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Methodology

Every number this site uses is on this page, with where it came from and when it was last checked. If a calculator gives you a figure you do not believe, this is where you find out what it assumed.

How the calculators work

Each calculator parses your dimensions into a single internal unit, runs a pure function over them, applies a waste allowance, then prices the resulting bill of materials against a static table. Nothing is fetched at the time you use it — the pages are generated in advance and the arithmetic happens in your browser.

Formula files contain no bare numbers. Every constant a calculation uses is a named entry in the assumptions table below, which is what makes it possible to print them underneath your result rather than burying them in code.

Costs are always a range, never a single figure. The width of that range comes from the least confident input in the calculation: ±8% when everything is a published price, ±15% for industry-standard figures, and ±25% when something like a short-load fee or a labor rate is genuinely a guess. A low-confidence input also names itself in the result card, so you can see which part of the estimate is soft.

Labor is off by default. Someone looking up a footing calculator is usually doing the work themselves, and a contractor-installed figure would be several times the number they came for. The toggle on each calculator adds it.

Prices

Basis: US national average, big-box retail shelf price and regional ready-mix quotes. Last verified 09/01/2026, next review 03/01/2027. Material prices move. Labor moves faster. Every figure here is a starting point that the regional multiplier adjusts and the confidence band widens.

ItemPriceUnitConfidence
concrete bag 40lb$4baghigh
concrete bag 60lb$6baghigh
concrete bag 80lb$7baghigh
concrete readymix yd$165yd³medium
concrete shortload fee$140loadlow
concrete delivery$95loadlow
concrete placement labor yd + $75 laboryd³low
sonotube 8in$154 ft tubemedium
sonotube 10in$194 ft tubemedium
sonotube 12in$264 ft tubemedium
sonotube 16in$444 ft tubemedium
footing labor each + $85 laborfootinglow
gravel ton$38tonmedium
gravel bag 50lb$6baghigh
sand ton$42tonmedium
rebar 3 20ft$1020 ft barmedium
rebar 4 20ft$1720 ft barmedium
lumber 2x4 8ft pt$7boardhigh
lumber 2x6 8ft pt$11boardhigh
lumber 2x8 12ft pt$25boardhigh
lumber 2x10 12ft pt$33boardhigh
post 4x4 8ft pt$13posthigh
post 6x6 8ft pt$32posthigh
deck board composite 16ft$58boardmedium
deck board pt 16ft$22boardhigh
paver concrete sqft$4ft²medium
retaining block each$4blockmedium
fence panel 6x8 pt$68panelmedium
drain pipe perf 10ft$1310 ft lengthmedium
drain fabric sqft$0ft²medium
concrete mesh sheet$105x10 sheetmedium
vapor barrier roll$781000 ft² rollmedium
slab labor sqft + $4 laborft²low
concrete finish labor sqft + $3 laborft²low
concrete form lf$2lfmedium
stair form labor each + $95 laborsteplow
expansion joint lf$1lfmedium
rebar 5 20ft$2420 ft barmedium
rebar tie wire roll$13rollhigh
rebar chair each$1chairmedium
gravel 57 ton$41tonmedium
gravel base ton$34tonmedium
paver sand ton$46tonmedium
polymeric sand bag$2850 lb bagmedium
topsoil yd$38yd³medium
lumber 2x4 92 stud$4studhigh
lumber 2x6 92 stud$8studhigh
lumber 2x4 16ft$14boardhigh
lumber 2x6 16ft$21boardhigh
lumber 2x8 16ft$33boardhigh
lumber 2x10 16ft$44boardhigh
lumber 2x12 16ft$58boardhigh
lvl beam lf$15lfmedium
i joist lf$5lfmedium
floor truss lf$7lfmedium
roof truss each$165trussmedium
truss crane day + $1,250 labordaylow
framing labor sqft + $10 laborft²low
plywood sheet half$384x8 sheethigh
osb sheet 716$254x8 sheethigh
