Problem
Solution
Hy-Electric is a commercial and residential electrical contractor based in Lincoln, Nebraska, specializing in a mix of commercial construction, custom residential projects and service work.
Estimator Rand Lauritzen has worked to bring Hy-Electric into the 21st century by learning how to take advantage of McCormick’s DEP feature. Previously, the team would count manually, or even scroll measure manually, selecting the item in McCormick and entering the amounts.
That side-by-side experience made the impact of moving from paper-based estimating to a digital system crystal clear.
Pen & Paper Couldn’t Keep Up
Before McCormick was part of Hy-Electric’s estimating workflow, projects were estimated manually. Lauritzen described the process as “[on] a pad of paper,” adding that it was “lengthy; just a lot more paperwork.”
Without automation or centralized data, errors were common and difficult to catch.
“Of course there was [a problem with accuracy],” Lauritzen said. “Material being added improperly or labor calculated wrong. A missed quote from a supplier.”
Those challenges slowed down the estimating process, reduced confidence in final numbers and limited the size and complexity of projects Hy-Electric could realistically pursue.
McCormick Changes Hy-Electric’s Operations
As Hy-Electric looked to improve accuracy and efficiency in estimating, McCormick stood out as a solution that aligned with the company’s needs and long-term goals.
“We just felt like it fit,” Lauritzen said. “They made it fit our needs.”
After transitioning to McCormick, Hy-Electric standardized their takeoffs, improved quality and increased their estimating capacity.
Better Estimates, Bigger Projects
Those improvements came into focus when Hy-Electric bid the largest project in company history: a $6.2 million, 85,000-square-foot STEM building for a local college.
McCormick played a critical role in making that opportunity possible.
“We probably would not have even given it a look if we hadn’t had McCormick and the advantages that it offers us in being able to estimate jobs like that,” Lauritzen said.
Previously, Hy-Electric’s largest project had been around $2.2 million. Jumping to $6.2 million represented a major leap, but McCormick changed how the company approached both the estimate and the bid itself.
“McCormick gave us the ability to feel very confident in our number that we were submitting,” Lauritzen said.
That confidence extended beyond pricing and into how the bid was presented.
“With the experience of our team, we wrote a scope of work that caught attention and made the customer comfortable with accepting us, even though we weren’t the lowest bidder.”
Accurate estimating, combined with a clearly defined scope, helped Hy-Electric compete on both value and price.
“Without the leadership and support of our office personal — or the experience of our team in the field — combined with McCormick, none of this would be possible,” Lauritzen said.
Growing With McCormick
As Hy-Electric looks ahead, the company plans to expand its use of McCormick and wants to invest more in McCormick’s parent company, Foundation Software, to add more products to their tech stack to support growth.
“Don’t hesitate,” Lauritzen said. “McCormick is amazing software. The support team behind it is amazing. I’ve never had that — calling in and having somebody that can go in and fix what I mixed up.”
For Hy-Electric, McCormick has become more than an estimating tool, it’s been a gateway to bidding smarter, pursuing bigger opportunities and growing with confidence.