Candels prices each job individually after reviewing all project documentation. Candels issues a firm-price for each job so that you will know exactly what your upfront costs will be for doing the estimate. There are NO hidden surprises or fees! New clients can save up to 20% on their first estimate with us – without even asking! How great is that?

Candels schedules every job by bid date. As you must know, bid dates, especially on larger jobs are subject to change, so we can typically accommodate even the quickest turnaround times, sometimes even on the same day, of course depending on the size of the project. Candels prefers to deliver your project a day or two before it bids, giving you plenty of time to review it and put your bid together. It is always a good idea to call our office to ensure we can fit your project into our schedule. To submit your project today, please use our online Request for Quote (RFQ) Form and we will issue you a price for your project as quickly as possible. There is no cost or obligation for this service.

A Candels estimate is very detailed. We want you to know as much about the job as we know, having completed the take-off for you. Our estimates are also easy to follow, system by system. For example, each run of the distribution system is labeled so you will know what was carried for each segment. You will also receive a detailed scope letter that explains exactly how the job was taken off, quotes required, direct job expenses required, and if there are any issues on the job, we inform you what we did to address the issue and what you should do as a result.

Candels’ material pricing is updated weekly (or as often as we need) and is derived from a few sources such as NetPricer and several other large chain material suppliers. You should be able to buy commodity items at or below the cost that we have covered in the estimate. We are typically within 3 to 5% of your material cost.

Our labor units are based on years of industry experience and feedback from our clients. We have various labor categories that we use. If you are a merit or union shop contractor, Candels will tailor the labor units/rates based on your economic and market situations. Candels also uses the NECA Manual of Labor Units for reference, especially for items that we seldom come across. It is well worth the money! To order one, click here. (Link: https://www.necanet.org/store/product/4090-19)

When the Candels team completes the counts, we will forward you everything necessary in order to solicit vendor quotes including counts, schedules, the appropriate specification sections, along with any drawings that your vendor will need to price the package. You can either directly forward the email to your vendors or you can “cut and paste” the information into a new email

Whether it be an addendum, bid clarification, an ASI or something else, Candels requests that you forward it to us as soon as possible using the email [email protected]. It is always a good idea to list the addenda or other bid documents you have received in your proposal letter to cover yourself in the event that you have NOT received an addendum and addressed it in your proposal/price. For any large files, you may use our uploader by visiting https://candelsoncall.com/upload.

Candels provides you with all the information you will need to bid the job. Upon receipt of your project delivery from Candels, you will be expected to apply your quotes, direct job expenses, labor rate(s), markup, and overhead to bid the job. We never bid the job for you – the reason being, you know your crew, your overhead, and comfort factor in “how low” you want to bid. If you need assistance in determining your overhead or other job expenses, please let us know and we can consult with you on those items. We are always happy to strategize with you on the bid price of a project, but ultimately you set the price.

Candels has been in business since 2003 and members of our staff have decades of experience in the electrical industry. Our team has a diverse professional background but almost all our staff come from some facet of the electrical industry. Click here to meet the Candels Team.