Mike Holt Business Newlsetter Series
Mike Holt
Estimating is a skill that can make or break a career or company. Understanding the estimating and bidding processes is essential for your business to remain profitable.

This is newsletter #25 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.

The Estimating Process - The Take-Off

A take-off is the action of counting symbols and measuring lengths that we will later use to determine the bill-of-material. A proper take-off ensures there will be little need to refer to the drawings or specifications to complete the estimate. To accomplish this, you must follow an orderly, methodical routine that is complete and consistent for each and every job.

Manual Take-off
Use colored pencils, pens, or highlighters to identify each item that you have taken off on paper documents. The following table contains a sample of a sequence and color code to use to identify those items taken off. Be sure to note what color you use for each step so you won’t forget, or so someone else can pick up where you left off, if necessary. Be consistent between bids to create a system that allows fast reference later if needed.

Take-off Color Code
Step Sequence Color
1. Fixtures Yellow
2. Switches Blue
3. Receptacles Light Green
4. Miscellaneous Purple
5. Circuit Conductors Pick a color
6. Separate Circuits Pink
7. Special Systems Red
8. Feeders Brown
9. Transformers Pick a color
10. Service Pick a color
11. Other Pick a color

When you have finished the take-off, your drawings should be a colored representation of the electrical work that needs to be installed like in the following drawing:


Some people prefer to simply place a check mark on the items they have taken off, as shown in the following drawing:


If you didn’t receive a full set of drawings you can mark up, then you need to make a full-size copy, which can be done at most copy centers. Attempting to estimate a job without color coding the drawings leads to mistakes and errors.

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We'd love to hear from you about this series, and the ways you're using it. Send us your comments and feedback by clicking on Post a Comment below. Look out for the next part in this series a month from now, and please share with your colleagues.


Comments
  • I have often wondered why the Engineer doesn't provide a count for the various fixtures. For example, in AutoCad, each fixture symbol is typically a specific block. The AutoCad software can be programmed to list the total count on the fixture schedule.

    Jim Murphy  September 9 2021, 4:56 pm EDT
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