Cost
Construction Cost Calculator
Put your own figures in and get a clear estimate: materials, labour, waste, markup, total, and the cost per square metre.
Results update as you type. Nothing to sign up for.
Measurements
Used for the cost per unit area. Leave it if you do not need that.
You need approximately
0USD
estimated renovation cost
Subtotal
0USD
Markup
0USD
Total
0USD
Per m²
0USD
Enter your material, labour or other costs above and the estimate will build itself.
Cost breakdown
- Materials
- US$0
- Labour
- US$0
- Transport and delivery
- US$0
- Other costs
- US$0
- Subtotal
- US$0
- Markup (15%)
- US$0
- Total estimate
- US$0
Per m²
- Project area
- 50 m²
- Materials
- US$0
- Labour
- US$0
- Total
- US$0
What to buy
Materials
50 m² project
Labour
Trades and subcontractors
Transport and other costs
Logistics and overhead
Want a cost too?
Add your prices in the cost section of the form. We never guess prices — a made-up figure is worse than none.
How to scope a construction estimate
- List every material, trade, delivery and hire cost from supplier quotes or your own records.
- Measure the project area if you want a cost-per-square-metre comparison; use the actual area being worked on.
- Keep exclusions such as design fees or client-supplied items out of the total, or add them explicitly as other costs.
Metric: Use square metres for project area and your local currency for every cost.
Imperial: Use square feet for project area; the calculator reports the matching unit cost.
How to estimate a construction project
- List your material costs, including fittings and anything you hire.
- Add labour — your own time and any trades or subcontractors.
- Add transport, delivery, and other costs such as permits, skips or scaffolding.
- Apply a waste allowance to the materials. Offcuts and breakages are real money.
- Add your markup on the subtotal: that is your margin and overhead, not profit on paper.
- Divide by the project area to get a cost per square metre you can compare against other jobs.
Assumptions
These are the defaults behind a new calculation. You can change the relevant values in the calculator; the result always shows the assumptions it used.
Material waste: 5%
Industry rule of thumb — A starting point only; use the allowance appropriate to your materials and cutting pattern.
Markup: 15%
Your input — The default is editable and should reflect your overhead, risk and target margin.
The estimate formula
Material waste = materials × waste %
Subtotal = materials + waste + labour + transport + other
Markup = subtotal × markup %
Total = subtotal + markup
Cost per m² = total ÷ project area
Example: a 50 m² renovation
Say 8,000 of materials, 6,000 of labour, 400 of transport and 600 of other costs. A 5% material waste allowance adds 400, giving a subtotal of 15,400. A 15% markup adds 2,310, for a total of 17,710 — about 354 per square metre.
Frequently asked questions
What should I include in a construction estimate?
Materials, labour, transport and delivery, waste disposal, permits, equipment hire, and your markup. The costs people forget are waste disposal, delivery charges and the time spent on site that is not building — setting up, clearing up and waiting.
How much markup should I add?
That is a business decision, not a formula. Small contractors commonly work between 10% and 25% depending on risk, competition and how much overhead the job carries. Set it to 0 if you want a pure cost figure to price from.
How much should I allow for material waste?
Commonly 5–10% of the material cost. Tiles and flooring waste more; bulk materials like concrete and aggregate waste less. The individual calculators on this site work out material waste in quantities rather than money.
Why does this calculator not suggest prices?
Because a made-up price is worse than no price. Material and labour costs vary by country, supplier, season and job. Every figure here is one you entered, so the estimate is yours and you can defend it.
What is a reasonable cost per square metre?
It varies far too much by location and specification for a single figure to be useful. The number is most valuable as a comparison against your own past jobs — which is exactly why saving projects is worth doing.