Overview
Structured cabling is sold by the building, and the design document is the line that ties every cable run to a plan
Structured cabling is the design-led end of the network cabling trade. The customer (a new commercial build, an enterprise IT department upgrading a head office, a data centre operator, a hospital trust) isn't buying cable runs; they're buying a whole-building cabling infrastructure designed against a standard (TIA-568, ISO/IEC 11801, BS EN 50173, or local equivalent). The design covers the equipment room, the telecoms rooms on each floor, the horizontal cabling to every outlet, the backbone fibre between floors, the patch panels, and the labelling scheme. A flat 'structured cabling, $80,000' quote without the design document, the cable schedule, and the testing regime gives the customer no audit trail.
QuoteGenio gives structured cabling contractors a quoting shape built for infrastructure work. Design and cable schedule as the first deliverable, equipment room and telecoms-room fit-out, horizontal cabling by run with the Cat-rating, backbone fibre between floors, patch panels and cabinets, labelling per the design standard, install labour, full certification with a Fluke or equivalent, and as-built drawings. Send via email or WhatsApp to the IT director or project manager, take staged deposits at design and install, raise progress invoices through floors completed, and the final invoice closes with the certification pack and the documentation the customer's IT team needs.
Who it is for
Who uses QuoteGenio
Built for every type of enterprise, backbone, and campus structured cabling business.
The problem
The quoting headaches every structured cabling specialist knows
Structured cabling tenders are long, material-heavy, and priced against strict specs. Getting the BoQ wrong by 5 percent can cost you the whole margin on a big job.
Bill of quantities takes days
A 400-point office fit-out with backbone fibre and risers means counting every metre, every connector, and every patch. One spreadsheet error and the bid is off.
Spec deviations get missed
If the tender calls for shielded Cat6A but you quoted unshielded, you lose the bid or eat the upgrade cost. Spec management is where quotes fall apart.
Main contractors want fast answers
Construction programmes don't wait. The first structured cabling quote that matches the spec usually wins, even if it's not the cheapest.
The fix
QuoteGenio makes it simple
A faster, cleaner workflow built around how structured cabling specialists actually work. On-site, floor plans in hand, quoting by zone and by point.
The payoff
What you get with QuoteGenio
The everyday wins that add up across a year of quoting and invoicing.
Built for enterprise cabling
Line items for backbone fibre, horizontal copper, risers, patch panels, racks, and as-built documentation. Everything a structured cabling tender needs.
Works from your phone
Quote from the floor plate or the comms room. No laptop, no office trip, no after-hours admin.
Quote complex tenders fast
A structured workflow that gets you from spec review to sent quote before the main contractor's deadline.
Track payments easily
Know which invoices and retentions are outstanding and follow up with one tap. No spreadsheet required.
Built for your trade
Quoting calibrated to how structured cabling specialists actually work
Pick your trade in Settings and the entire quote flow switches to fit. Line item presets, compliance fields, on-the-quote calculators, and per-m² / after-hours pricing all change to match your industry.
Trade-specific line items
Quick add picker pre-fills the common items your trade quotes. Skip the blank rows.
Brand-specific catalogues
Pylontech, Hikvision, Canadian Solar, Sunsynk and others pre-named. Pick the brand, the description writes itself.
Compliance fields built in
IOPSA, ECASA, PIRB, PSIRA, NHBRC, SAQCC. Set once. Every quote prints them under FROM.
Registration expiry alerts
Dashboard notification 60 days before your PSIRA, CoC or any dated registration lapses.
Per-m² / hour / day billing
Unit selector on every line item: m², hr, linear m, days. Stop doing the maths externally.
After-hours and emergency
1.5× and 2× multipliers as a one-tap toggle. Customer sees the breakdown on the quote.
Quote-flow calculators
Solar size, battery backup, cable run cost. Compute on the spot, drop straight onto the quote.
Staged payments
Deposit on acceptance + balance on completion as two separate amounts on the quote PDF.
Scope-of-work checklist
Structured Included / Not included lists. Client acceptance = signing the scope.
Site-survey mode
Log a location per line item: camera positions, fixtures by room, sensors by zone.
Regional rate hints
Pricing ranges per item per currency shown as you quote.
Free on every plan
All of the above included on the free plan. Premium is for capacity, not the trade tooling.
Why QuoteGenio
Why Structured Cabling Specialists choose QuoteGenio
The tools that matter most when you are quoting on-site, under pressure, and between jobs.
Quote from your phone
Most Structured Cabling Specialists build and send quotes directly from the job site. No laptop, no office, no delays.
Win more jobs, faster
The first professional quote a client receives usually wins. Respond in minutes, not hours.
Quote to invoice in one click
When the job is accepted, convert to an invoice instantly. No retyping, no double entry.
