# Estimating Branch Power & Lighting



## Bulldog1 (Oct 21, 2011)

Krummholz said:


> Hey. I'm a master electrician and have been estimating full time for nearly 20 years. I learned to estimate branch power & lighting by wheeling it off, but quickly realized how time-consuming that was (and time is becoming more and more of a precious quantity these days).
> 
> I have a method for doing it, which has worked over the years - I guess. Being anal about how I estimate, I've been hoping to find a method that's as quick as what I do now but more accurate.
> 
> How do you estimate commercial branch pipe & wire, lighting & power?



Estimate labor hours? Conduit size? Big projects or small jobs?


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## Krummholz (Feb 9, 2011)

Bulldog1 said:


> Estimate labor hours? Conduit size? Big projects or small jobs?


General takeoff procedure for typical commercial projects - offices, MOBs, etc.

I've got labor units, material costs, etc. - fine with that. 

What I've been doing for years is attaching to a device or fixture assembly a branch assembly with "x" LF of pipe & wire or MC cable to fixtures and devices (e.g. 20 LF of P&W per duplex receptacle, 10 LF of P&W per troffer, etc.).

It's worked out generally, but I don't feel it's ever been that accurate. Wondering how others do branch takeoff.


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