In my April column, I covered the material and direct labor sections of a recapitulation. Here, I finish the other sections and finalize the bid. Quotations The quotation section of the recap is where you record the quotes...

I recently became aware of a significant problem with material pricing. Reviewing an estimate I prepared, I found that a few nuts and bolts made up more than 50% of the entire material cost for the project. These particular...

According to a recent report by the Department of Energy’s U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), “U.S. Shipments of Solar Photovoltaic Modules Increase as Prices Continue to Fall,” sales of solar panels continue to...

Despite their popularity and growth, renewables have been fighting against the low costs of fossil fuels for decades. Like a long run of clear skies and powerful winds, a number of factors have been working in their favor...

How do companies figure the cost of doing business? The answer is complicated for electrical contractors (ECs) to track and mitigate, as the environment most operate in has shifted from a few big construction jobs to a...