Start with the decision
Start a electrical takeoff by recording the document revision and measurement basis. Separate quantity measurement from pricing and clearly identify items that cannot yet be measured reliably. The worksheet below organizes the estimate; it does not supply design quantities, production rates or market prices.
This guide is for business-to-business project planning in the United States and Canada. For the wider trade context, visit the electrical resource hub.
Record quantities with their basis
| Package | Measurement basis | Inclusion check |
|---|---|---|
| Power distribution | equipment counts and documented feeder routes | equipment supply versus installation and utility coordination |
| Lighting | fixture counts by type and area | fixtures, supports, controls and making good |
| Tenant connections | connection counts matched to equipment identifiers | final connections, disconnects and equipment supplied by others |
Download the electrical takeoff checklist worksheet (CSV)
Fill in the response, owner or source, and date checked. Keep unresolved items visible. The file contains planning prompts only; it does not calculate quantities or make an approval decision.
Put the checklist to work
- List the drawings, schedules and addenda used. Keep units consistent and show where a dimension or quantity came from.
- Measure the defined packages separately. Flag utility-side work, temporary power, controls and repair of opened finishes so quantities are not silently omitted or counted in multiple packages.
- Record allowances, waste assumptions and unresolved dimensions explicitly. Ask for missing information instead of labeling an estimate as a confirmed quantity.
- Check the takeoff against scope changes and equipment release dates, authorized shutdown windows and readiness of rooms receiving equipment. Have another qualified estimator review important assumptions when the package warrants it.
A scope gap worth discussing
Illustrative example — not a Build Accord client project
An office lighting package grows to include changes at the distribution panel. Confirm whether the same invitation still describes the work, and issue the revised package to every bidder.
Apply this to your decision: A traceable takeoff record with quantities, units, source references and open questions, ready for project-specific pricing.
Using this in the US and Canada
For a project in the United States
Record the state, local jurisdiction and actual service area. For federal notices, use SAM.gov Contract Opportunities and check the individual notice’s stage and instructions. A prime-contract notice is not automatically a subcontract invitation.
For a project in Canada
Record the province or territory, municipality and actual service area. Use CanadaBuys tender opportunities as one public-procurement source, then read the issuer’s documents and submission route. Do not assume it lists every private construction package.
For either market, state the currency, units and deadline time zone. This worksheet is general planning guidance, not a determination of licensing, procurement eligibility or technical compliance.
The next useful step
Continue with electrical bid inclusions and exclusions checklist. For the other side of the conversation, see the electrical project scope guide.
Build Accord coordinates introductions between construction project teams and trade contractors. An inquiry starts a discussion of fit and availability; it does not guarantee a contractor, an invitation to bid or an award. These guides are not a listing of currently available crews or projects.