Job Cost & Markup Calculator

Markup is profit measured against your cost, while margin is profit measured against the price you charge. They use different formulas: with markup, price = cost × (1 + markup), so a 30% markup on $1,000 of cost gives a $1,300 price. With margin, price = cost ÷ (1 − margin), so a 30% margin on $1,000 of cost gives a price of about $1,429. Margin always produces a higher price than the same markup percentage, which is why mixing them up quietly erodes profit.

Total your direct costs — materials, labor, and equipment — then add an overhead percentage to cover business costs that aren't tied to a single job. That gives you your total cost. Then apply either a markup or a margin percentage on top to set the customer price. The calculator does all of this and shows your profit, margin, and markup at once.

Overhead covers the costs of running your business that aren't billed to one job — your truck, insurance, office, tools, software, and admin time. Many small contractors land somewhere around 10–20% of direct job cost, but the right number depends on your annual overhead divided by your billable work. Track it for a year and you'll dial it in.

It varies widely by trade and region, but many contractors use a markup in the range of 20–50% on top of their total cost. Remodelers and custom builders often go higher to absorb risk and change orders. The right markup is the one that covers your overhead and leaves a profit you can live on — not a number copied from someone else.

Yes — use your fully loaded labor rate, not just the wage you pay. Add payroll taxes, workers' comp, insurance, and benefits so the rate reflects what an hour of crew time actually costs you. Quoting off the bare wage is one of the most common ways contractors lose money on a job.

Compare your customer price to your total cost — the gap is your profit, and the margin percentage tells you how thin or healthy it is. If the margin feels low for the risk and effort of the job, raise your markup or trim costs. The calculator shows margin and markup side by side so you can see exactly where you stand before you send the quote.

Yes. The materials, labor, equipment, and overhead structure works for general contracting, remodeling, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, painting, landscaping, handyman work, and more. Enter the numbers that fit your job and the markup or margin math is the same across every trade.

Yes, the calculator is completely free with no signup required. Your inputs are saved locally in your browser so they persist between visits — nothing is uploaded to a server. Clearing your browser data will erase your saved values.