Enter repair details
Example data table
| Scenario | Area | Type | Severity | Labor | Materials | Overhead | Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drywall water damage | 220 sq ft | Water | Medium | 28 hrs @ $20/hr | $650 | 10% | 12% |
| Fire soot cleanup + repaint | 400 sq ft | Fire | High | 72 hrs @ $28/hr | $1,900 | 12% | 15% |
| Exterior impact repair | 150 sq ft | Impact | Low | 18 hrs @ $24/hr | $420 | 9% | 10% |
Formula used
How to use this calculator
- Enter the damaged area and choose your unit.
- Set a unit repair rate reflecting your standard scope.
- Select damage type, severity, access, height, and urgency.
- Fill in materials, labor, equipment, and subcontract costs.
- Add disposal, permit, and mobilization allowances if needed.
- Apply overhead, profit, contingency, and tax where applicable.
- Click Calculate to view totals and breakdown.
- Use Download CSV or Download PDF for reporting.
Why repair estimates need transparent drivers
Damage repair pricing changes quickly when scope clarity is weak. This calculator separates area-based work, materials, labor, equipment, and allowances so you can explain each driver to owners, adjusters, and internal stakeholders. When inputs are visible, revisions become controlled updates instead of guesswork, and approvals are easier to justify.
Using condition multipliers to reflect site reality
Real jobs rarely match ideal productivity. Damage type and severity multipliers represent complexity and intensity, while access, working height, and urgency capture constraints like restricted staging, elevated work, and overtime. Applying multipliers to labor and equipment helps align the estimate with expected crew output and schedule pressure.
Building a defensible direct-cost base
Start with net damaged area and a unit repair rate that reflects standard tasks for your trade. Add materials as a separate line so substitutions or client selections can be tracked. Labor and equipment are calculated from hours and rates, which supports time-and-material comparisons. Include subcontract, disposal, permits, and mobilization to avoid hidden cost gaps.
Applying overhead, profit, contingency, and tax
Markups should follow a clear order. Overhead is applied to direct costs to recover indirect business expenses. Profit is applied after overhead to represent return on the delivered scope. Contingency can be used for unknown conditions in demolition, moisture migration, or concealed structural damage. Apply tax only when the scope is taxable and contractually required.
Documenting results for claims, budgets, and change orders
Export outputs to a CSV for quick review and a PDF for sharing. Keep notes outside the tool for photos, measured drawings, and assumptions such as crew size, production rates, and access windows. If conditions change, update only the affected fields and regenerate a new version so the estimate history stays auditable.
| Area | Unit rate | Type | Severity | Labor | Equipment | Overhead | Profit | Estimated total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 350 sq ft | $18/sq ft | Water | Medium | 48 hrs @ $22/hr | 8 hrs @ $35/hr | 10% | 12% | Run calculator for exact figure |
FAQs
1) Should I enter gross area or net damaged area?
Use net damaged area requiring repair. If demolition exposes more damage, update the area and rerun to keep revisions traceable and consistent.
2) How do I choose a unit repair rate?
Use a rate based on your typical scope and local pricing. Treat it as an area-work baseline, then add labor, materials, and allowances for a complete estimate.
3) Why are multipliers applied to labor and equipment?
Severity, access, height, and urgency affect productivity and overtime. Multipliers help translate field constraints into time and cost impacts in a consistent way.
4) What should I include in mobilization?
Include travel, setup, small tools delivery, site induction, and initial protection work. This prevents underestimating small jobs with high setup effort.
5) When should I use contingency?
Use contingency when hidden conditions are likely, such as moisture behind finishes, concealed framing damage, or uncertain demolition quantities. Reduce it as scope certainty improves.
6) How do I handle taxes in the estimate?
Apply tax only if the scope is taxable in your contract and jurisdiction. If tax is passed through separately, keep it out of the total and show it as a separate line.
7) Can I use the exports for claim documentation?
Yes. Export files provide a clear snapshot of inputs and outputs. Pair them with photos, notes, and measured quantities so the estimate supports review and negotiation.