Division 27 and 28 systems
Low voltage estimates that count every drop, device and rack
Low voltage work is won or lost on counts. A missed floor of data drops, a backbone fiber run measured short or a telecom room left off the rack list can erase the margin on an otherwise clean bid. LEEDS takes off structured cabling, wireless, audiovisual, paging, nurse call and security systems device by device, measures the horizontal and backbone runs, prices the pathways, and delivers a bid that holds up when the electrical contractor's scope letter arrives.
- 5.0 Google
- 4.9 Trustpilot
- 4.9 Clutch
pricing with cable, termination, testing and labor rolled into each outlet
Overview
What low voltage estimating covers
Low voltage covers the systems that run on communication and signal cabling rather than branch power: structured cabling for data and voice, fiber backbone between telecom rooms, wireless access points and distributed antenna systems, audiovisual, paging and intercom, sound masking, nurse call, access control, video surveillance, intrusion detection and, where the specification assigns it, fire alarm cabling. Each system has field devices, cable, pathways, head-end equipment and labor, and the estimate quantifies all five.
Horizontal cable is the largest quantity on most jobs. We count drops from the telecom plans and reflected ceiling plans, then measure runs from each outlet back to its telecom room or apply a documented average run length per closet, whichever the drawings support. Backbone fiber and copper are measured from the riser diagram, with strand counts, connector types and slack loops recorded. Telecom rooms are taken off as racks, cabinets, ladder rack, patch panels, cable managers and grounding.
Pathways are where low voltage bids go wrong. J-hooks, sleeves, conduit stubs, cable tray, surface raceway and firestopping are priced from plan runs and ceiling conditions, and we document who owns each in a scope matrix against the electrical contractor. Termination, testing, certification and labeling labor is built up per jack, per panel and per fiber strand, so the labor hours track the counts rather than a percentage of material.
Scope of takeoff
Low voltage scope we quantify
Drops, devices and runs are counted from telecom plans, reflected ceiling plans, riser diagrams and the Division 27 and 28 specifications.
- EA
Data and voice drops
Category 6 and 6A outlets by location, faceplates, jacks, surface boxes and work area cords
- LF
Horizontal cable
Plenum and riser rated category cable by run, with slack, service loops and waste factored
- LF / STRAND
Backbone fiber and copper
Single-mode and multimode fiber, riser copper, connectors, enclosures and splice trays between rooms
- EA
Telecom rooms
Racks, cabinets, ladder rack, patch panels, cable managers, grounding busbars and bonding
- EA / LF
Wireless and DAS
Access point drops and mounts, antennas, coax, remote units and head-end equipment
- EA
Audiovisual systems
Displays, projectors, speakers, microphones, control processors, mounts and AV cabling
- EA
Paging, intercom and sound masking
Speakers, amplifiers, emitters, call stations and zone controllers
- EA
Access control and CCTV
Door hardware packages, readers, controllers, cameras, recorders and licenses
- EA
Nurse call and clinical systems
Patient stations, dome lights, pull cords, staff consoles and real-time location tags
- LF / EA
Fire alarm cabling
Power-limited fire alarm cable, conduit and devices when the specification assigns them to low voltage
- LF / EA
Pathways and supports
J-hooks, sleeves, conduit stubs, cable tray, surface raceway and firestopping at rated walls
- EA / HRS
Termination, testing and labeling
Jack and panel terminations, fiber splicing, certification testing, labeling and as-built records
Estimate types
What type of low voltage estimating can you get?
Match the estimate to where your project is. Every option is priced as a flat fee before work begins.
- 01
Per-drop budget
Fast budget using installed cost per drop, per access point and per device, adjusted for building type, ceiling access and distance to telecom rooms.
Best for General contractors and owners
Precision±12%Turnaround24 hours - 02
Hard-bid cabling and systems takeoff
Complete drop counts, measured horizontal and backbone runs, telecom room build-outs, pathways and head-end equipment from the construction set, with a scope matrix against Division 26.
Best for Low voltage and electrical contractors
Precision±5-7%Turnaround48 hours - 03
Tenant improvement estimate
Drops, access points, AV and security changes for tenant spaces, including reuse of existing cabling, landlord head-end coordination and after-hours labor.
Best for Tenant improvement contractors
Precision±8%Turnaround24-48 hours - 04
Campus backbone estimate
Outside plant and inter-building fiber, duct bank, handholes, splice points and building entrance facilities for multi-building sites.
Best for Campuses, hospitals and districts
Precision±10%Turnaround48-72 hours
Why LEEDS
Why contractors switch to LEEDS
An estimating desk that behaves like an extension of your team, not a software subscription.
- 01
Drop counts are reconciled between telecom plans, furniture plans and reflected ceiling plans so a relocated workstation does not become a missed outlet.
- 02
Horizontal cable is measured or built from, a documented average run length per room, never from a flat footage per drop.
- 03
Pathways, sleeves and firestopping carry, a scope owner in the matrix so nothing is assumed to belong to the electrical contractor.
