This is newsletter #23 in the series. If you have missed prior newsletters, and are enjoying the series, we encourage you to purchase the complete Electrical Estimating Program. Click on the coupon at the bottom of this page.

Now that you have collected all the bid documents, it's time to begin reviewing the specification documents to understand the details of the job. Carefully read the specifications documents and all notes on the drawings so that you have a clear understanding of the scope of the project and the bid requirements before you begin the actual take-off. Make notes of any important details that you need to remember while completing the estimate. Take note of any alternate options for material or installation methods and allowances to be included in the bid. If you are bidding an entire project identify any subcontractors that must be used or brand restrictions. If you're providing a small part of a larger make sure you can meet the insurance and bonding requirements before you do all the work to submit a bid that you don’t qualify to perform.

If the owner is supplying material, such as a fixture package, remember to deduct only the material cost of the item(s) supplied not the labor, profit, or overhead. You will still incur the same costs of handling, storing, installation, labor for any warranty, and all of the other overhead costs and risk factors associated with that material.

Plans
Reviewing plans can be a daunting task. Plans are often crowded with details that are difficult to identify and important to the final price. This is one area that on screen takeoff software excels. Make sure to make multiple passes over the drawings so that you catch the little details that you may miss on the first review. Take a close look at all drawing legends, details, notations, and symbols. If you see something on the legend that's not on the drawing, take care to ensure you didn’t overlook something. Some projects will have device and fixture counts available with the bid documents. These are a great way to double check your work and make sure you didn’t miss something. Watch for control wiring, underground wiring, area lighting, signs, and outdoor equipment that may not be a normal part of the job. Become familiar with the entire installation and check for any special or unusual features such as elevated ceilings. Check to see if proper working space is provided for the electrical equipment, look for the locations of utilities, and so on.

Specifications
Underline, circle, or highlight important and/or unusual items that can affect the estimate. Some estimators will circle these items before doing the take-off, and only highlight them after taking care of the item in the estimate. Determine who is responsible for painting exposed conduits, trenching, backfill, concrete work, patching, cleanup, temporary power, and so on. Find out if the use of special equipment or overtime is required. Don’t take anything for granted. You may be able to work some of these details out after you’re on the job with other sub-contractors but always assume you're going to pay to have them done when determining your cost.

Specifications Checklist
To help you keep track of the drawings and specifications details, complete the Specifications Checklist worksheet as you proceed through the estimate. You will need this information at different stages of the process. Make pertinent notes such as scope and wiring methods for reference as you complete the various steps of the estimate. Use the list below to create a checklist of important items to be checked off when the estimate is near completion. This list is best kept on a spreadsheet or paper separate from the bid so that you can check it off as you go through the bid documents.