High-Voltage - D-Tools Forum

JordanC · 01-11-2011, 03:23 PM

The company I am with are also does high voltage installation. Essentially, they have taken over every wire in the home. I am new to electrical and lighting, but I have picked it all up very fast. I am just unexperienced in the bidding process and how to proceed. I would like to have the same operation and treat everything as how I do a DA system for example.

From what I understand is that all electricians will bid on a job charging a fixed number for quantities of outlets, circuits, and lighting fixture quantities. This is being done without specifying a specific manufacturer or model. I recently did this by creating 'generic' electical line items and bid the job. Now my salesman has come back and given me exact model numbers for what we used for recessed lighting cans, the trim, and color they are going with. Now when I go back through to make my modifications to obtain a change order for all of this, it is going to be extremely large and confusing with all the changes.

Can someone shed some light or provide some feedback on experience with this issue? Thank you.

ChristianB · 01-11-2011, 05:51 PM

First of all, create a revision before you change anything. Then make sure all the products that you will deliver is in your product database. Open SI Text, use the filter option to sort for i.e. double inwall AC outlet. Select all, right click, select "Replace product", select the product you want to use istead, if you want to, check the "keep component ID the same" box, hit OK and all the generic models has been replaced. Repeat with all products until satisfied. When done, run the change order report.

JordanC · 01-11-2011, 10:41 PM

When "keep component ID" is selected, and the pricing and labor stays the same, I won't have a change order will I?

ekalpakoff · 01-13-2011, 03:36 PM

Jordan,

We deal with a lot of electricians and your right most of the time they send an estimate without any parts or details about quantities. We have skirted around that by creating a custom report that does not show labor or model numbers just descriptions. That way we are not locked into using any specific part and didn't have to create a new generic category.

JordanC · 01-13-2011, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by ekalpakoff

We have skirted around that by creating a custom report that does not show labor or model numbers just descriptions. That way we are not locked into using any specific part and didn't have to create a new generic category.

This is what I have done as my salemen hate model and manus to show. I replaced the Manu/ Model line with the description. I don't like it, but they do.

I just created my second electrical w/ high-voltage lighting. I used typical parts instead of the generic style as before. I think this will work a lot better, especially when SP3 comes out with the 'keep accessories' option when I go forward with any replacements for some parts.

I think it is going to be difficult to compete with what electricians are doing, esp since they typically are operating on such "ballpark" style and thin margins. We cant afford to operate like this. We are model specific, profit oriented, and non-commodity based.