- 04
Termination and testing labor tracks the counts per jack, panel and strand, which keeps labor honest on cable-heavy jobs.
- 05
Head-end equipment, licenses and owner-furnished, switches are listed separately so the bid compares cleanly with the integrator's proposal.
- 06
Telecom rooms are taken off as complete build-outs, including grounding, ladder rack and cable management that bids routinely omit.
- 07
Union and open-shop labor rates by region are applied from the start, with productivity adjusted for ceiling height and occupied conditions.
Free quote
Get a fixed quote for this scope
Upload drawings or a plan link and tell us the bid date. A senior estimator confirms scope, price and delivery before any work starts.
- Scope confirmation and a fixed price within two business hours
- Most estimates delivered in 24–48 hours
- Unlimited revisions until bid day
- Plans stay confidential and are deleted on request
Prefer to talk? Call +1 (800) 555-0199 or email info@leedsestimating.com.
How our estimating process works
Four steps from upload to a bid-ready estimate, with a senior estimator signing off before anything leaves our desk.
- 1
Upload plans and scope
Send your drawings, specifications and bid invitation through the secure upload form. We confirm scope, deadline and a fixed price within two business hours.
- 2
Digital quantity takeoff
Estimators measure every item from calibrated plans in Bluebeam and PlanSwift, color-coding each layer so quantities can be traced back to the drawing.
- 3
Pricing and labor
Quantities are priced with location-adjusted material costs, crew productivity rates and equipment, then marked up to your overhead and profit targets.
- 4
Senior review and delivery
A second estimator audits quantities and pricing, documents assumptions and exclusions, and delivers your Excel workbook, PDF summary and marked-up plans.
Deliverables
What's included in your estimate package
Every deliverable is formatted so it can go straight into a proposal, a purchase order or an owner report.
- XLSX
Estimate workbook
Quantities, unit costs, labor hours and totals organized by CSI division, with subtotals, markups and a bid summary tab.
- PDF
Marked-up plans
Color-coded takeoff drawings showing exactly where every measured quantity came from.
- XLSX
Material procurement list
Consolidated material quantities with waste factors applied, ready to send to suppliers for quotes.
- XLSX
Labor hours by task
Crew-based labor hours and productivity rates so you can check the schedule against the estimate.
- PDF
Assumptions and exclusions log
Every clarification, allowance and exclusion documented so your proposal scope is defensible.
- PDF
Bid summary sheet
A proposal-ready one-page summary with overhead, profit, bonds and contingency applied.
Clients
Who relies on our estimates
From single-trade subs to national developers, every client gets the same measured-twice standard.
General Contractors
Bid more work without adding estimating headcount. We deliver division-by-division numbers you can level against sub quotes.
Subcontractors
Trade-specific takeoffs with labor hours and material lists, ready to drop into your proposal.
Architects & Engineers
Design-stage estimates at every milestone so value engineering happens before documents are finished.
Design-Build Firms
Conceptual through GMP pricing that moves as fast as your design iterations.
Construction Managers
Independent cost checks, change-order pricing and schedule-of-values support.
FAQ
Low Voltage Estimating FAQs
What systems count as low voltage?
Structured cabling for data and voice, fiber backbone, wireless access points and DAS, audiovisual, paging and intercom, sound masking, nurse call, access control, video surveillance and intrusion detection. Fire alarm is included when the specification assigns the cabling or devices to the low voltage contractor.
How do you measure horizontal cable?
Where the drawings show routing, we measure each run from the outlet to its telecom room and add slack and service loops. Where they do not, we calculate an average run length per closet from the floor plan geometry and document the assumption, so the quantity can be checked and adjusted during the site walk.
Who is responsible for pathways and sleeves?
It varies by project, which is exactly why we build a scope matrix against Division 26. Cable tray, conduit, sleeves, J-hooks and firestopping each receive an owner based on the specification and the electrical scope letter, and the price covers only what is assigned to low voltage.
Can you estimate from a tenant's furniture plan?
Yes. Furniture plans are often the most current record of where workstations and displays will sit, so we reconcile them with the telecom plans and flag any outlets that moved or were added. Drop counts are then priced with cable, termination and testing per location.
Do you include testing and certification?
Termination, certification testing, labeling and as-built documentation are built up per jack, per panel and per fiber strand and shown as their own labor lines. Manufacturer warranty registration requirements from the specification are noted where they affect the hours.
How do you handle head-end equipment and licenses?
Switches, servers, recorders, controllers and software licenses are listed separately with a column showing whether they are contractor-furnished or owner-furnished. That keeps the installation bid comparable to competing proposals and avoids doubling up on equipment the owner already purchases.
Blog
Insights from the estimating desk
Practical guidance on bidding, takeoffs and protecting margin.
Related
Related estimating services
Most projects need more than one trade. Bundle them into a single upload and we price the whole scope together.
Ready for a low voltage estimating quote?
Upload your plans and get a fixed quote within 2 business hours. Most estimates are delivered in 24–48 hours.