6 Best Electrical Estimating Software in 2024

Accurate estimates are a crucial part of the construction industry. Every construction-based business needs to generate detailed estimates for its potential clients. These estimates contain information about labor costs, material costs, and overall project details. Being an electrical contractor is no different. Electrical estimates tend to have more detail, though. As such, estimating software for electrical projects tends to be a powerful tool. If you’re looking for new electrical estimating software, check out the six best options on our list!

Key Takeaways

• For electrical contractors, ensuring a clear, detailed, and accurate estimate for electrical projects is absolutely essential
• When you’re known for providing reliable estimates, you’re more likely to win and retain clients in the long term
• The details of the estimating process for electrical projects and construction progress
• Why reliable estimates are so important for electrical contractors
• The best electrical estimating software available online

Here’s What We’ll Cover:

What is an Electrical Estimate?

What to Look for in Electrical Estimating Software

The 6 Best Electrical Estimating Software

Conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an Electrical Estimate?

An electrical estimate is a type of construction estimate that details the anticipated costs of a certain electrical project. An electrical contractor will provide this estimate (sometimes called a quote) to the client so they can get a sense of what a project’s final cost will be.

Electrical contracting companies use a variety of techniques and methods as their electrical estimating solution. In today’s world, like with any other estimate, electrical estimates can be generated using online estimation software. These estimation software options make the electrical estimating process faster and more accurate.

What to Look for in Electrical Estimating Software

If you are an electrical contractor looking for new software, there are a few things to look for. All of these things will make your job easier. Check them out below:

• Customizable labor costs
• Up-to-date material costs with a material database
• Easy-to-use project management tools
• The ability to handle residential projects and commercial projects
• Access to digital plans, when available

When reviewing the best options available, we took all of the above into consideration.

The 6 Best Electrical Estimating Software

If you need new electrical estimating software, look no further! These are the six best options on the market.

1. FreshBooks

FreshBooks offers one of the best electrical estimating software options out there at the moment. With a simple, easy-to-use interface and a wealth of useful electrical estimation features, FreshBooks can be the ideal solution for electrical contractors, assisting with estimations for:

• Commercial electrical projects
• Residential electrical jobs
• Solar power installation projects
• Industrial projects
• And more

The biggest draw of FreshBooks estimating software is its simplicity and easy integration. Drafting up estimates is quick and easy thanks to pre-made templates and automatically-populated information. FreshBooks allows you to outline the project’s scope, timeline, and deliverables from within the app, saving you the trouble of switching from program to program.

Plus, if you want to simplify your financial process, you can easily integrate FreshBooks’ electrical estimating system with our accounting software. This can help you handle profit margins, bid management, and the overall financial health of your electrical contracting company.

Click here to learn more about FreshBooks—the best electrical estimating software available.

2. McCormick Electrical Estimating

This electrical estimating software offered by McCormick Systems is near the top of our list for electrical contractors for a good reason. McCormick has been around since 1979, and they’re commonly referred to as experts in the field. Their software shows that. The software offers comprehensive solutions for the following areas:

• Commercial projects
• Industrial projects
• Residential projects
• Low voltage systems
• Solar power systems

Among these projects, the software offers the ability to work in more specialized fields, as well.

McCormick Systems offers several levels to its product. They range from independent contractors to multimillion-dollar firms. Each level boasts the appropriate tools and layout for the intended audience. If you’re looking for an all-in-one product, look no further than McCormick. It has built-in digital takeoff and every feature you can imagine.

The software includes several thousand electrical item details. In addition to this, it includes over 30,000 pre-built assemblies. This allows for the most accurate estimates the first time. We placed McCormick at the top of the list for a good reason.

3. Houzz Pro Software

Houzz Pro Software is geared towards home remodeling and renovation companies. You’d think its electrical estimates would be lacking since it’s not a specified program, but you’d be wrong. Houzz Pro is an all-in-one project management tool. It includes everything you need for an entire home remodeling, not just the electrical portion. That being said, the electrical suite is impressive. It includes all of the tools an electrical contractor could need. Houzz Pro includes the following:

• 3D floor planning
• Lead management
• Project management
• Client dashboards and management
• Streamlined communication

If you’re a residential contractor, Houzz Pro is the right tool for you. It’s not geared towards larger companies, like McCormick, but that’s where its strength lies. Houzz Pro helps small businesses see rapid growth while providing some of the best estimating software available.

4. Electric Ease

Another specialized software, Electric Ease, is cloud-based. It was made specifically for the electrical industry. Electric Ease allows for both job estimation and project management. In addition to those two areas, it specializes in others. Electric Ease provides:

• Job estimation
• Project management
• Bid management
• Technician scheduling
• Customer management

To make it easier to use on the go, the software has a linked app, as well. Users have great control over a live workflow in the program. There they can attach detailed job descriptions and photographs. This program is used for companies that may have more than a few technicians. The workflow editing and collaboration let workers communicate with ease. Electric Ease allows for unlimited users, so it scales with your business. If you want a dedicated electrical program, choose Electric Ease.

5. Procore

Procore is an option that’s used frequently for costing construction projects. It’s often used for quantity takeoffs, professional construction project proposals, and estimates across the construction industry as a whole. 

Procore has some particularly useful features, such as an AI-powered symbol recognition system and a detailed filter feature to make reviewing data simpler and more efficient.

6. STACK

Another estimation option for the construction industry, STACK is a cloud-based estimating software solution often used for project evaluation, quantity takeoffs, and construction industry estimates. 

STACK boasts several useful estimating features, from intuitive tools for quantity and material takeoffs to automation features and a sizable estimate template library. All of these can be useful tools for electrical contractors and the construction industry in general. 

Conclusion

Electrical estimating is an important part of the industry. It requires detailed job descriptions and vast information on materials and assemblies. If you need new electrical estimating software, don’t hesitate to choose from the six we’ve listed. They’re all great solutions, depending on the scope of your electrical company.

We have more articles regarding estimation software on our estimates section. Be sure to take a look through them to help inform your next software decision!

FAQs on Best Electrical Estimating Software

More questions on the electrical estimating process or how to choose the best electrical estimating software for your business? Here are some frequently asked questions.

Which method is best for estimating electrical items?

There is no single best method for electrical estimating, but a few techniques are favored. These include the labor unit estimate method, the design and construct method, and the per-point estimation method.

How do you estimate an electrical project?

No two electrical projects are identical, so it’s important to approach electrical estimation with nuance and attention to detail. Factor in the costs of your labor, materials, overhead, profit margin, and markup when costing out an electrical project.

What are the four main types of estimates?

The four main kinds of estimates are preliminary estimates (a rough or approximate initial estimate), detailed estimates (a more complex estimate used when more is known about the project), quantity estimates (used to communicate the costs of all materials to the client), and bid estimates (submitted to potential clients in the hopes of winning the bid for a contract).

Do cost estimators use Excel?

Sometimes! Microsoft Excel can be a handy tool for electrical contracting companies that prefer it for their unique electrical estimating system. While Excel offers ease of use, access, and some powerful automation futures, many companies prefer to use more advanced electrical estimating solutions, such as FreshBooks or McCormick.

What do most electricians charge per hour?

The average electrician or electrical contractor in the United States will charge anywhere between $50 and $100 per hour. This depends on the electrical project’s complexity, the electrician’s skill and experience, the materials required, and the project’s location.

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