Cable management: Specification tips

Despite pressure to reduce costs and get the job done as quickly as possible, it’s essential that electrical contractors do not cut corners or compromise on the quality of an installation. Attempts to save money on materials could actually result in a more expensive or lower quality installation so specification must be approached holistically, with whole life costs and application-specific criteria in mind.

 

When it comes to cable management, there’s no single one-size-fits-all answer and Unitrunk’s top five tips are based on our experience and our progressive approach to helping customers specify what their project needs.

Select prime cost over purchase cost

While labour often represents the lion’s share of the total installation cost, many electrical contractors still look at labour and materials in isolation, failing to recognise the savings they could make by selecting a system that is quicker to install.

 

Prime cost is a combination of the procured material costs for the job and the time taken to install it. You need to ensure that you always keep in mind that reducing labour costs is an area where you can make huge savings without jeopardising the quality of the final installation. While it is possible to cut the purchase cost budget, if the low-price cable management system then takes three times longer to install or requires re-work following installation, any cost savings are more than outweighed by the labour requirements.

 

Early engagement with a cable management supplier is key, ensuring specification of a well-designed system that will offer time saving advantages on site and deliver a more competitive estimating strategy.

Don’t dust off a standard spec

With pressure on time and resources, it’s easy to fall into the trap of rolling out a spec you have used previously and adapting it to the current scheme. While this may save time, it also cuts corners and the cable management sector has changed dramatically over the past 25 years, with new innovations designed to save time and make installation easier and more robust.

 

For example, Unitrunk’s Rapid Installation System (RIS) approach has led to the development of the fast fit Uniklip cable tray, Easy Connect Basket wire mesh cable tray and Speedlock cable ladder systems.

 

It’s important to keep-up-to-date with current cable management best practice and select an approach that suits the needs of the installation rather than opting for your ‘tried and tested’ default setting.

Don’t under or over specify

If you’re often unsure whether to select a pre- or post-galvanised cable management system, you’re not alone. The choice is not always clear cut, particularly when the project involves an industrial environment or may be exposed to the elements. 

 

Under specification to reduce the cost of the bid can lead contractors into a situation where the product does not perform as expected and may need remedial work, which can incur associated costs. Over specification, meanwhile, can result in the contractor being priced out of the running. It’s important to work with a cable management provider you can trust to ensure that you always have access to reliable advice.

Working with the manufacturer

The restrictive nature of budgets and programmes means that you need to explore every avenue of opportunity to secure the best margin from a job. Early engagement with the cable management manufacturer can offer material and labour savings, make for easier co-ordination and provide engineering solutions for those tricky on-site challenges, maximising the value engineering potential.

Ensure your cable management is robust enough for structured cabling

The increased demand for advanced IT and communications systems means that structured cabling needs cable management that can cope with the additional loading, spacing and bend radii requirements.

 

Again, it is advisable to work with a trusted cable management supplier that you can rely on to help you find the right balance between future proofing the installation and avoiding over specification.