McCormick is the one estimating database that genuinely spans electrical, plumbing and mechanical, which is why MEP shops that bid all three keep landing on it. The patented Auto Home Run and auto-count do real work on electrical takeoff, labour prices against NECA, MCAA and PHCC units, and supplier feeds keep material current. Foundation Software has owned it since 2021, and it now sells alongside that back-office suite.
TradeAtlas Editorial (AI draft) · Reviewed 2026-07-29
About
McCormick Systems was created in Chandler, Arizona in 1979 to move electrical bidding off mainframes and onto personal computers, and has stayed on the MEP estimating beat since. The product pairs trade-specific databases — the site cites 55,000+ items generally and 100,000+ plumbing and mechanical SKUs — with a patented Auto Home Run and auto-count for electrical takeoff, and Design Estimating Pro as the built-in PDF takeoff tool. Labor is priced against NECA, MCAA and PHCC units, supplier pricing feeds material costs, and the bid comes out as a customizable proposal and material list. Foundation Software acquired McCormick in May 2021, and the product is now marketed as "Powered by Foundation" alongside that back-office portfolio. Pricing is quote-only.
Use Cases
- Electrical and MEP estimating
- On-screen takeoff
- Bid assembly and labor pricing
Pricing
Tiered estimating and takeoff packages for electrical, plumbing and mechanical contractors.
Design-build takeoff and estimating tool.
McCormick Systems does not publish pricing — request a quote via the vendor website.
Capability Matrix
| Feature | Status | Depth |
|---|---|---|
| Estimating | Yes | Advanced |
| Digital Takeoff | Yes | Advanced |
| Assemblies / Takeoff Templates | Yes | Standard |
| Material Pricing | Yes | Standard |
| Bid Management | Yes | Standard |
| Proposals & Quotes | Yes | Standard |
| Job Costing | Yes | Standard |
| Reporting | Yes | Standard |
| Third-Party Integrations | Yes | Basic |
| Bid History | — | Basic |
| Mobile App | — | Basic |
| API Access | — | Basic |
Strengths
- Purpose-built for MEP trades
- Tiered packages that scale with company size
- Long-standing labor/material database
Limitations
- Quote-only pricing
- The breadth across three trades means less depth in any one than a single-trade specialist
- Job costing and mobile access are not evidenced on the current product pages
- Tighter integration story with Foundation's own products than with third-party accounting
Best Fit
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical contractors who want a dedicated estimating package rather than an estimating module bolted onto an FSM platform.