Labour & margin calculator
Adds materials, labour (hours/days), overhead and profit with markup or margin — not the same — plus configurable VAT.
Purchase quantity
1194.67 $
Net measurement: 800 $
- Direct cost800 $
- Overhead96 $
- Profit298.67 $
- Total with tax1433.6 $
Indicative estimate: £1,433.60
Your prices per language/currency. Used when you enable “Use my prices” in calculators. My prices →
How it's calculated (visible formula)
markup_sale = cost × (1+m); margin_sale = cost ÷ (1−m)
- Net geometric measurement, no waste.
- Adjustable waste % for cuts and breakage.
- Purchase rounded up to sellable units (boxes, bags, buckets, boards).
Worked example: $200 cost, 10% overhead, 25% margin
- Total cost $220
- Sale = 220 ÷ 0.75 = $293.33
- +tax → total
→ $293.33 + tax.
Common mistakes
- Mixing markup with margin (30% markup ≠ 30% margin).
- Applying tax before discount.
- Forgetting self-employment overhead.
From calculation to quote
Add labour, overhead and your margin, and generate the professional PDF.
FAQs
- Markup or margin?
- Markup is % on cost; margin is % on price. Same number, margin gives a higher price. This site computes them separately.
- How do I calculate job labor?
- Hours or days × rate, plus overhead. The calculator adds materials, labor, overhead, profit and tax.
- What does a contractor charge per hour?
- It varies by market and trade: enter your real hourly or daily rate instead of using averages.
- How do I calculate total job cost?
- Materials + labor + overhead + profit + tax. Each part is set separately.
- How do I calculate a selling price?
- With margin: cost ÷ (1 − margin). $220 cost at 25% margin = $293.33 before tax.
- How do I calculate tax on a quote?
- On the base (subtotal minus discount). The rate is configurable: 0% default US (no federal VAT).
- Markup vs margin — what's the difference?
- Markup is % on cost; margin is % on price. 30% markup is not a 30% margin.
- How much material waste should I add?
- 10% paint and straight tile, 12–15% diagonal or porous, 5–7% masonry and concrete. Each calculator carries its default.
- How do I figure overhead and profit?
- Overhead: 10–15% on direct cost. Profit: markup on cost or margin on price — never both at once.
- What overhead?
- Insurance, admin and structural travel prorated: 10–15% is a common starting point.
Maintained by Srikanta M · Formula v1.0.0 · Verified 2026-09-10 · Updated 2026-09-10 · Limits: quantity estimation, not structural design or site supervision.