joist hanger each$1hangerhigh
framing nails box$52boxmedium
deck board pt 12ft$16boardhigh
deck board cedar 16ft$41boardmedium
deck screws box$46box (350)medium
deck hidden fastener box$89box (175)medium
deck railing kit 6ft$1226 ft sectionmedium
deck labor sqft + $18 laborft²low
joist tape roll$24rollmedium
paver base panelft²medium
paver edging lf$2lfmedium
retaining cap block each$6blockmedium
retaining adhesive tube$10tubehigh
geogrid sqyd$3yd²medium
drainage stone ton$43tonmedium
masonry labor sqft + $14 laborft²low
paver labor sqft + $11 laborft²low
stone veneer flat box$11210 ft² boxmedium
stone veneer corner box$1486 lf boxmedium
veneer mortar bag$15baghigh
veneer lath sheet$12sheetmedium
fence picket 6ft$4pickethigh
fence rail 8ft$10railhigh
fence panel vinyl 6x8$148panelmedium
fence panel chainlink lf$12lfmedium
fastset bag 50lb$7baghigh
fence labor lf + $16 laborlflow
fence gate kit$58kitmedium
drywall sheet 4x8$16sheethigh
drywall sheet 4x12$24sheethigh
joint compound bucket$204.5 gal buckethigh
drywall tape roll$8500 ft rollhigh
drywall screws box$28boxhigh
drywall labor sqft + $2 laborft²low
tile ceramic sqft$3ft²medium
tile porcelain sqft$5ft²medium
thinset bag 50lb$21baghigh
grout bag 25lb$28baghigh
waterproof membrane roll$13954 ft² rollmedium
shower pan kit$285kitmedium
tile labor sqft + $13 laborft²low
lvp box$7224 ft² boxmedium
lvp underlayment roll$46100 ft² rollmedium
lvp transition each$24piecemedium
flooring labor sqft + $4 laborft²low
cabinet base lf$285lfmedium
cabinet wall lf$215lfmedium
cabinet install lf + $95 laborlflow
countertop laminate sqft$32ft²medium
countertop quartz sqft$78ft²medium
countertop granite sqft$65ft²medium
countertop fab lf + $28 laborlflow
dumpster 10yd$395rentalmedium
dumpster 20yd$495rentalmedium
dumpster 30yd$615rentalmedium
dumpster 40yd$735rentalmedium
dumpster overage ton$85ton over limitlow
haul truckload$340loadlow
delivery flat$95deliverymedium
romex 12 2 250ft$198250 ft rollmedium
romex 14 2 250ft$132250 ft rollmedium
romex 12 3 250ft$285250 ft rollmedium
electrical box each$1boxhigh
wire staples box$11boxhigh
septic tank 1000gal$1,450tankmedium
septic tank 1250gal$1,750tankmedium
septic tank 1500gal$2,050tankmedium
drainfield sqft + $10 laborft²low
septic install flat + $3,200 laborsystemlow
drain pipe solid 10ft$1010 ft lengthmedium
drain catch basin$38basinmedium
drain labor lf + $22 laborlflow
house wrap roll$1859x100 ft rollmedium
baseboard lf$2lfhigh
quarter round lf$1lfhigh
laminate flooring sqft$2ft²medium
engineered wood sqft$6ft²medium
hardwood flooring sqft$8ft²medium

Assumptions

Bag yields, densities, spacings and code limits. Each carries a source and a review date, and low-confidence entries widen the cost range wherever they are used.

Concrete

40 lb bag yield
0.3 ft³

Yield of one 40 lb bag of standard concrete mix.

Quikrete product data sheetPublished product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

60 lb bag yield
0.45 ft³

Yield of one 60 lb bag of standard concrete mix.

Quikrete product data sheetPublished product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

80 lb bag yield
0.6 ft³

Yield of one 80 lb bag of standard concrete mix.

Quikrete product data sheetPublished product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Concrete waste allowance
0.1

Covers spillage, over-excavated holes and forms that bulge. Footings dug by hand run higher than forms.

Standard industry overageIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Ready-mix short-load threshold
1 yd³

Below roughly one cubic yard, most suppliers add a short-load fee that erases the price advantage over bags.

