Calculate the estimate to generate the report.
Direct cost$0.00Core subcontractor costs
Final subcontract$0.00Approved contract value
Client billing$0.00GC billing amount
Gross margin0.00%Projected profitability
Estimate analysis
Cost distribution, commercial totals, payment allocations, and warnings.
Cost breakdown
Commercial summary
Warnings and review checks
Calculate the estimate to generate review checks.
Printable estimate report
The report is optimized for printing or saving as PDF.
Formula used
Labor = [regular cost + overtime cost + travel + supervision + allowances] × (1 + burden %) × scenario factor × regional factor
Materials = [quantity × (1 + waste %) × unit cost − discount + escalation + delivery + handling + storage + tax] × scenario factor
Final subcontract = direct costs + overhead + contingency + taxes + approved change orders
Client billing = final subcontract + GC markup + management + coordination + risk reserve
Gross margin % = gross profit ÷ client billing × 100
How to use this calculator
- Enter project, contract, dates, budget, currency, and subcontractor information.
- Select a scenario or enter custom labor, material, equipment, and regional factors.
- Add labor rows with workers, hours, rates, burden, productivity, and allowances.
- Add material rows with quantities, waste, escalation, delivery, taxes, and supply responsibility.
- Add equipment, site, insurance, bonding, permit, and compliance costs.
- Apply overhead, profit, contingency, taxes, and fees against selected bases.
- Add approved or pending change orders and define the payment schedule.
- Enter GC markup and internal costs to calculate client billing and margin.
- Compare bids using price, completeness, schedule, warranty, performance, and risk.
- Export CSV or JSON, then print the report as a PDF.
Example data table
| Category | Typical basis | Review question |
|---|---|---|
| Labor | Workers, hours, rates, burden | Are overtime and payroll burdens included? |
| Materials | Quantity, waste, delivery, tax | Who purchases and stores each material? |
| Equipment | Rental duration and support charges | Are operator and transport costs included? |
| Overhead | Percentage or fixed amount | Does overhead cover administration and supervision? |
| Contingency | Risk-adjusted allowance | Which risks are included or excluded? |
| Retainage | Percentage withheld | When and how will retainage be released? |
Estimating guidance
Define scope before comparing prices
Subcontractor bids may appear comparable while covering different work. Review inclusions, exclusions, alternates, testing, permits, closeout documents, warranties, schedule assumptions, and temporary work. A low price can become expensive when missing scope creates change orders.
Separate owner-supplied, contractor-supplied, and subcontractor-supplied materials. This prevents duplicated purchases and missed responsibilities. It also clarifies delivery, storage, damage, escalation, and tax risks.
Use burdened labor rates
Hourly wages rarely represent total labor cost. Payroll taxes, insurance, benefits, workers’ compensation, supervision, travel, and productivity losses may materially increase cost. Use realistic productivity factors for occupied spaces, phasing, congestion, and restricted access.
Separate markup and margin
Markup measures profit against cost. Margin measures profit against revenue. A 20% markup does not create a 20% margin. This calculator reports both values for clearer pricing decisions.
Review payment timing
Profitable projects can strain cash when payroll and suppliers are paid before progress receipts arrive. Model advances, milestones, retainage, final release, and payment delays. Compare cash timing with expected obligations.
Frequently asked questions
What costs belong in a subcontractor estimate?
Include labor, burden, materials, waste, equipment, mobilization, supervision, insurance, bonds, permits, overhead, profit, contingency, taxes, and change-order allowances.
How should labor burden be calculated?
Apply a burden percentage to direct labor. Burden may include payroll taxes, benefits, workers’ compensation, insurance, and statutory contributions.
What is the difference between markup and margin?
Markup divides profit by cost. Margin divides profit by selling price. The same profit produces different percentages.
Should owner-supplied materials be included?
Track them for scope clarity, but mark them nonbillable when their purchase value should not enter the subcontract total.
How are pending change orders handled?
Pending changes remain visible but do not increase the approved final subcontract value.
What is retainage?
Retainage is a percentage withheld from payments until completion, closeout, or another contract release condition.
How does bid scoring work?
The calculator normalizes price and combines it with completeness, schedule, warranty, performance, and inverse risk.
Can the calculator handle cost-plus work?
Yes. Enter direct costs, then add the agreed fee, overhead, and profit using adjustment rows.
Can estimates be saved?
Yes. Session saving and browser autosave are included. JSON exports create portable backups.
How is a PDF created?
Use the print button and choose the browser save-as-PDF destination.
Does this replace professional estimating?
No. Verify drawings, quantities, rates, taxes, insurance, labor rules, and contract language with qualified professionals.
Important disclaimer: This calculator provides planning estimates only. Verify quantities, labor rules, taxes, insurance, bonds, retainage, scope, and contract requirements before execution.