Drawings in.
Bid out. Same afternoon.
VOLTA is the AI electrical estimator for BC contractors. Upload your PDF drawings, let the AI draft the takeoff, then price it with real Lower Mainland labour rates, NECA factors, and GST/PST — every number a slider, the bid recalculating live.
Then $9.99 CAD/mo · cancel anytime · +GST/HST · runs in your browser
Why contractors switch to VOLTA
Free for 30 days · then $9.99 CAD/mo · cancel anytime
Three steps between the tender package and your quote
Upload the drawings
Drop the PDF tender set straight into your browser. VOLTA reads the sheets, detects the systems on the drawings, and opens a reference viewer so you can zoom into dense areas.
AI drafts the takeoff
A first-pass count across lighting, power, fire alarm, data, distribution, and wire appears in seconds. Every quantity is a stepper — you refine, the bid updates instantly.
Tune the price, send the quote
Slide labour rates, markup, contingency, and crew size in the pricing cockpit. Add your company details and exclusions, and export a clean, client-ready quotation.
The panel schedule
Everything on the circuit. Nothing you don't need.
PANEL "VOLTA" — FEATURE DIRECTORY
120/208V · 12 CCTAI takeoff draft
Reads the drawing text and drafts quantities across all 12 divisions so you start from a count, not a blank page.
Live pricing cockpit
Bill rate, cost rate, markup, waste, overhead, contingency — all sliders. The whole bid recalculates as you drag.
Lower Mainland defaults
2024–2025 BC reference rates baked in: journeyman $105–$135/h billed, 18–25% material markup, real waste factors.
NECA labour factors
Wood frame to occupied building (×1.00–×1.75), plus working-condition columns — applied to every labour hour automatically.
Multi-res assemblies
In-suite packages, corridor-per-floor, main service, feeders, generators, EV rough-in — priced the way BC multi-family actually bids.
GST + PST done right
5% GST on the bid, optional 7% PST on materials for real-property contracts. Client totals show what they'll actually pay.
Drawing viewer
Page through the PDF beside your takeoff and zoom into dense ceiling plans without leaving the estimate.
AI plain-language summaries
Overview, scope, takeoff notes, financial analysis, and a quote cover letter — drafted for you, editable by you.
Schedule reality-check
Crew size and hours-per-day turn the labour total into calendar days, so you see if the bid matches the timeline.
Client-ready quotes
Company details, GST number, validity period, and exclusions — output a quotation that looks like a real shop sent it.
Project files
Save the whole estimate as a file, reopen it later, or hand it to your partner. Your numbers stay yours.
Nothing to install
Runs entirely in the browser on your laptop, tablet, or phone in the truck. Your drawings are processed on your device.
The same estimate — at a fraction of the cost
Honest comparison. Whether you're a solo electrician or a large contractor with a full estimating team, VOLTA does the same work for a fraction of what the legacy suites charge.
| Typical cost per estimator, per year | Install | BC tax & rates built in | AI first-pass takeoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| VOLTA — ~$120 CAD ($9.99/mo) | None — browser | Yes | Yes |
| Cloud takeoff suites (Esticom-class) — ~$2,000+ | Browser | No | Partial |
| Desktop estimating (McCormick-class) — ~$2,500–$5,000+ | Windows install | No | No |
| Enterprise suites (Accubid-class) — $5,000–$10,000+ | Install + training | No | No |
| Excel + late nights — "$0" | — | If you type it | You, at 11pm |
Competitor figures are typical published/quoted ranges for comparison only and change over time; verify current pricing with each vendor.
Built in British Columbia — for the way BC electrical work actually bids
Generic estimating software is priced for Texas and tuned for nowhere. VOLTA was built from the Lower Mainland out: the labour rates are ours, the tax rules are ours, and the assemblies match wood-frame six-storeys, concrete towers, and tenant improvements from Vancouver to Abbotsford.
- → Journeyman and apprentice rates calibrated to Lower Mainland union and non-union shops
- → PST-on-materials handling for BC real-property contracts
- → Exclusion presets that mention the things BC GCs argue about — BC Hydro fees, FA verification, temp power
- → Mass-timber (CLT) labour factoring, because this is where those buildings are going up
Frequently asked
What is VOLTA?
Who is it for?
Is the AI takeoff accurate enough to bid from?
Where do my drawings go?
Does it handle GST and PST?
What does it cost?
The tender closes Friday. Your first draft can be done by coffee.
Start 30-day free trialFree for 30 days · then $9.99 CAD/mo · cancel anytime