Telecom & Structured Cabling Estimating

We trace each outlet to its serving IDF along the pathway shown on the plan, then add vertical drops, slack at the outlet, and slack at the rack. We record average and maximum run length per IDF. That gives you a cable quantity that reflects real routing, not a symbol count multiplied by a guessed length. If the plan does not show a pathway, we note the assumption on the query sheet.

CMP is plenum-rated and can be installed in return-air ceilings; CMR is riser-rated and is for vertical shafts. CMP carries a material premium. Most office and school ceilings are return-air plenums, so the spec usually calls for CMP. If you price CMR and the spec says CMP, you lose the difference on every drop. We price the jacket type the spec names and flag the conflict if the plan notes disagree.

Both. We take off backbone fiber in LF from the riser diagram, then break it down by strand count and termination type. Terminations are counted per strand and per end. Splice trays, LIUs, and patch panels are separate lines. OTDR testing is priced per strand, bi-directional, at both wavelengths if the spec requires it. That structure lets you swap in your own fiber vendor pricing without rebuilding the takeoff.

We count penetrations from the rated wall and floor plans, then cross-check against the cable route. Each penetration is priced by assembly type, not as a lump sum. If the drawings do not show a rated assembly, we note it as a query. Firestop is often assigned to Div 27 in the spec but priced by no one on the bid form, so we carry it as a visible line rather than absorbing it.

Testing is priced per cable and per strand, separate from installation labor. Copper certification is per cable. Fiber OTDR is per strand, and bi-directional testing at both wavelengths is a separate line if the spec calls for it. Continuity testing is cheaper than certification. If the spec names a testing standard you did not price, that is a direct margin loss, so we list the standard on the takeoff.

Yes. We organize the Excel workbook by CSI MasterFormat division, with Div 27 on its own tab and adjacent Div 26, 28, and 25 items on separate tabs. That lets you scope the low-voltage package in or out at bid time. We also provide a written list of exclusions and scope handoffs, so the GC can see exactly what is and is not in your number.

Labor is built by task, not as a percentage of material. Pull hours scale with cable LF, ceiling height, and pathway type. Termination hours scale with the number of jacks, panel ports, and fiber ends. Testing hours scale with the number of cables tested. Labeling and as-built documentation are their own line. That structure lets you substitute your own crew rates without rebuilding the quantity takeoff.

Send the Div 27 spec sections, communications plans, riser diagram, outlet and panel schedules, rack elevations, and the bid form you must submit. Also tell us who owns conduit and cable tray, and whether work is occupied or after-hours. If you have a previous bid or a competitor's scope sheet, include it so we can flag gaps. Most projects return in 24–48 hours, rush available.

Yes, when they are in the Div 27 package. WAPs are counted as data drops plus mounting hardware: ceiling tile, hard-lid, or wall. If Div 28 security rough-in is in the same package, we count card readers, door contacts, REX, and electric strikes as separate lines. Where the scope belongs to another division, we note the handoff rather than burying it in the cable count.

We add slack as a separate step, not inside the measured run. A common allowance is 10 ft at the work area outlet and 20–30 ft at the rack, which is typical. We show the base measured quantity and the slack quantity on separate lines so you can see the difference. Estimators who take off only the measured run underprice every drop in the package.

We issue a query sheet. If the spec says Cat 6A shielded and the plan notes say Cat 6, we do not pick one silently. We list both, state the cost difference, and ask you to confirm. The same applies to pathway ownership, testing standards, and firestop responsibility. That query sheet is part of the deliverable and is often the most useful page for a GC leveling bids.

Yes. We price Div 27 alongside Div 26 electrical, Div 23 mechanical, and Div 22 plumbing. If you are bidding a full package, start with our MEP estimating services page. We split the divisions cleanly so you can see the low-voltage number on its own. For the Div 26 raceway and power that feeds your racks, see our electrical estimating services page.

We count each horizontal drop from the outlet to the IDF, noting average and max run. We list Cat 6 and Cat 6A cable by the foot, RJ45 jacks and keystone jacks per each, copper patch panels by port count, and trunk cable where specified. Labor is broken into cable pulling, cable termination, and cable testing. We also flag TIA-568 and TIA-606 requirements for labeling and administration. If the drawings show only outlet symbols, we count them and note the assumption for your RFI.

We take off fiber optic cable per foot by strand count and jacket type, then count fiber optic patch panels, splice trays, and connectors. Fiber splicing is priced per splice, and cable testing includes power meter and light source or Fluke DSX where specified. We separate single-mode fiber from multimode and note the TIA-568 and TIA-607 grounding requirements. If the riser diagram is schematic, we document the assumed routing and flag it for a project manager review before bid.

Yes. We organize the bid estimate by CSI MasterFormat division so you can carry Div 27 as a standalone number. Div 26 raceway and power that feeds your racks is pulled into a separate tab, and Div 28 security rough-in is separated as well. We include a material takeoff, labor takeoff, and unit price for each line, plus contingency and change order notes. This lets a telecom contractor or low voltage contractor submit a clean bid form without guessing at shared scope.