10/29/2025
"Advanced Estimating / Calculating Shop Burden" Seminars (10/27/25 - 10/29/25
The program was held at INTECH in Alsip, IL.
"Advanced Estimating of Electrical Construction & Calculating Shop Burden"
IBEW-NECA Technical Institute (INTECH) - 6201 W. 115th Street, Alsip, IL.
(3-day Seminar) October 27 - 29, 2025
Michael Bill, NECA Estimating Training Faculty Member - Facilitator
Walead Atiyeh, NECA Training Faculty Member / Consultant - Facilitator
(8:00 am - 4:00 pm for the first two days; 8:00 am - 12:00 pm on the third day)
The ECA Research and Education Committee was proud to sponsor the following programs: "Advanced Estimating of Electrical Construction and “Calculating Shop Burden." Both programs were held at the IBEW-NECA Technical Institute (INTECH) in Alsip, IL. The "Advanced Estimating of Electrical Construction” workshop was held Monday, October 27, 2025 - Tuesday, October 28, 2025 from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm; the “Calculating Shop Burden" seminar was held on Wednesday, October 29, 2025 from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm. Michael Bill, NECA Estimating Training Faculty Member, was the Facilitator for the Advanced Estimating class; Walead Atiyeh, NECA Training Faculty Member / Consultant, was the Facilitator for the Shop Burden class.
Program description(s):
Advanced Estimating of Electrical Construction Course Description:
Developed to discuss all phases of the estimating process, this course covers all phases of preparing a competitive bid. Key topics include identifying desirable bid opportunities, analyzing the company's capabilities to insure profitable results, the estimator’s role at various stages of the project, writing an effective scope letter and identifying often hidden costs in the bid documents.
Following this portion, participants will be able to:
- Discuss the steps necessary to prepare a competitive bid
- Identify the most desirable bid opportunities
- Describe how a company’s capabilities can be analyzed to insure profits
- Discuss cash flow and bonding
- Discuss relevant contract terms
- Identify price adjustment techniques, overhead, and profit
- List the documents required to estimate a construction project
Calculating Shop Burden
Electrical contractors are unique in the construction industry in that they engineer, install and integrate products made from both commodities and engineered materials. The scope of services provided by electrical contractors creates confusion and sometimes conflict with owners and general contractors who may not be familiar with the cost structure of an electrical contractor. The purpose of this presentation is to detail the various types of expenses incurred by an electrical contractor in support of a proper determination of overhead and burden rates. The objective is to provide a clear and concise discussion surrounding the scope of services provided by the electrical contractor and thus how overhead and burden should be calculated.
Following this portion, participants will be able to:
- Understand the impact of fixed and variable costs on burdens
- Differentiate between overhead burden, engineering/fabrication burdens, and field burdens
- Calculate overhead, engineering/fabrication, and field burdens separately
We thank Michael and Walead for sharing their expertise with the registrants. We thank all that were able to attend the sessions.
Pictured above is Michael Bill, NECA Education Consultant, as he opened the Advanced Estimating program.
Pictured above are introductions made by the attendees.
Pictured above is Walead Atiyeh, NECA Education Consultant, as he began his presentation.
Pictured are the attendees.