How long does it take to do an electrical estimate?
Updated · Amperio.ai team
Short answer
With Amperio.ai a residential electrical estimate takes minutes and a commercial bid a few hours of review, because AI handles the takeoff and pricing. By hand or in Excel, expect 3–8 hours for a home, 1–3 days for a tenant improvement or small commercial job, and 3–10 days for a large commercial or industrial bid. Takeoff alone is usually 50–70% of that time.
| Job type | Manual / Excel | With Amperio.ai |
|---|---|---|
| New home 1,500–2,500 sq ft | 3–8 hrs | Minutes |
| Remodel / addition | 2–5 hrs | Minutes |
| Tenant improvement | 1–3 days | 1–3 hrs review |
| Multifamily | 3–7 days | 0.5–1 day |
| Industrial | 5–10 days | 1–2 days |
2026 reference ranges based on typical estimating workflows.
Where the time goes
- Takeoff (counting and measuring): 50–70%.
- Material pricing: 10–20%.
- Labor and markup: 10–20%.
- Proposal writing: 5–10%.
Why speed wins work
A shop that needs 6 hours per home can bid about one job a day. Responding the same day to every request usually raises your hit rate, because the first credible bid often sets the reference price.
How Amperio.ai handles it
- Automates takeoff — 50–70% of estimating time.
- Material prices already loaded.
- Templates by job type for repeat work.
Frequently asked questions
How long should an electrical estimate take?
By hand, 3–8 hours for a typical home. With Amperio.ai, minutes.
What is the slowest part of estimating?
Takeoff: counting devices and measuring runs on the plans.
How do I speed it up?
Use AI takeoff, assemblies and a maintained price file, as in Amperio.ai.
Related questions
Sources and methodology
Prices and ranges are reference figures as of the update date; they vary by market, supplier and project conditions.