💡 Module 4: Material Costs & Pricing
Convert your takeoff into dollars: build a clean material list, apply unit pricing, and use vendor quotes to stay current.
Build a material list
Price by unit
Document your quote date
🎬 Watch the Lesson
Pause when needed—then do the exercise right after.
📋 Key Takeaways
- Turn takeoff quantities into an itemized material list (by category).
- Apply unit pricing consistently (LF or EA).
- Use vendor quotes for volatile items (wire, gear, fixtures) and record the date.
- Keep assumptions clear: inclusions/exclusions + waste factors.
🧰 Do This Now (Pricing Mini-Build)
Take one small area from your Module 3 takeoff and price it. You are practicing your “materials extension” workflow.
🧾 Material Pricing Quick Reference
Use this as your default checklist when building material costs.
| Category | Typical Unit | Pricing Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Conduit (EMT / PVC / RMC) | LF | Price by size; fittings (couplings/elbows) often per-each or allowance line. |
| Wire / MC Cable | LF | Volatile pricing—use fresh quotes; add scrap factor as a separate line. |
| Devices / Boxes | EA | Group by type (GFCI, duplex, switch); don’t forget plates, straps, mud rings. |
| Lighting / Fixtures | EA | Spec-driven; confirm alternates, controls, and lead times. |
| Panels / Switchgear | EA / System | Always quote; verify ratings, spaces, accessories, and delivery timeline. |
✅ Skill Check
- What does “unit price” mean in estimating?
- Name 3 categories you always separate when pricing materials.
- Which items usually require vendor quotes (and why)?
- What’s one clean way to include waste/scrap without hiding it?
- What information must be recorded with every quote?
Package 2 access: Modules 1–6 only.