Data Center & Infrastructure Equipment Manufacturing worked example

Switchgear Build Cost at 58% electrical scope completed in-house: a worked example

This worked example runs the switchgear build cost numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: 58% electrical scope completed in-house instead of the typical 80%. Estimate build cost for data-center switchgear, switchboards, busway sections, and power distribution lineups.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Switchgear sections or lineups: 100 sections (held at the documented default)
  • Fabrication and wiring cost per section: 45 $ / section (held at the documented default)
  • Electrical scope completed in-house: 58 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 80)
  • Fixed design and factory test cost: 250 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Switchgear section build cost = sections or lineups × build cost per section × electrical scope included.
  • Total switchgear build cost works out to 2,860 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Build cost per section works out to 28.6 $ / piece at these inputs.
  • Switchgear section build cost works out to 2,610 $ at these inputs.
  • Fixed design and factory test cost works out to 250 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where electrical scope completed in-house sits at 80% and the headline result is 3,850 $, this scenario comes in 25.71% below the baseline at 2,860 $.
  • Use it when pricing a switchgear lineup, sizing a multi-section order, or deciding which electrical scope to keep in-house. A result at this level usually justifies acting on the stressed input before touching anything else, because every other figure in the table is downstream of it.

Results at a glance

  • Total switchgear build cost: 2,860 $ (headline result)
  • Build cost per section: 28.6 $ / piece
  • Switchgear section build cost: 2,610 $
  • Fixed design and factory test cost: 250 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Switchgear Build Cost calculator, set electrical scope completed in-house to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.