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Electrical Estimating Software

from takeoff to winning bid in one workflow

Trusted by top electrical contractors since 1989 US-based expert support Local PC/Network & CE Cloud installations
Conest IntelliBid Monitor and Box Mockup

What Is Electrical Estimating Software?

Electrical estimating software is a specialized tool that electrical contractors use to calculate the material, labor, and overhead cost of a project and produce a competitive bid. Conest Software Systems has built electrical estimating software since 1989, centered on IntelliBid, an estimating platform for electrical, low voltage, datacom, and solar contractors.

Electrical estimating software replaces spreadsheets and manual pricing with a structured system for bidding electrical work. Instead of looking up each device, fitting, and conductor by hand, an estimator takes off quantities from the drawings and the software applies a priced material database and labor units to produce a complete, auditable bid.

Three things separate electrical estimating software from generic construction estimating tools:

  • An electrical-specific material database. Generic tools make you build your own item list. Electrical estimating software ships with NEC-friendly items and assemblies already priced and labored.
  • Real labor units. Electrical labor is driven by installation conditions such as mounting height, floor, run length, and repetition. The software has to model that, not just multiply hours by quantity.
  • Live supplier pricing. Copper and gear pricing moves. Estimating software connects to pricing services so the bid reflects current cost rather than last quarter’s.

Conest IntelliBid Monitor and Box Mockup
SureCount Symbol Selection

SureCount symbol selection: choose a device type once and every occurrence on the drawing is counted and sent to the estimate.

How Electrical Estimating Software Works

Every electrical estimate moves through the same five steps, from the drawings to a bid you can submit. Good estimating software connects those steps so nothing is re-keyed between them.

1. Take Off Quantities

Takeoff establishes how much material the job needs. Estimators count devices and fixtures and measure conduit, wire, and cable runs, either through takeoff entry in IntelliBid or on screen with SureCount, which counts symbols automatically and writes the quantities straight into the estimate.

2. Apply Assemblies From the Database

Each counted item becomes a priced, labored assembly. Instead of building a receptacle or a conduit run piece by piece, the estimator selects a pre-built assembly that already carries the boxes, fittings, devices, and labor. Conest includes more than 500,000 pre-built assemblies, and every one can be edited to match how your crews install.

IntelliBid Automatic Labor Factoring Screenshot

Automatic Labor Factoring in IntelliBid: the same items show a 62-hour labor difference with factoring turned on versus off.

3. Factor Labor for Job Conditions

Labor units are adjusted for how hard the installation actually is. Mounting height, floor level, and run length all change the hours. IntelliBid’s Automatic Labor Factoring applies those conditions automatically, so labor reflects the job instead of a flat percentage adder.

4. Price Material at Current Supplier Cost

Material is priced from a pricing service, not last quarter’s spreadsheet. IntelliBid connects to NetPricer, EPIC, and TRA-SER, and can store multiple vendor prices per item so you can compare suppliers side by side.

5. Build and Submit the Bid

Quotes, overhead, and margin turn the cost into a price. The estimator reviews the bid summary, adds supplier and subcontractor quotes, applies overhead and profit, and produces the proposal. Alternates, phase breakdowns, and change orders stay tied to the original estimate, and Conest Connect reports on which bids you win.

IntelliBid Automatic Labor Factoring Screenshot

Automatic Labor Factoring in IntelliBid: the same items show a 62-hour labor difference with factoring turned on versus off.

Electrical Estimating Software 1

What to Look For in Electrical Estimating Software

These are the criteria that actually change bid accuracy and estimating throughput. Use them to evaluate any vendor, including us. For the full buyer’s checklist, read How to Choose Electrical Estimating Software in 2026.

Database Depth

The size of the item and assembly library determines how much you build by hand. Ask how many items ship out of the box, whether assemblies are NEC-based, and who maintains them. Conest ships over 140,000 items and more than 500,000 pre-built assemblies, including manufacturer-specific items from Leviton, Hubbell, Siemens, Schneider Electric, Panduit, and Lutron.

Labor Unit Control

Industry-standard labor units are a starting point, not an answer. You need to factor labor for the conditions of the specific job, such as mounting height, floor, and run length, and save those decisions so similar jobs are set up once.

Takeoff Integration

Estimating and takeoff should be one workflow. If the takeoff tool does not write directly into the estimate, you pay for the handoff twice. SureCount digital takeoff writes straight into IntelliBid, and electrical takeoff software explains what to look for on that side.

