Construction Cost Calculator
Estimate total construction costs by project type, size, and quality. Get cost per square foot and a material, labor, and overhead breakdown.
Last updated 2026-08-21
What Is a Construction Cost Calculator?
The construction cost calculator adds up the main cost categories of a build: materials, labor, equipment, and overhead. It returns a subtotal and a total so you can see where the money goes. Homeowners use it to sanity check a contractor bid or to budget a project before it starts.
How It Works
Subtotal = Material + Labor + Equipment. Total = Subtotal + Overhead.
Example
$50,000 material + $30,000 labor + $10,000 equipment + $5,000 overhead = $95,000 total.
How to Calculate
- Enter the estimated material cost, such as $50,000.
- Enter the labor cost, such as $30,000, and the equipment cost, such as $10,000.
- Enter overhead as a flat dollar amount, such as $5,000 for permits, insurance, and supervision.
- Read the subtotal, which adds materials, labor, and equipment. That gives $90,000.
- Read the total, which adds overhead. That gives $95,000, then add profit or markup on top.
Typical construction cost per square foot
| Project type | Cost range per sq ft | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New home construction | $150 to $250 | Before land and site work |
| Home addition | $200 to $300 | Small jobs cost more per foot |
| Basement finish | $50 to $90 | Condition dependent |
| Garage build | $70 to $120 | Detached adds site work |
| Home renovation | $100 to $200 | Varies by finishes |
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is overhead?
Indirect costs like insurance, permits, supervision, and office overhead that are not tied to a single trade.
Should overhead be a flat amount?
This tool accepts a flat dollar amount. Some estimators use a percentage — compute it separately first.
Does this include profit?
No — profit is added on top. Use the profit-margin or markup calculator for that.
Also try: Labor Cost Calculator, Material Cost Calculator or browse Cost Calculators