Pricing guide
Typical Structured Cabling Specialists job pricing
A rough guide to what structured cabling specialists charge for common enterprise jobs. Pricing varies by spec, building access, tender conditions, and programme. Use these as a sanity check when building your BoQ, not as fixed numbers.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Site survey and BoQ preparation | R24,791 - R107,426 |
| Cat6 horizontal outlet (per point) | R10,743 - R22,311 |
| Cat6A shielded outlet (per point) | R14,048 - R30,575 |
| Backbone fibre OS2 12-core (per metre) | R2,975 - R6,941 / m |
| Backbone fibre OM4 12-core (per metre) | R3,636 - R9,090 / m |
| 42U comms rack supply and install | R157,007 - R363,594 |
| Full channel certification (per point) | R1,074 - R2,314 |
Pricing converted from USD to ZAR at indicative rates. Rates vary significantly by country, region, currency, and market.
Call-out fees
A BoQ survey covers floor walks, drawing mark-up, and take-off preparation. Free on confirmed tender wins, charged at R24,791 to R107,426 on speculative bids where the client wants a full costed submission. Always list the BoQ prep as a separate line so the professional team sees what the design and costing effort is worth.
Hourly vs fixed pricing
Use fixed per-point and per-metre pricing for the BoQ-driven sections. Use hourly pricing (typically R9,090 to R14,048 per hour per technician) for site instructions, variations, fault-finding, and testing overruns. Keep the rates explicit on the quote so variation invoices don't become disputes.
See it in action
Example quote breakdown
Here's what a clean, itemised quote for a typical 3-floor office cabling package looks like. Notice how the BoQ prep, horizontal, backbone, testing, and documentation are all priced separately. Transparent quotes win structured cabling tenders because the professional team can compare apples to apples.
Try it yourself
Job size
Region
Sample quote
120-point Cat6A office with backbone fibre and full testing
BoQ survey, take-off, and shop drawings
Cat6A shielded outlets (install, termination, labelling)
OS2 12-core backbone fibre riser (3 floors)
42U comms rack, loaded, with PDU and cable management
Patch panels 48-port Cat6A, loaded and labelled
Full channel certification (Fluke DSX, printed)
As-built drawings, labelling schedule, test reports
| Description | Qty | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| BoQ survey, take-off, and shop drawings | 1 | R74,372 | R74,372 |
| Cat6A shielded outlets (install, termination, labelling) | 120 | R20,659 | R2,479,050 |
| OS2 12-core backbone fibre riser (3 floors) | 85 | R5,784 / m | R491,678 |
| 42U comms rack, loaded, with PDU and cable management | 1 | R305,750 | R305,750 |
| Patch panels 48-port Cat6A, loaded and labelled | 3 | R72,719 | R218,156 |
| Full channel certification (Fluke DSX, printed) | 120 | R1,570 | R188,408 |
| As-built drawings, labelling schedule, test reports | 1 | R62,803 | R62,803 |
| Subtotal | R3,820,216 | ||
| Tax (10%) | R382,022 | ||
| Total incl. tax | R4,202,238 | ||
Totals recalculate as you change the controls above. Tax rate inferred from the sample quote.
Items often forgotten
BoQ preparation, shop drawings, cable tray supports, fire-stopping at floor penetrations, as-built documentation, certification reports, and retention release inspection. Add these as standard lines on your template so you stop absorbing them out of your margin.
Peer snapshot
How Structured Cabling Specialists actually use QuoteGenio
Indicative activity for Structured Cabling Specialists on the platform. Use it as a benchmark for how often to quote and how fast to respond.
22
Quotes sent per month
48%
Average quote acceptance
4 min
Median time to send quote
R4,202,238
Typical quote value
Figures are indicative platform averages for this trade segment.
Start quoting Structured Cabling Specialist jobs like this, free
Build your first quote in under 2 minutes. No credit card, no setup fee, no contract.
Avoid these
Common quoting mistakes
We talk to a lot of structured cabling specialists. The same pricing and quoting mistakes come up again and again. Fixing these will protect your margin and keep main contractors inviting you to tender.
Mistake: Quoting to spec without reading the tender addenda
Better: Spec changes are issued late in the tender process. Always confirm you're quoting against the latest revision and note the addenda numbers on the cover of your quote.
Mistake: Forgetting fire-stopping at floor penetrations
Better: Every cable passing through a fire compartment needs approved fire-stopping. Price it per penetration so it's visible and paid for, not absorbed.
Mistake: Not pricing as-built documentation
Better: As-built drawings, labelling schedules, and test reports are a real deliverable on every enterprise job. List them as a dedicated line so the professional team sees the cost.
Mistake: Bundling certification into the point price
Better: Fluke channel certification is a separate cost with separate time. List it per point as its own line so clients who want a lower-spec install can strip it out without re-quoting.
Mistake: No provisional sum for variations
Better: Enterprise jobs always have variations. Include a small provisional sum line with an hourly rate for variations, so you're paid for site instructions without extra admin.
