Low-Voltage Project Cost Calculator

Use this free calculator to build an early structured-cabling or low-voltage project estimate from the major cost drivers: run quantity, average cable length, cable price, labor time, labor burden, per-run material and project overhead.

How to estimate a low-voltage project

A useful estimate separates direct cost from selling price. Cable is only one component. Labor, employer burden, connectors, jacks, testing, lift or access equipment, travel, waste, project management and the difficulty of the pathway can materially change the final number.

1. Start with run count and realistic pathway length

Do not use straight-line room dimensions when the cable must travel up walls, through ceiling pathways, around obstructions and into a rack. When the site has not been fully surveyed, use a conservative average and include a waste/service-loop allowance.

2. Use loaded labor, not just hourly wage

If a technician earns $30 per hour, the company normally spends more than $30. Payroll taxes, insurance, benefits and non-billable time can make the true labor cost substantially higher. Use your own payroll/accounting data to set the burden percentage.

3. Keep cost and markup separate

Material cost and labor cost should be visible before markup. That makes it easier to understand whether a job is profitable and to adjust pricing when cable, labor or project conditions change.

4. Add project-specific costs

Consider testing/certification, firestopping, permits, lift rental, after-hours requirements, travel, parking, disposal, bonding and prevailing-wage requirements where applicable.

Example

A 24-drop project averaging 80 feet per run uses about 1,920 measured feet before waste. At a 10% allowance, planning footage becomes about 2,112 feet. The selling price should then include the loaded labor and other project costs—not just the cost of roughly three cable boxes.