Construction Project Cost Calculator
Break your project down into the major cost categories to see total project cost and where the budget is concentrated.
What goes into total project cost
Direct costs are the categories tied straight to the work: materials, labor, subcontractors, and equipment. Total project cost adds two layers on top of that:
- Overhead — a share of company running costs (office, admin, insurance) allocated to the project, usually 5–15% of direct cost.
- Contingency — a buffer for the unknowns every project has (price changes, minor rework, weather delays), typically 3–10% depending on project risk.
Materials $200,000, labor $90,000, subcontractors $60,000, equipment $20,000 — direct cost $370,000. Adding 10% overhead ($37,000) and 5% contingency ($18,500) gives a total project cost of $425,500.
Frequently asked questions
Should contingency be spent or is it automatically profit?
Contingency exists to absorb legitimate cost surprises. Unused contingency at project close can be recognized as additional profit, but it should not be assumed as profit upfront — that understates your real risk.
How is this different from the BOQ Calculator?
This tool works from cost category totals for a fast, top-level estimate. The BOQ Calculator prices individual line items (quantity × unit rate) for a detailed, itemized project cost — use it once you have a full Bill of Quantities.
What overhead percentage should I use?
It depends on your company size and project volume. Smaller contractors with fewer projects to spread fixed costs across often need a higher overhead percentage than larger firms running many projects in parallel.
Related guides
Estimating is only half the job.
Metrak tracks actual cost against this estimate line by line as the project runs, so you catch overruns while there is still time to act.