Regional ready-mix supplier schedulesRough figure — widens the estimate range, checked 09/01/2026

Cured concrete density
150 lb/ft³

Normal-weight concrete. Used for weight and haul-off estimates.

ACI 213R, normal-weight concretePublished product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Bags per pallet
42 bags

Above roughly one pallet of 80 lb bags, ready-mix is usually cheaper and always faster.

Home Depot / Lowe's pallet quantitiesIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Footing

Bearing depth below frost line
12 in

Footings bear below the local frost line. Depth varies by jurisdiction; check your building department.

International Residential Code (2021)Industry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Sonotube bell allowance
1

Plain tube with no flared base. A bell footing adds volume that this figure does not include.

Geometry — straight cylinderPublished product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Gravel base under footing
4 in

Compacted drainage base. Some jurisdictions require it, some do not.

International Residential Code (2021)Rough figure — widens the estimate range, checked 09/01/2026

Framing

Stud spacing, 16 in on center
16 in o.c.

International Residential Code (2021)Published product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Stud spacing, 24 in on center
24 in o.c.

International Residential Code (2021)Published product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Lumber waste allowance
0.1

Cut-offs, crooked stock and the boards you set aside.

Standard industry overageIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Maximum stair riser
7.75 in

International Residential Code (2021)Published product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Minimum stair tread depth
10 in

International Residential Code (2021)Published product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Span table lookup factor
1

Spans come from published tables, not from a formula. Always verify against your local code.

American Wood Council, NDS span tablesIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Aggregate

Crushed gravel density
105 lb/ft³

Compacted 3/4 in crushed stone. Varies by quarry and moisture; loose stone runs lighter.

USGS aggregate bulk density rangeIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Bedding sand density
100 lb/ft³

USGS aggregate bulk density rangeIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Compaction allowance
0.2

Loose stone loses roughly a fifth of its volume once compacted, so order above the finished volume.

Standard earthwork practiceRough figure — widens the estimate range, checked 09/01/2026

Rebar

#3 rebar weight per foot
0.376 lb/ft

ASTM A615 nominal weightsPublished product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Lap splice length
40 × bar diameter

A common rule of thumb. Engineered work uses the value on the drawings, not this one.

ACI 318 development length, typical caseRough figure — widens the estimate range, checked 09/01/2026

Concrete cover, earth-cast
3 in

ACI 318 cover requirementsPublished product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Slab

Patio and sidewalk slab thickness
4 in

Foot traffic only. Anything a vehicle drives on wants more.

International Residential Code (2021)Published product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Driveway slab thickness
5 in

Passenger vehicles. Go to 6 in for trucks or RVs — the extra inch is cheap next to cracking.

ACI 330R, residential pavementIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Garage slab thickness
4 in

International Residential Code (2021)Published product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Compacted gravel base under slab
4 in

Drains water away from the underside of the slab. Skipping it is the usual cause of a slab that heaves.

International Residential Code (2021)Industry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Welded wire mesh sheet coverage
150 ft²

One 5x10 ft sheet, less the overlap at the seams.

Home Depot / Lowe's published product dataIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Vapor barrier roll coverage
1000 ft²

Home Depot / Lowe's published product dataPublished product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Thickened edge extra depth
8 in

The perimeter of a monolithic slab drops below the field to carry wall loads.

International Residential Code (2021)Industry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Deck

Deck board coverage width
5.5 in

A nominal 5/4x6 or 2x6 board covers 5.5 in. Gaps come out of the waste allowance.

Home Depot / Lowe's published product dataPublished product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Gap between deck boards
0.1875 in

Drainage and expansion. Composite wants a wider gap than wood — check the maker.

Trex and TimberTech installation guidesIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Deck joist spacing
16 in o.c.

Composite decking laid diagonally usually requires 12 in instead.

International Residential Code (2021)Published product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Deck beam post spacing
8 ft

IRC deck provisions (DCA 6)Industry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Maximum baluster gap
4 in

A 4 in sphere must not pass through. This is the number an inspector brings a ball for.

