Security and low voltage
Security and low voltage installation budget
Budget device and cable materials, installation labor and allocated project costs from a supplied design.
Your inputs
Complete the fields for your selected method. Zero means intentionally zero, not unknown. Currency selection labels amounts; it does not convert exchange rates.
How this calculation works
cost = devices × device cost + cable length × cable cost + person-hours × labor + other; quote = cost/(1-margin)
Design, device counts, cable type and routing must be verified separately. This does not specify detection coverage, conductor sizing, voltage drop, electrical safety, permits or monitoring contracts. Cable length must already include any planned waste. 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
- Devices in supplied design (devices): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
- Average purchase cost per device (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.
- Cable length including your chosen allowance (ft): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
- Cable purchase cost per foot (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.
- Total installation and testing person-hours (person-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 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.
- Other supplied project costs (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 $2,453.33 for the illustrative inputs below.
Example inputs
- Devices in supplied design: 8 devices
- Average purchase cost per device: $100.00
- Cable length including your chosen allowance: 1,000.00 ft
- Cable purchase cost per foot: $0.20
- Total installation and testing person-hours: 16.00 person-hours
- Loaded labor cost per hour: $40.00
- Other supplied project costs: $200.00
- Target margin on the quoted price: 25.00 %
- Modeled quote before sales tax
- $2,453.33
- Entered job cost
- $1,840.00
- Contribution after entered costs
- $613.33
- Device and cable material cost
- $1,000.00
- 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
Budget device and cable materials, installation labor and allocated project costs from a supplied design. Inputs come from your own records and stated assumptions; no rates or legal limits are looked up.
Keep inputs on the same scope and time basis. Calculations retain precision internally; displayed values generally round to two decimal places, with extra precision for very small values and whole-unit rounding where required. Economic comparisons describe your supplied assumptions and do not guarantee future results.
This tool provides business arithmetic. It does not approve engineering designs, establish legal or tax treatment, select equipment or certify safe operating conditions.