Electrical
Holiday lighting installation estimate
Your inputs
Complete only the fields for your selected method. Use one consistent job or reporting period. Use zero for a known zero amount only when the field permits it. Missing costs and market rates are not added automatically. Currency selection labels amounts; it does not convert exchange rates.
How this calculation works
material length = measured run × (1 + allowance); purchase packs = ceil(material length / pack length); job cost = packs × pack price + labor + other costs; quote = cost / (1 − margin)
Pack quantity assumes total footage can be pooled. Verify how each separate run can be laid out using the actual products and buy additional packs when lengths cannot be shared. This estimate does not size circuits, approve connected runs, or assess work-at-height safety. Use your own records for the same scope and period. Example figures are illustrative, not industry benchmarks. Results exclude income taxes and any cost you have not entered. Check the result before pricing work or committing resources.
What information do I need?
Use records for the same job, equipment or accounting period. Only the fields for your selected entry method are required. An unknown amount is not zero.
Input definitions and where to find them
- Total measured lighting runs (ft): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
- Additional footage allowance (%): Enter a percentage from your records or an explicitly chosen scenario. No typical or recommended rate is supplied.
- Usable length per purchased pack (ft): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
- Purchase price per pack (selected currency): Use a supplier quote, invoice, payroll record or allocated cost for the exact job or period named here. Include this amount only once.
- Installation person-hours (hours): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
- Removal person-hours (hours): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
- Loaded labor cost per person-hour (selected currency): Use a supplier quote, invoice, payroll record or allocated cost for the exact job or period named here. Include this amount only once.
- Clips, equipment, travel and other entered cost (selected currency): Use a supplier quote, invoice, payroll record or allocated cost for the exact job or period named here. Include this amount only once.
- Target margin on the quoted price (%): Enter a percentage from your records or an explicitly chosen scenario. No typical or recommended rate is supplied.
Use the Where to find this value controls beside the inputs for available work-it-out helpers. Estimates remain your assumptions; a helper does not verify the source figures.
Worked example
Example amounts use US dollars (USD).
Example answer: Modeled quote before sales tax is $860.00 for the illustrative inputs below.
Example inputs
- Total measured lighting runs: 160.00 ft
- Additional footage allowance: 10.00 %
- Usable length per purchased pack: 25.00 ft
- Purchase price per pack: $30.00
- Installation person-hours: 6.00 hours
- Removal person-hours: 3.00 hours
- Loaded labor cost per person-hour: $35.00
- Clips, equipment, travel and other entered cost: $90.00
- Target margin on the quoted price: 25.00 %
- Modeled quote before sales tax
- $860.00
- Entered job cost
- $645.00
- Contribution after entered costs
- $215.00
- Modeled footage including allowance
- 176.0000 ft
- Whole purchase packs
- 8 packs
- Entered labor cost
- $315.00
- The example is illustrative. This is not a market quote. Include all relevant costs; omitted costs are not added automatically.
These illustrative values are not recommended rates or industry averages. Replace every example input with your own figures.
Use the result well
Inputs come from your own records and stated assumptions; no rates or legal limits are looked up.
Review the entered assumptions and calculator limits before using these results. Have a qualified professional verify design and safety decisions.