International Residential Code (2021)Published product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Deck screws per square foot
3.5 screws/ft²

Fastener manufacturer coverage tablesIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Masonry

Retaining wall block face area
96 in²

A common 12x8 in face. Check your block — face size varies a lot by product line.

Allan Block and Pavestone product dataIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Compacted base under retaining wall
6 in

Segmental wall installation guidesIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Drainage stone behind wall
12 in

Water behind a wall is what pushes it over. This is not the place to economize.

NCMA segmental retaining wall guidanceIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Wall height buried below grade
0.1

Roughly one course in ten, minimum one full course, sits below finished grade.

NCMA segmental retaining wall guidanceRough figure — widens the estimate range, checked 09/01/2026

Compacted base under pavers
6 in

Four inches is enough for a patio; a driveway wants eight or more.

ICPI paver installation guidanceIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Bedding sand depth
1 in

One inch, screeded. Thicker bedding sand is the usual cause of a patio that ruts.

ICPI paver installation guidancePublished product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Stone veneer flat box coverage
10 ft²

Home Depot / Lowe's published product dataIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Stone veneer corner box coverage
6 lf

Corners are sold separately and cost roughly double per foot. Measure them first.

Home Depot / Lowe's published product dataIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Interior

Drywall sheet coverage (4x8)
32 ft²

4x12 sheets cover 48 ft² and leave fewer seams to tape, but they are hard to handle alone.

Home Depot / Lowe's published product dataPublished product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Joint compound per sheet
3.5 lb

USG estimating guideIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Joint tape per sheet
20 ft

USG estimating guideIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Tile waste allowance
0.15

Fifteen percent covers cuts and breakage. Diagonal or herringbone layouts want twenty.

Tile Council of North America handbookIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Thinset coverage per 50 lb bag
85 ft²

With a 1/4 in notched trowel. Large-format tile needs a bigger notch and covers less.

Custom Building Products data sheetIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Grout coverage per 25 lb bag
90 ft²

Depends heavily on tile size and joint width — small tile with wide joints uses far more.

Mapei coverage chartRough figure — widens the estimate range, checked 09/01/2026

Waterproofing membrane roll coverage
54 ft²

Schluter Kerdi product dataPublished product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Luxury vinyl plank box coverage
24 ft²

Home Depot / Lowe's published product dataIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Plank flooring waste allowance
0.1

Standard industry overageIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Wall cabinet height
30 in

Home Depot / Lowe's published product dataPublished product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Countertop depth
25.5 in

Standard base cabinet depth plus the overhang. An island is deeper.

Home Depot / Lowe's published product dataPublished product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Fence

Fence post spacing
96 in

Eight feet on center, matching a stock panel. Six feet holds up better in wind.

Fence panel stock sizesPublished product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Post depth as a fraction of height
0.33

A third of the post in the ground, and always below the frost line.

Standard fencing practiceIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

50 lb fast-set bags per post
2 bags

For a 4x4 in a 10 in hole about 2 ft deep. Bigger posts and deeper holes take more.

Quikrete product data sheetIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Fence picket width
5.5 in

Home Depot / Lowe's published product dataPublished product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Rails per fence section
3 rails

Three rails for a 6 ft privacy fence; two is enough at 4 ft.

Standard fencing practiceIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Roof

Roof truss spacing
24 in o.c.

International Residential Code (2021)Published product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Eave overhang
12 in

Typical residential detailIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Pitch run base
12 in

Roof pitch is always written as rise over a 12 in run.

Standard roofing conventionPublished product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Jobsite

Dumpster capacity unit
1 yd³

Dumpsters are sized in cubic yards: 10, 20, 30 and 40 are the common sizes.

Roll-off rental company size chartsPublished product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Usable dumpster fill
0.8

Debris does not stack neatly and cannot be loaded above the rails.

Roll-off rental company guidanceIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Tandem dump truck capacity
14 yd³

Most trucks hit their weight limit before their volume limit on wet soil.

