Enter Shift Details
Formula Used
Premium = Base × (Premium% ÷ 100)
PerPerson = Base + Premium
RoleTotal = PerPerson × Count
Overhead = DirectCosts × (Overhead% ÷ 100)
Contingency = (DirectCosts + Overhead) × (Contingency% ÷ 100)
Subtotal = DirectCosts + Overhead + Contingency
GrandTotal = Subtotal + Markup + Tax
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter planned hours, break time, and expected downtime.
- Add each crew role with count, rate, and hours.
- Use premium percent for night shift or hazard pay.
- Enter equipment time, materials, and other direct costs.
- Set overhead, contingency, markup, and any tax rate.
- Click Calculate Shift Cost to view results above.
- Use the download buttons to export CSV or PDF.
Example Data
| Role | Count | Rate | Reg Hrs | OT Hrs | Premium % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foreman | 1 | 18.50 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Skilled Worker | 3 | 14.25 | 8 | 1 | 10 |
| Helper | 2 | 10.00 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
Labor cost drivers in a shift
List each role, headcount, and paid hours to build an auditable labor estimate. Regular earnings use hours × rate, and the calculator aggregates all roles into a single labor total.
Overtime and premium pay controls
Overtime is calculated as OT hours × rate × OT multiplier. Premiums then apply as a percent to that role’s combined regular and overtime earnings, capturing night differential, hazard pay, or remote allowances without changing base rates.
Equipment time and utilization
Equipment cost is equipment hours × hourly rate. Enter operating hours, not crew hours. When machines are idle but labor is paid, productive output falls and unit costs rise. Tracking realistic equipment time improves utilization measures.
Overhead, contingency, and markup strategy
Direct costs include labor, equipment, materials, and other shift expenses. Overhead is a percentage of direct costs for supervision, site support, small tools, and administration. Contingency is applied to direct plus overhead to cover uncertainty. Markup and tax are optional pricing layers for bids or invoices.
Example data and interpreting unit rates
The calculator reports grand total, cost per productive hour, and cost per paid crew-hour. If downtime rises, productive hours drop and cost per productive hour increases even if payroll stays constant. Use these indicators to improve readiness, sequence work, or add resources where they reduce delay.
| Sample input | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Planned hours | 8.0 | Break 0.5, downtime 0.5 → productive 7.0 |
| Crew | 1 Foreman, 3 Skilled, 2 Helpers | Skilled: 1 OT hour and 10% premium |
| Equipment | 6 hrs @ 25/hr | Example machine operating time |
| Other direct | Materials 120, fuel 40, mob 60 | Shift allowances and consumables |
| Add-ons | OH 10%, Cont 5%, Markup 8% | Adjust to contract requirements |
Record exports for each shift to build trend reports. It also supports quick variance reviews weekly.
FAQs
1) What should I enter for the overtime multiplier?
Use your policy or contract rate, commonly 1.5× for standard overtime and 2.0× for double time. If multiple rules apply, split the role into separate lines.
2) How is the premium percent applied?
The premium adds a percentage on top of the role’s combined regular and overtime earnings. It can represent night differential, hazard pay, or remote allowance while keeping the base rate unchanged.
3) Why does downtime increase the unit cost?
Paid hours may stay constant while productive hours drop. Since unit cost uses total divided by productive hours, any delay raises the cost per productive hour and highlights efficiency loss.
4) Should equipment hours equal planned shift hours?
Not necessarily. Enter equipment operating hours. Setup, moves, and standby time often reduce machine run-time even when the crew is onsite for the full shift.
5) What is the difference between overhead and markup?
Overhead represents project running costs (supervision, site support, administration). Markup is a pricing layer for margin and corporate recovery. Use overhead for forecasts; markup for bid pricing.
6) How do I include subcontractor lump-sum work?
Add the lump-sum value under other direct costs for the shift. Keep a note in your estimate so the figure remains traceable during review and change control.
7) Can I use this for multiple shifts in one day?
Yes. Calculate each shift separately and export CSV/PDF. Combine exports in a spreadsheet to summarize daily totals, paid hours, and unit rates for reporting.