How it works and how pricing is set
Send the tender documents and your bid closing. Within one working hour you get a fixed price and a delivery time; the estimate follows in 24–48 hours for most packages. The price depends on the drawing set, the systems in scope, the specification and the deadline, never on the value of your bid.
Step by step
Times are measured from when we receive your documents.
- Hour 0
You send the package
A download link or email with the complete tender documents and your closing date and time. Drawings are accepted 24/7.
- Within 1 hour
Price and delivery time
During office hours we review the package and send a fixed price and delivery time. Documents sent overnight are answered first thing the next working morning.
- 24–48 hours
Takeoff, pricing, RFIs
Every item is counted and marked, priced for material and labour in Accubid Pro, and checked by the owner. RFIs are written as we find them.
- Until you bid
Delivery and follow-up
You receive the estimate, marked-up drawings, supplier list and RFIs. Send addenda and questions as they come.
What we need from you
The whole package, not only the electrical sheets. Architectural and mechanical drawings change the electrical price.
- All drawings for every discipline
- Specifications, including Divisions 01, 26, 27 and 28
- All addenda issued so far
- The bid form, with any alternates or separate prices
- Your bid closing date and time, and the bid depository closing if there is one
- Your own labour factors or crew rules, if you want them used
What sets the price
A fixed fee per project, agreed before we start. No percentage of your bid, no surprises on the invoice.
If an hourly rate suits your workflow better, we estimate the hours first and work that way.
- Size of the drawing set
- The number of electrical sheets, and how many architectural, mechanical and site sheets we need to read with them.
- Systems in scope
- Power and lighting only, or fire alarm, voice and data, security, controls and heat tracing as well.
- Specification and addenda
- Long specifications, owner standards and many addenda take longer to read and reconcile with the drawings.
- Deadline
- A closing two days away costs less than one tomorrow morning.
- Level of detail
- Quantity takeoff only, or a fully priced estimate with material and labour.
- Document quality
- Incomplete circuiting, missing schedules or conflicting drawings mean more RFIs and more time.
Subscription for contractors who bid often
A yearly agreement paid monthly, with a set number of projects each month. You send tenders as they come; every one gets the same 24–48 hour delivery and senior check, at a lower price per project.
Starter
$1,300 per month + HST
2 projects a month
Contractors who bid a couple of tenders a month
Ask about this planMost popular
Standard
$4,000 per month + HST
6 projects a month
Contractors who bid every week
Ask about this planVolume
$12,500 per month + HST
20 projects a month
Contractors bidding many tenders at once
Ask about this planAnnual agreement, paid monthly. Prices in CAD plus HST.
Other services
For contractors who price in-house, and for bids that need backing.
- Takeoff only, from $49
- Quantities by system with marked-up drawings and an Excel takeoff, without pricing or labour, for contractors who price in-house.
- Estimate defence
- If the general contractor or owner questions your price, we justify the quantities, labour and pricing with you, by phone, by email or in person. Few estimating services offer this. The fee depends on the format and is agreed in advance.
- Small addenda at no charge
- Small addenda issued after delivery are updated free. Larger ones are priced as a revision.
Terms in plain words
- Deadlines
- We confirm the delivery time before starting. If we cannot meet your closing, we decline the job at that point instead of delivering late.
- Payment
- Cheque, direct deposit, Interac e-Transfer or PayPal. If you prefer another method, suggest it.
- Addenda
- Small addenda after delivery are updated at no charge. Larger ones are priced as a revision, and we confirm the time and cost before we start.
- Confidentiality
- Your documents and your estimate are used only for your bid and are never shared. We sign your NDA if you need one.
- Printing
- You can send paper sets by courier. For digital sets we print what we need at no charge.
- Hours
- Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Eastern). Drawings can be sent 24/7.
Pricing questions
Do you offer a subscription for contractors who bid often?
Yes. Contractors who bid many tenders can take a yearly subscription paid monthly, with a set number of projects included each month. The most popular plan is $4,000 a month plus HST for six projects. See subscription plans.
Can you defend our estimate with the general contractor?
Yes, for estimates we prepared, and few estimating services offer it. If the general contractor or owner questions your electrical price, we justify the quantities, labour and pricing line by line, drawing on 30+ years of experience. It can be done by phone, by email or in person, whichever suits you. It is a paid service; the fee depends on the format and is agreed in advance. See estimate defence.
How much does an electrical estimate cost?
Each project gets a fixed price, quoted within one working hour after we see the drawings. The price depends on the number of sheets, which systems are in scope, the length of the specification and how soon you need it. We do not charge a percentage of your bid. See how pricing works.
Can we pay by the hour instead of per project?
Yes. We usually price the whole project at once, because contractors prefer a known cost. If an hourly rate suits your workflow better, send the drawings to [email protected] and we will estimate the hours before starting.
How do we pay?
By cheque, direct deposit, Interac e-Transfer or PayPal. If you prefer another method, suggest it.
What if an addendum is issued after we receive the estimate?
Send it as soon as it is issued. Small addenda are updated at no charge. For larger ones we confirm the time and cost first, then update the affected systems and send a revised estimate with the changes listed, so your bid reflects the final documents.
Why are you not the cheapest electrical estimating service?
Because the cost of an estimate is small next to the cost of a wrong bid. Every estimate is priced by an estimator with 30+ years of experience and checked by the owner before it leaves the office. Missing one feeder or a floor of devices costs more than the difference in estimating fees.
Send the drawings. Get a fixed price within one working hour.
Tell us your bid closing. If we cannot meet it, we say so before any work starts. And if the general contractor later questions your price, we defend it with you.