Estimating, written down
Practical pieces on pricing electrical work — the costs vendors don't publish, what AI actually does to a takeoff, and the Canadian tax and labour arithmetic behind a bid that holds up. No corporate filler; sources linked.
How to estimate electrical work in Canada: the step-by-step guide
Specs → takeoff → labour units and factors → overhead and margin → GST/HST, with a fully worked TI example in CAD.
September 6, 2026 · 15 min Read the guide →The real cost of electrical estimating software (2026)
Sticker price vs. total cost of ownership: per-seat scaling, renewal drift, training days — and the five-year math.
September 6, 2026 · 8 min Read the breakdown →AI electrical takeoff software: what it actually does (and doesn't)
A plain map of the AI takeoff category — who drafts, who reviews, who decides — without the brochure language.
September 6, 2026 · 6 min Read the explainer →Do you need training to use electrical estimating software?
With legacy suites, usually yes. With VOLTA, no — cockpit, not classroom. Why the difference exists and what it trades away.
September 6, 2026 · 5 min Read the answer →How to switch from Excel to estimating software
Keep what the spreadsheet got right, retire what it can't do — a migration that takes an afternoon, not a bid week.
September 6, 2026 · 6 min Read the plan →Free electrical bid template (Canada, 2026)
A clean, working .xlsx bid template with labour factors, markup vs. margin and GST/PST built into the formulas. No email required.
September 6, 2026 · download Get the template →What software do electrical estimators use?
Electrical estimators use five kinds of software: dedicated suites, takeoff tools, platform modules, AI-assisted takeoff and Excel. Here is who uses which.
September 13, 2026 · 7 min Read the answer →Best electrical estimating software in Canada (2026)
A Canadian contractor's shortlist of electrical estimating software for 2026: deployment, CAD billing, database depth, and what each option trades away.
September 13, 2026 · 8 min Read the comparison →What does an electrical permit cost in BC?
BC electrical permit fees for 2026, from the Technical Safety BC schedule and the Vancouver, Burnaby and Surrey bylaws, plus where the fee sits in a bid.
September 13, 2026 · 8 min Read the guide →Cost to wire a house in BC: what actually drives the number
What really sets the price of wiring a house in BC: permit fees by declared value, who issues them, the code edition, PST on materials and labour burden.
September 13, 2026 · 8 min Read the breakdown →Reading about estimating is the slow way. Price a real tender in VOLTA — free for 30 days.
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