AI Cost EngineerQuote Jobs in Minutes, Not Hours

The AI Cost Engineer produces estimates that are typically within 5-10% of final actual costs for standard domestic and commercial electrical work. This level of accuracy is achieved because the system uses current UK trade pricing data from major electrical wholesalers (not list prices, but actual trade account prices), combined with labour timing benchmarks derived from thousands of completed electrical jobs across the UK. The system also applies regional pricing adjustments — labour rates and material costs vary significantly between London, the Southeast, the Midlands, the North, Scotland, and Wales. Over time, as you complete jobs and mark them as finished, the Cost Engineer learns from the difference between estimated and actual costs and adjusts its models to match your specific working speed, your supplier pricing, and your local market conditions.

Yes. The Cost Engineer produces estimates with full VAT handling appropriate to the type of work and customer. For standard domestic work, it applies the standard 20% VAT rate. For qualifying energy-saving materials installed in residential properties, it applies the reduced 0% rate where applicable under the current VAT rules. For commercial work where CIS (Construction Industry Scheme) applies, the system calculates the gross payment, CIS deduction (at the appropriate rate — 20% for registered subcontractors, 30% for unregistered, or 0% for those with gross payment status), and the net payment you will receive. All of these calculations are shown clearly in the quote so you and your customer understand the breakdown. The system stays current with UK tax rules and VAT rates.

Yes, the Cost Engineer is fully customisable. You set your hourly labour rate (or day rate if you prefer), your material markup percentage, your overhead recovery rate, and your target profit margin. The system applies these to every estimate it generates. If you work with a mate or have employees, you can configure different labour rates for different personnel. The default values are based on UK industry averages for your region, but you can adjust them to match your actual business costs. Many electricians find it useful to start with the default values and then fine-tune them over their first few jobs as they compare estimates to actual outcomes. The system remembers your preferences and applies them automatically to all future estimates.

You describe the job in plain English, the same way you would describe it to another electrician. For example: "Consumer unit upgrade in a 1980s three-bed semi. Existing Wylex rewireable fuse board with 6 ways, upgrading to a 12-way AMD3 metal consumer unit with RCBOs. TN-C-S supply, meter in the hallway cupboard. Adding two new circuits — one for a 7 kW EV charger in the integral garage and one for a new ring final in the kitchen extension." The AI analyses this description, identifies all the materials needed (consumer unit, RCBOs, cables, accessories, earthing components, labels, fixings), calculates the labour time for each task (removal of old board, installation and wiring of new board, new circuit installation, testing and commissioning, certification), and produces a complete cost breakdown. If the AI needs more detail — such as the cable run length to the garage — it asks before generating the estimate.

Electrical work pricing varies significantly across the UK. A consumer unit change that might be quoted at £650-£800 in the North of England could be £900-£1200 in London or the Home Counties. The Cost Engineer applies regional pricing adjustments to both labour rates and material costs based on the job location. Labour rate adjustments reflect the actual market rates that electricians charge in each region — these are derived from industry surveys and real-world job data, not arbitrary multipliers. Material cost adjustments account for the fact that some wholesalers charge more for delivery to remote locations, and that trade counter pricing can vary between branches. When you set up your profile, you specify your primary working area, and the system calibrates its pricing accordingly. If you take on work outside your usual area, you can specify the job location and the system will adjust.

Yes. The Cost Engineer generates a complete, professional quote document that you can send directly to clients. The document includes your company name, address, and contact details, the client name and site address, a description of the proposed works, an itemised breakdown of materials and labour (you can choose whether to show the client a fully itemised breakdown or a summary by work section), the total price including VAT, payment terms, a validity period (typically 30 days), and your standard terms and conditions. The quote can be exported as a PDF with your company branding, or shared via a link that the client can view on any device. The system also tracks which quotes have been sent, viewed, accepted, or declined, helping you manage your pipeline of potential work.

Yes. For each job, the Cost Engineer generates a full bill of quantities with specific product names and, where available, manufacturer part numbers. For example, rather than listing "1x consumer unit", it will specify "1x Hager VML955RK 10-way dual RCD consumer unit" or "1x Schneider SEA9ACS16 Acti 9 isobar 18-way TP+N distribution board" depending on the type of installation. Cable quantities include a waste allowance (typically 10-15% depending on the complexity of the cable routing), and consumables such as clips, fixings, labels, and fire-rated sealant are itemised rather than buried in a general "sundries" figure. This level of detail means you can use the bill of quantities to place your wholesale order directly, and the client can see exactly what they are paying for.