Business

Job Estimate Calculator

Estimate a project price from labor, materials, other direct costs, overhead, profit and optional sales tax.

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Business Profitability & Pricing

Markup, margin, break-even, job estimates and profit calculations for pricing decisions.

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Build a job price from cost, overhead and profit

Enter labor hours and rate, materials, subcontractors and other direct costs. Then add an overhead percentage, profit markup and optional sales tax. The result separates each layer so you can see how a customer estimate was built instead of applying one unexplained markup.

Job estimate formula

Direct cost = labor + materials + subcontractors + other costs. Estimated price = direct cost + overhead + profit + applicable tax.

Example

For 24 labor hours at $65/hour, $1,200 of materials and $150 of other direct costs, direct cost is $2,910. With 12% overhead and a 20% profit markup on cost plus overhead, the subtotal before tax is about $3,911.

Overhead vs. profit

Overhead covers indirect business costs such as office expenses, insurance, vehicles, software and administration. Profit is the amount added after costs and overhead in this simplified model. Your accounting method may classify costs differently.

What this calculator does not include automatically

Labor burden, permit fees, disposal, travel, contingency, financing costs, minimum service charges and tax rules can be important. Add them to the inputs or adjust the final estimate when they apply.

Frequently asked questions

Should profit be calculated on direct cost or cost plus overhead?

This calculator applies profit markup after overhead is added. Businesses use different pricing methods, so adjust the percentages to match your policy.

Is this a replacement for estimating software?

No. It is a quick planning calculator for a single estimate, not a proposal, invoicing or job-costing system.

Transparency

Method, assumptions & corrections

See how formulas, sources and limitations are handled across ERICH Calculators.