Mistake: Skipping the retention line
Better: Main contractors withhold 5 to 10 percent retention until final sign-off. Note the retention on the quote so both sides know how final payment will flow.
Mistake: No expiry on tender submissions
Better: Set a 30 to 60 day validity on tenders. Cable and fibre prices move with copper and currency, and you don't want to honour a six-month-old tender at a loss.
Mistake: No follow-up after sending the quote
Better: Most quotes that don't close, don't close because nobody followed up. Send a polite check-in 48 hours after the quote lands, and a second nudge at day 7. Two of every three accepted quotes get there because someone followed up.
Step by step
How to quote structured cabling tenders
Read the tender before you walk the site, then walk the site with a marked-up floor plan. Confirm the latest addenda revision on the tender documents, because spec changes get issued late and quoting the previous revision loses the bid. Take off the horizontal outlet count zone by zone, measure backbone fibre riser lengths floor to floor, and check how many fire-rated penetrations you will cross on each route. Inspect the proposed comms room for space, HVAC, and power, and confirm the rack size (42U is standard enterprise) against client spec. Note programme constraints: main contractors run unforgiving schedules and your quote must match the construction window.
Itemise by system, not by lump sum. Price BoQ preparation and shop drawings as a dedicated line so the professional team sees the design effort. List horizontal Cat6 or Cat6A outlets per point with full spec (23AWG, LSZH, shielded where required) and break backbone fibre out as per-metre lines with core count, mode, and jacket on each (OS2 12-core single-mode versus OM4 multi-mode). Fire-stopping belongs on its own line per penetration, as-built drawings and labelling schedules need a dedicated deliverable line, and Fluke DSX channel certification should always sit per point. Add a provisional sum for site-instruction variations so you get paid without endless change-order admin.
Set a 30 to 60 day validity on every tender submission. Copper and fibre commodity markets move fast, and quoting a six-month-old price against current cable costs is the quickest way to lose margin on a job you won on paper. State clearly whether retention (typically 5 to 10 percent for main contractor work) is in or out of your price, and whether payment is monthly against certified work or upfront mobilisation for direct clients (20 to 30 percent on jobs over $ 50,000 is reasonable). Note the addenda revision numbers on the cover page so there is no dispute about which spec you tendered against, and flag any exclusions (containment already supplied, out-of-hours work, builders work openings) in plain text.
Send the tender before the construction programme moves on. Main contractors chase answers fast and the first complete, itemised cabling submission usually makes the shortlist, even if it is not the cheapest, because it reduces their procurement risk. Email the branded PDF with a short covering note summarising the horizontal, backbone, and certification totals, and offer to walk the BoQ line-by-line with the QS. Follow up at the halfway point of the tender window with a short note confirming you are holding price and availability. For repeat main contractor work, share an alternative provisional sum for variations so you become the invited contractor, not the open-tender contractor.
FAQ
Common questions from structured cabling specialists
Everything you need to know before getting started.
Yes. QuoteGenio lets you add any line item: BoQ prep, horizontal, backbone, certification, or VAT. Structure your quote exactly the way you invoice.
Yes. Every QuoteGenio quote exports as a professional branded PDF suitable for tender submission. You can also share a public link for quick review.
Each line item has its own description, quantity, and price. Add as many lines as the BoQ needs and group them by zone, floor, or system.
Yes. Every quote has a unique public link. Your client can open it on their phone or laptop and accept it online. No signup required.
Yes. Convert any accepted quote into an invoice with one click. All the line items carry over, so there's no double entry.
Yes. The free plan gives you 5 quotes and 2 invoices per month with no credit card required. Upgrade to Premium for unlimited quotes, invoices, statements, and reports.
When the professional team issues addenda, note the revision number on your quote cover and re-price only the affected sections. QuoteGenio's itemised line-by-line structure makes it easy to update one outlet type or one backbone run without re-doing the whole BoQ.
Per metre of multi-core cable is standard because the jacketed cable is bought by the roll. Always specify the core count, mode (OS2 or OM4), and jacket type in the line description. For very long campus runs, per core kilometre is sometimes requested, so keep the per-core cost internally so you can quote either way.
Yes, on any enterprise or tender job. As-built drawings, labelling schedules, and certification results are usually contractual deliverables. List them as separate lines so the cost is visible and the scope is clear. Missing as-builts can hold up retention release for months.
30 to 60 days is standard for tender submissions. Copper and fibre prices move with commodity markets and exchange rates, and you don't want to be held to a six-month-old bid. QuoteGenio lets you set an expiry date that appears on the PDF so the professional team sees the validity window.
Still have questions? We would rather answer them now than after you have signed up.
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Guides
Guides for Structured Cabling Specialists
Practical advice to help you quote better, get paid faster, and grow your business.
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