Electrical takeoff inside the bid sheet you already use.
Count receptacles, switches, lights, and panels with BidScreen XL's count tool. Measure conduit and wire runs with linear-trace. Every quantity flows into your Excel electrical bid as a live formula.
| A | B | C | D | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ITEM | QTY | UNIT | $/UNIT | LABOR HR |
| 2 | Duplex receptacle | 82 | ea | $8.40 | 32.8 |
| 3 | Single pole switch | 46 | ea | $6.20 | 16.1 |
| 4 | Light fixture Type A | 24 | ea | $185 | 19.2 |
| 5 | EMT 3/4" conduit | 1,820 | LF | $2.80 | 127.4 |
| 6 | #12 THHN copper | 5,460 | LF | $0.42 | — |
| 7 | TOTAL LABOR HOURS | 195.5 |
Illustrative electrical estimating workbook. Device counts and conduit linear footage populate live from BidScreen XL.
The bottlenecks every electrical estimator knows.
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Device counts on a 200-room commercial floor plan are error-prone — miss 10 receptacles and the bid goes underpriced.
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Conduit runs measured by hand from a riser diagram are slow; computer-aided linear trace is dramatically faster.
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Wire pulls for branch circuits, feeders, and service drops each have their own size and length; mixing them up costs labor on installation day.
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Plan revisions for added circuits or relocated panels send you back to recount and re-measure.
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Subcontract electrical pricing (per device, per circuit) requires accurate counts that hold up to scrutiny by the GC.
The electrical quantities every bid needs.
Device counts
Receptacles, switches, light fixtures, data jacks, smoke detectors — counted on the floor plan with the count tool.
Panel & equipment counts
Service entrance equipment, distribution panels, sub-panels, transformers — each counted and priced.
Conduit linear footage
EMT, IMC, rigid by trade size. Trace the homerun and branch routing on the plan; aggregate by conduit type.
Wire pulls (branch + feeder)
Conductor linear footage by AWG and conductor count. Branch circuit wire = conduit length × conductor count + makeup allowances.
Service & feeder size
Linear footage by amperage rating for the largest feeders. Special pricing per service size.
Lighting fixture counts
Per-type counts (recessed, surface-mounted, pendant, exterior). Each type has its own fixture cost and labor.
Built for how this trade actually estimates.
Device counting in BidScreen XL is one-click-per-device with running totals in Excel — no manual tally sheets.
Trace conduit on the plan to get linear footage; multiply by conductor count + 15% makeup for wire-pull length.
Each device type, conduit size, and wire size lands in its own Excel row with its own unit cost.
Plan revisions update the bid automatically; counts and lengths flow from the marked-up PDF.
Same tool covers data/comm low-voltage work alongside power — single workflow for all electrical scopes.
BidScreen XL
PDF and CAD measurement directly inside Microsoft Excel. Trace the drawing, the quantity lands in your estimating cell as a live formula.
$400/yr rental · $799 perpetual
Considering BidScreen XL against another electrical takeoff product?
Honest side-by-side comparisons — feature matrix, 5-year cost, and a fair note on when the competitor is actually the right choice.
- Switching from
Bluebeam Revu
PDF tool with measurement features. BidScreen XL adds the same measurement inside Microsoft Excel — quantities land as cells, not exports.
See comparison - Switching from
PlanSwift
Standalone takeoff at $1,749/yr (perpetual retired). BidScreen XL is $400/yr or $799 perpetual and feeds Excel directly.
See comparison - Switching from
STACK
Cloud-only at $2,988/yr Premium or $3,588/yr Pro. BidScreen XL is a desktop Excel add-in at $400/yr.
See comparison - Switching from
On-Screen Takeoff
ConstructConnect bundle-only (~$1,850/yr+). BidScreen XL is sold standalone at $400/yr, lives in Excel.
See comparison
Frequently asked
Can BidScreen XL handle one-line diagrams and riser diagrams?
Yes — trace conduit and wire runs directly on the riser diagram or one-line. The trace tool gives linear footage in real-world units once you've calibrated the diagram to its sheet scale. For one-line diagrams without a scale (schematic-only), you can enter wire lengths directly into Excel from your routing analysis.
How does BidScreen XL handle device count by type?
Run a separate Count takeoff for each device type and drop its total into a different Excel cell. Build a template workbook with one row per device type (receptacles, switches, light fixture types) and per-type unit costs; counts flow into the matching cell as you click each device on the plan.
What about voice/data/AV low-voltage takeoff?
Same workflow. Count data jacks, AV outlets, and access points; trace low-voltage cable runs. Multiply count × per-device labor and material cost in Excel. Many electrical contractors run low-voltage as a separate worksheet but in the same BidScreen XL trace session.
Will BidScreen XL count lighting fixtures by type from a luminaire schedule?
It counts fixtures on the plan; matching to the luminaire schedule by type letter is your Excel mapping. Common pattern: a separate Excel sheet with a row per luminaire type (Type A, Type B, etc.), each with cost and labor; per-type counts from BidScreen XL feed into that sheet.
How accurate is conduit linear footage from a 2D floor plan?
BidScreen XL gives you the 2D linear footage exactly. For the real 3D run length (across joists, into walls, down to panels), add a percentage for vertical and offset routing — typically 20-30% beyond the 2D distance. Many contractors apply a job-level multiplier (1.25-1.35) to all 2D conduit lengths.
Try BidScreen XL on a real bid for 14 days, no card.
The fastest way to know if Vertigraph fits your workflow is to install it and run one bid. The honest answer for your bid mix shows up after two or three real estimates.