IntelliBid Electrical Estimating Software - Pro Desktop Example

Bid Management

Winning more work depends on what happens around the estimate: change orders, proposals, and tracking which jobs you actually win. Conest reporting runs through Conest Connect, which tracks bid hit ratio and estimator workload.

Deployment Flexibility

Some shops need software on the office network; others need estimators working from a truck or a remote office. The vendor should support both without a rewrite. See cloud estimating software for how to decide.

Support That Knows the Trade

Estimating software is only as good as the help you get when a bid is due. Ask where support sits and whether the team understands electrical estimating. Conest support is US-based, with classroom and remote training.

Request a Demo

IntelliBid Electrical Estimating Software - Pro Desktop Example

Electrical Estimating Software for Every Type of Contractor

One database covers residential, commercial, and industrial construction, and job specifications can be saved as defaults so each type of work is set up once.

Residential Electrical Estimating

Smaller shops need speed on repeat work without paying for tools they will not use. IntelliBid Standard includes the full database, labor factoring, phasing, and proposal generation, and template jobs let repeat work such as apartments and housing developments start most of the way finished.

Commercial Electrical Estimating

Larger jobs need structure. Break the estimate down by building, floor, area, system, or phase, price alternates separately, and let several estimators work in the same job with role-based permissions protecting the database.

Industrial Electrical Estimating

Industrial scopes turn on long runs, cable tray, heavy gear, and difficult access. Height and run-length labor factoring, cable tray and wire assemblies, and manufacturer-specific items from Siemens, Schneider Electric, and Hubbell keep feeder and equipment pricing accurate.

Low Voltage, Datacom, and Solar

The same platform estimates the specialty trades. See low voltage estimating software for security, fire alarm, and access control, datacom estimating software for structured cabling and fiber, and solar estimating software for PV systems.

NetPricer Service, EPIC, and TRA-SER logos for electrical estimating software.

Conest Electrical Estimating at a Glance

  • Primary product: IntelliBid
  • Built for: electrical, low voltage, datacom, and solar contractors
  • Material database: over 140,000 NEC-friendly items and more than 500,000 pre-built assemblies
  • Pricing services: integrates with NetPricer®, EPIC®, and TRA-SER® (sold separately)
  • Editions: IntelliBid Standard, IntelliBid Plus, and IntelliBid Pro. See the IntelliBid Versions Comparison Charts.
  • Takeoff: takeoff entry in IntelliBid, plus on-screen digital takeoff with SureCount
  • Deployment: local PC or network install, or hosted on CE Cloud
  • Training and support: US-based support, with classroom, online, and recorded training
  • In business since: 1989

Explore IntelliBid

Contractors Who Estimate With Conest

1-Degree Electrical Estimating

“Conest is my go-to program.”

George Hatziyianis, 1-Degree, Cape Coral, Florida

1-Degree prepares outsourced electrical estimates for contractors across the United States and Canada, on work ranging from multifamily developments to data centers and wastewater treatment plants. George has used Conest software for more than 15 years and, after working in other estimating systems, prefers IntelliBid for its labor control, reporting detail, and ease of use.

Read the 1-Degree case study

Westphal & Co.

“We learned the thinking behind the software and why it was designed the way it was.”

John Westphal, CEO, Westphal & Co.

When the estimating system Westphal had used for about 30 years lost vendor support, an eight-person team evaluated replacements and chose IntelliBid and SureCount for the depth and accuracy of their assemblies and material data. A train-the-trainer rollout then brought the Wisconsin contractor’s estimators and project managers onto the new system.

Read the Westphal case study

Enhance Your Electrical Estimating Experience

Surecount Box Mockup

SureCount Takeoff Software

Count & measure from electronic drawing files; direct takeoff to IntelliBid.

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CE Cloud Box Mockup

CE Cloud Estimating Platform

Use Conest software on the cloud, from anywhere, on any device.

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Conest Connect Box Mockup

Connect Reporting Software

A powerful reporting add-on for IntelliBid. Generate reports and turn IntelliBid data into actionable insights.

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Electrical Estimating Software: Common Questions

Electrical estimating software is a tool electrical contractors use to calculate the material, labor, and overhead cost of a project and produce a bid. It combines a priced electrical material database with labor units and takeoff quantities to generate a complete, auditable estimate, replacing spreadsheets and manual pricing.

General construction estimating tools expect you to build your own cost database. Electrical estimating software ships with NEC-friendly electrical items and pre-built assemblies already priced and labored, models electrical-specific labor conditions such as mounting height and run length, and connects to electrical supplier pricing services. That removes most of the setup work an electrical contractor would otherwise do by hand.

