Project
Materialsquantity × unit price × waste
Enter what you'll actually buy. Waste covers offcuts, breakage and over-ordering — beginners forget it and eat the cost. Typical: lumber 10%, tile 10–15%, drywall 10%, paint 5%.
| Item | Category | Qty | Unit | Unit $ | Waste% | Line | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.00 |
Labor (your crew)hours × rate
Use your true cost per hour, not what you pay in wages. Payroll burden below adds taxes, workers' comp and insurance on top. Subcontractors go in their own section — they aren't your payroll.
| Task / worker | Hours | Rate $/hr | Line | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.00 |
Subcontractors & other costs
Sub quotes go here (electrician, plumber). “Other” is equipment rental, dumpster, permits and other pass-through costs. Most builders mark subs up less than their own work — you'll set that below.
| Subcontractor | Cost $ | |
|---|---|---|
| Other (rental, permits, dump) | Cost $ | |
|---|---|---|
Sales / use tax
Construction is taxed differently in every state. Pick how your state treats it and enter your combined state + local rate. This is not tax advice — confirm your rule with your state Department of Revenue or your accountant.
Overhead, contingency & markup
Markup is what you add to each cost to get your price. Set it per category — most builders charge more on materials than on subs. Overhead is your cost of being in business (truck, phone, insurance, software) that no single job pays for directly; your markup has to beat it or you lose money while looking busy.
To cover your 12% overhead you need to mark up at least about 14% over your costs before you make any profit.
Rule of thumb: 15–35%
Rule of thumb: 30–50%
Rule of thumb: 10–20%
Rule of thumb: 10–15%
These ranges are general rules of thumb — not rules or state standards. Your own overhead sets your real floor (below).
Rather work backward? Type the profit you want to keep and I'll set your markups for you.
$0
- Your total cost
- $0
- Gross profit
- $0
- Blended margin
- 0.0%
- Less overhead
- − $0
- Profit in your pocket
- $0
Add materials or labor above to see your price.