Regional hauler equipment specsIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Legal payload per tandem truck
30000 lb

Typical state highway weight limitsRough figure — widens the estimate range, checked 09/01/2026

In-place soil density
100 lb/ft³

Wet clay runs heavier, dry sand lighter. This drives the truck count more than volume does.

USDA soil bulk density rangesIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Soil swell when excavated
0.25

Dirt takes up about a quarter more space once it is dug up than it did in the ground.

Standard earthwork practiceIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Mixed construction debris density
40 lb/ft³

Mixed light debris. Concrete, plaster and roofing are several times heavier.

EPA construction and demolition debris factorsRough figure — widens the estimate range, checked 09/01/2026

Mep

Wire waste allowance
0.15

Covers the tail left in each box and the runs you measure wrong.

Standard electrical practiceIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Wire tail left in each box
8 in

NEC 300.14 minimum free conductorPublished product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Design flow per bedroom
150 gal/day

The number health departments size tanks by. Yours may differ — check locally.

EPA onsite wastewater design manualIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Minimum tank size
1000 gal

Almost every jurisdiction sets 1,000 gallons as the floor regardless of house size.

State health department standardsIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Drain field area per gallon of design flow
1.2 ft²/gal

Depends entirely on your soil percolation rate. Sand needs far less area than clay.

EPA onsite wastewater design manualRough figure — widens the estimate range, checked 09/01/2026

Drainage

French drain trench width
12 in

Standard drainage practiceIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

French drain trench depth
18 in

Standard drainage practiceIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Perforated pipe length
10 ft

Home Depot / Lowe's published product dataPublished product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Filter fabric width factor
1.6

The fabric wraps the trench and folds over itself at the top, so it is wider than the trench.

Standard drainage practiceIndustry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Spans

Floor joist span table
360 L/360 deflection limit

Maximum clear span at 40 psf live load and 10 psf dead load — the normal residential floor. Your local code or an engineer has the final say.

American Wood Council, NDS span tablesPublished product or code data, checked 09/01/2026

Labor

Contractor overhead and profit
0.35

Typical residential markup on material and labor. Small jobs carry more, big ones less.

RSMeans residential cost data, typical rangeRough figure — widens the estimate range, checked 09/01/2026

Regional adjustment

Blended from RSMeans city cost index bands and BLS construction wage differentials. Checked 09/01/2026. The multiplier moves material and labor together, which is a simplification — labor varies far more between metros than bagged concrete does.

StateMultiplier
US national average1.00
Alabama0.89
Alaska1.28
Arizona0.96
Arkansas0.87
California1.24
Colorado1.03
Connecticut1.15
Delaware1.02
Florida0.95
Georgia0.91
Hawaii1.42
Idaho0.94
Illinois1.09
Indiana0.95
Iowa0.93
Kansas0.90
Kentucky0.92
Louisiana0.90
Maine1.02
Maryland1.06
Massachusetts1.19
Michigan0.98
Minnesota1.05
Mississippi0.86
Missouri0.94
Montana0.97
Nebraska0.91
Nevada1.04
New Hampshire1.05
New Jersey1.16
New Mexico0.92
New York1.27
North Carolina0.90
North Dakota0.95
Ohio0.96
Oklahoma0.88
Oregon1.08
Pennsylvania1.03
Rhode Island1.12
South Carolina0.89
South Dakota0.90
Tennessee0.90
Texas0.93
Utah0.97
Vermont1.04
Virginia0.97
Washington1.12
West Virginia0.91
Wisconsin1.00
Wyoming0.93
District of Columbia1.21

Limits of these estimates

  • These are estimates for planning and budgeting. They are not a substitute for a contractor's quote, an engineer's design, or your local building code.
  • Span tables, footing depths and code limits are cited from national model codes. Your jurisdiction amends them, and the amendment is what applies to your job.
  • Prices move. The verification date on every figure is shown so you can judge how much weight to put on it, and the regional multiplier is a broad adjustment rather than a local quote.
  • Anything structural — beam sizing, retaining walls over 4 ft, foundations on poor soil — needs an engineer. These calculators size quantities, not structures.

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