Small shops usually need full estimating capability without paying for advanced bid-management tools. IntelliBid Standard provides the complete industry-smart database, labor factoring, phasing, and proposal generation, and can be upgraded to IntelliBid Plus or Pro later as the business grows. Compare the three editions on the IntelliBid product page.

Conest prices IntelliBid by edition and by the number of users, so cost depends on which edition you need and how many estimators will be working in it. Material pricing services such as NetPricer, EPIC, and TRA-SER are licensed separately from the software. Request a demo for a quote scoped to your shop.

IntelliBid includes takeoff entry, phasing, and item-level takeoff tools. For on-screen plan takeoff from PDF or scanned drawings, SureCount digital takeoff software adds automatic symbol counting, measurement, and drawing overlay comparison, and writes results directly into IntelliBid so the estimate and the takeoff stay synchronized.

Yes. IntelliBid and SureCount can be installed on a local PC or office network, or delivered from the cloud through CE Cloud. Cloud delivery adds managed security, daily encrypted backups, and access from Windows and Mac computers, Chromebooks, and Chrome or Firefox browsers.

Electrical, low voltage, datacom, and solar contractors, from small residential shops through large multi-crew commercial and industrial firms. The database covers all construction types, and job specifications can be saved as defaults so similar project types are set up once rather than rebuilt for every bid.

Write down your requirements before any demo, then test every product with the same sample estimate. Check the depth of the electrical database, how labor can be factored for job conditions, which pricing services are supported, how takeoff reaches the estimate, and what support and training cost. Our guide, How to Choose Electrical Estimating Software in 2026, includes a full scorecard.

AI can assist with parts of the work, such as finding information in an estimate, flagging unusual quantities or costs, and helping with takeoff. A bid still depends on an estimator's judgment about installation conditions, scope, and risk, so any AI suggestion should be reviewable and editable. Conest is investing in AI across its estimating products while keeping the estimator in control of every number.

Ready to Scale Your Electrical Estimating?

If your organization is ready to move beyond outdated estimating tools and disconnected workflows, Conest provides the industry-leading solution built specifically for electrical contractors.

Request a demo and bring a recent set of drawings. We will walk through takeoff, assemblies, labor factoring, and pricing on a job like yours, then scope a quote to the edition and number of estimators you need.

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Top Five Features in IntelliBid Electrical Estimating Software

IntelliBid Estimating Software – Learn how using the right electrical estimating software makes it possible for you to consistently produce estimates that are labor and material efficient, keeping overhead in check and maximizing profit.

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Why Choose Conest Electrical Estimating Software?

Conest Local and Cloud Solutions

Local and Cloud Solutions

Conest Software provides both on-premises and cloud-based software solutions. This versatility allows electrical, low voltage, datacom, and solar contractors to choose the deployment method that best suits their requirements, ensuring seamless integration with their existing infrastructure.

Conest Electrical Industry Leaders

Electrical Industry Leaders

Working with the electrical industry for over 30 years, Conest has established itself as the leading provider of electrical estimating software. A commitment to innovation and staying ahead of industry trends makes Conest the most trusted choice for electrical estimating and takeoff solutions.

Conest Robust Database

Largest Industry Database

Conest provides the largest industry-smart database, designed specifically for electrical, low voltage, datacom, and solar projects. Our customers have access to the most accurate items and customizable assemblies, enabling users to create accurate estimates for any job.

Conest Exceptional Support

High Quality Support

We prioritize customer satisfaction by providing exceptional technical support services. Our dedicated US-based team of experts ensures prompt and reliable assistance, resolving issues efficiently and effectively, resulting in a seamless user experience.

Conest Integrative Software Ecosystem

Integrative Software Ecosystem

Conest offers a comprehensive suite of electrical estimating, takeoff, and reporting software solutions that seamlessly integrate, creating an ecosystem that streamlines workflows and enhances productivity.

Conest Electrical Contractor Companies

Trusted by Top Companies

Conest Software has earned the trust of the electrical industry’s leading contractors. Our proven track record of delivering reliable and effective estimating and takeoff solutions helps contractors grow their business with confidence.

We Work With Top Electrical Contractors

Miller Electric Company logo
Helix Electric logo
Fredon logo
USIS Electrical Contracting logo
Wayne J. Griffin Electric logo
Quality Electric (QEI) logo
Sullivan & McLaughlin Companies logo
Alessandro Electric logo
Sanbros Corp logo

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