Job costing for electrical contractors
Electrical bids are built on wire footage, panel and gear pricing, and labor hours that are easy to underestimate on jobs with a lot of rough-in. Jobsheet tracks committed and actual cost per job so you can see a wire-footage overrun while the job is still open.
Copper and gear pricing moves between bid and buyout
Wire and panel pricing can move meaningfully between when you bid a job and when you actually buy the material. Logging the real purchase cost against the job — instead of relying on the original estimate — is what shows you the true margin.
Low-voltage and fire alarm are often subcontracted
Low-voltage, fire alarm and specialty systems work is frequently subbed out even on jobs where you hold the prime contract. Track subcontractor cost as its own category per job so it's part of the job's actual cost, not a separate accounting problem.
Rough-in labor overruns show up late without job-level tracking
Rough-in labor on a multi-unit or commercial job can run long before anyone notices, because labor is usually tracked at the crew or payroll level, not the job level. Logging hours against the specific job as they happen surfaces an overrun in week two instead of at close-out.
What to track on every electrical job
- Panels, gear and breakers
- Wire and conduit
- Fixtures and devices
- Permits and inspection fees
- Rough-in and trim labor hours
- Subcontracted low-voltage or fire alarm work
Frequently asked questions
Can I separate rough-in and trim-out costs on the same job?
Yes. Log expenses and labor as they occur and add a note or category to each; the job's actual-cost total updates in real time regardless of how many phases you log.
How do I track a subcontracted fire alarm scope inside my job?
Record the subcontractor's invoice as an expense on the job under a subcontractor category, so it's included in the job's total actual cost and final profit calculation.