimating consultant, I often work with general contractors and first- and second-­tier electrical contractors as part of a team on large estimates. My number-one task when working with this type of team is verifying the scope. If I am assigned a certain part of the estimate, I make certain that I understand my responsibilities. If I am assigning work to other estimators, I am responsible for making sure everyone understands what their job is and that there are no holes in the takeoff.

My favorite way to assure the entire scope is covered in a team estimate is to have every estimator attend a meeting where we go over the drawings and specifications page by page. I learned this method from the Austin Co. This review method was part of an interview to examine our proposal to build the facility where the U.S. Air Force C17 was to be built. The process is time-consuming, however, using this method drastically reduces the likelihood of errors and omissions in an estimate.

Other considerations

When working as a team member, don’t be afraid to ask questions, even if they are not related to your part of the estimate. Everyone makes mistakes, so listening to others’ questions about your work is a good thing.

Another of my preferred strategies is assigning one person the responsibility for one whole plan sheet. Multiple people working on the same plan will cause trouble. Takeoff can be missed or performed twice quite easily.

Remember, you are part of a team trying to prepare a winning estimate. Your team may include owners, project managers, purchasing agents, independent estimators and vendors. Listening, cooperating and working together are the keys to success.

Header image: stock.adobe.com / Joaquin