Multifamily is the most competitive market most electrical contractors bid into — and one of the easiest to under-price. The work splits into three very different scopes that get priced three different ways: the unit interiors, the corridors and common areas, and the building backbone (service, risers, and house power). This guide walks through each one with the quantities and benchmarks that keep bids competitive.
Direct answer: A typical apartment unit runs 70–120 electrical points (receptacles, switches, fixtures, and dedicated circuits), and the electrical estimate per unit lands between $4,500 and $9,000 in labor and material depending on finish level, region, and whether appliances are included. Add 10–15% for corridor lighting, house panels, risers, and common-area power, and 15–25% for the service entrance and vertical distribution on mid-rise buildings.
Email your plans to [email protected] or call +1 (862) 366-7732 for a flat-fee quote within 15–30 minutes.
The Three Scopes of Multifamily Estimating
1. Unit Scope
Every unit repeats, which is exactly why accurate unit estimates win or lose multifamily bids. The unit estimate covers:
- Panelboard and feeder to the unit (or unit meters)
- Receptacles, switches, fixtures, and dedicated circuits per plan
- Kitchen appliance circuits: range, microwave, dishwasher, disposal, fridge, vent hood
- Laundry circuits (or laundry rooms at building level)
- Bathroom GFCI, exhaust fan, and vanity circuits
- Rough-in wiring, boxes, and device trim
- Smart home or pre-wired security/network if specified
Unit finishes drive the estimate as much as the point count. A Class A building with dimmers, pendant fixtures, and pre-wired smart thermostats prices 30–50% higher per unit than a workforce project with builder-grade devices.
2. Corridor and Common-Area Scope
- Corridor lighting, egress fixtures, and emergency lighting
- House panels and feeders per floor
- Elevator feeders (often with a separate generator-backed feed)
- Stairwell and stair pressurization power
- Vestibule, lobby, and amenity power (fitness room, clubhouse, pool)
- Generator, ATS, and life-safety distribution
3. Building Backbone Scope
- Service entrance: switchboard, metering (individual vs. master), transformers
- Riser feeders: conduit, cable, and busway per floor
- Roof-level scope: HVAC feeders, solar infrastructure, mechanical yard power
- Site lighting and building-mounted signage circuits
- Grounding and bonding system
Key Multifamily Cost Drivers
- Metering type — Individual meter stacks vs. master metering change the service and riser design completely. Meter stacks are typical in market-rate; master metered is common in affordable and senior housing.
- Building height — Walk-up vs. mid-rise vs. high-rise changes riser and fire-rated penetration costs, and high-rises add fire pump and smoke-control power.
- Appliance scope — Some bids include range and laundry circuits only; others include all appliance whips and connections. Confirm the scope before pricing.
- Finish level — Fixture allowances, device grades, and smart features swing unit cost more than any other variable.
- Common-area density — Amenity-heavy buildings (pools, gyms, EV charging) add house power scope that is easy to under-bid.
Multifamily Electrical Benchmarks (2026)
| Scope | Benchmark |
|---|---|
| Points per unit | 70–120 |
| Electrical estimate per unit | $4,500 – $9,000 |
| Corridor + common area | 10–15% of total electrical |
| Service + risers | 15–25% of total electrical |
| Labor per unit (rough + trim) | 90–150 hours |
Regional labor rates move these numbers more than any other factor — a unit that prices at $5,800 in the Midwest can run $8,000+ in coastal metros. Our estimates calibrate every hour to the project zip code.
Common Multifamily Estimating Mistakes
- Pricing units from averages — two identical-looking unit types often have different fixture schedules; estimate each unit type from its own plan sheet.
- Forgetting meter room and corridor house panels — the backbone scope is the most common miss in contractor-prepared bids.
- Under-pricing fire alarm and life safety — corridors, stairwells, and egress paths have dense notification appliance coverage.
- Missing elevator and fire pump feeders — these require dedicated feeders and often generator-backed supply.
- Ignoring temporary power — multifamily sites run long temporary power and lighting programs; it belongs in the bid.
Why Outsource Multifamily Estimating
Multifamily is a volume game: a 200-unit building needs thousands of measured points, and the bid window is tight. A dedicated apartment electrical estimating partner counts every point from the actual plans, calibrates labor to your region, and delivers an editable Excel breakdown you can adjust before submission — typically within 24–48 hours, flat-fee.
Our residential electrical estimating practice covers single-family and multifamily alike, and we price unit-by-unit so you can see exactly where every dollar sits when the owner asks.
Internal Links
- Apartment Electrical Estimating Services
- Residential Electrical Estimating
- Electrical Estimating for Residential Construction
- Residential Electrical Estimating Guide
- Electrical Estimating Cost per Point
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you estimate mixed-use buildings? Yes. Mixed-use scopes combine residential units with retail or office fit-outs — we estimate each occupancy class separately and deliver the breakdown in one file.
Can you work from a unit schedule instead of full plans? We prefer full plans, but a unit schedule plus one typical unit drawing allows an accurate preliminary number. We will tell you what we need when you send your documents.
How do you handle allowances? We price everything that is specified and flag allowances clearly in the Excel file so you can plug in your fixture or device budgets without breaking the takeoff.
Ready to bid multifamily with confidence? Email your plans to [email protected] or call +1 (862) 366-7732 for a free flat-fee quote.