For successfully estimating injury prevention and safety protocols, a job estimator would need to put himself in the shoes of a construction business owner. Imagine an employee tripped over a loose wire and fell, resulting in a broken arm. The employee is now out of work until his arm has healed which means he is […]
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Learning Key Players and Roles
For today’s lesson we went into more detail about the role and responsibilities of the electrical team and the estimating team. It was interesting to learn more about each of the key players and how they contribute to the success of a project. I learned about the contract bidding process, the important factors to consider […]
Where it All Starts
My first day in the apprenticeship program was pretty easy. Linda and Marc reviewed the course materials, course objectives, and student expectations. They also went over the history of Candels and their experience in the electrical estimating field. Candels experience ranges from commercial, industrial, healthcare, educational, and other projects such as switchyards, airports and railway […]
Introduction to Electrical Estimating: Before the Apprenticeship
My name is Trevor and I recently started working at Candels Electrical Estimating as a project coordinator. I will be participating in the current Electrical Estimating Apprenticeship that is being run by Candels Estimating Training. Before working at Candels, I didn’t know much about the electrical field. I had watched some YouTube videos and read […]
Special Take-offs: How Many and How Much?
Ok, the lighting is counted, the branch is wheeled, and you have sent your lighting counts to your vendors. Before you move on to the next system, let’s talk a minute about lighting and dimming controls, daylight harvesting, and occupancy sensors. Estimating Lighting, Dimming Controls, and Occupancy Sensors Occupancy sensors can be like a simple […]
6 Construction Industry Trends for 2017
As the economy and construction begin to pick up, certain trends have begun to emerge. Here are the top trends to watch for in 2017: Collaborative project delivery methods will become more popular. The days of design-bid-build domination might be winding down, as experts expect collaborative approaches to become more common for projects. Design-build, public-private […]
Get Specific About Job Specifications
So far you have set the groundwork for an efficient estimating process by knowing your business, your customers, and how to select the appropriate jobs to bid. Now it’s time to focus on the nuts and bolts of the process. A thorough review of a job’s specifications provides the roadmap to get to your bid […]
Tips for Women to get into Electrical Contracting Industry
An increasing number of women-owned contracting firms are helping to level the playing field in a traditionally male-dominated industry. While current statistics reveal only 9.5 percent of National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) members are women-owned businesses, this number has tripled in the past 15-20 years and reflects a trend seen in physically demanding, tech-centric fields […]