Working tradespeople
Tools for the work, and for the business around it
Field calculators that state their code basis and their assumptions, and business tools that answer the question most trade businesses never ask: is the work I am winning actually profitable?
- Field calculators
- 18
- Business tools
- 11
- Cost
- Free, no account
On the tools
Every calculator states what it assumes
A wire size result is worthless if you do not know which table it came from, what temperature column it used, or whether it derated for bundling. Every tool on this site prints its assumptions and its code basis directly beneath the answer — because the assumptions are where field calculators go wrong.
None of it replaces a design review or an inspector. It replaces a table you would otherwise be thumbing through on a tailgate.
On the business
The usual mistake is pricing from the wage, not the cost
A technician earning $30 an hour costs the business closer to $42 once payroll taxes, workers’ compensation, liability, vehicle and benefits are counted — and that is before a dollar of overhead is recovered.
Then overhead has to be recovered across the hours you actually bill, which is typically 60 to 75 percent of the hours you pay for. Both of those gaps are where small contractors quietly lose their margin.
Price a job properlyElectrical
- CalculatorOhm's LawSolve for volts, amps, ohms or watts from any two known values.
- CalculatorVoltage DropCheck whether a conductor run stays inside the 3% branch-circuit voltage drop recommendation.
- CalculatorWire SizingFind the minimum conductor size for a load based on ampacity, temperature, bundling and distance.
- CalculatorConduit FillCheck conductor fill against NEC Chapter 9 limits and find the trade size you need.
- CalculatorBox FillCount conductor volume allowances to confirm a device box is legally large enough.
- CalculatorLoad CalculationRun a standard NEC Article 220 dwelling load calculation to size a residential service.
Plumbing
- CalculatorPipe SizingSize water supply piping from fixture unit counts, pressure and developed length.
- CalculatorDrain SizingSize drain, waste and vent piping from drainage fixture unit loads and slope.
- CalculatorWater Heater SizingFind the tank capacity or tankless flow rate a household actually needs from peak-hour demand.
- CalculatorPipe VolumeCalculate the water volume, weight and fill time of a pipe run for flushing and testing.
HVAC
- CalculatorPipe VolumeCalculate the water volume, weight and fill time of a pipe run for flushing and testing.
- CalculatorHVAC SizingEstimate the heating and cooling capacity a home needs before you get equipment quotes.
- CalculatorDuct SizingSize round and rectangular duct from airflow and friction rate, with velocity checks.
- DiagnosticSuperheat / SubcoolConvert pressure and temperature readings into superheat and subcooling to diagnose charge.
Carpentry
- CalculatorBoard FeetConvert lumber dimensions to board feet and price a material order.
- CalculatorFraming MaterialCount studs, plates, headers and sheathing for a wall from length, height and spacing.
- CalculatorDrywallCount sheets, screws, joint compound and tape for a room, minus openings.
- CalculatorStairsCalculate rise, run, stringer length and headroom to code from total rise.
- CalculatorDeck MaterialEstimate joists, beams, decking, fasteners and footings for a deck frame.
- 01
Break-even
What you must bill each month before a dollar of profit exists.
Open - 02
Shop rate
The hourly rate your cost structure actually requires.
Open - 03
Job pricing
Price an individual job to a real target margin.
Open - 04
Job costing
Compare quoted against actual and find where estimates break.
Open
All business tools
- CalculatorConcreteCalculate cubic yards for slabs, footings, columns and stairs, with waste allowance.
- CalculatorPaintCalculate gallons of paint and primer for walls, ceilings and trim by coat.
- CalculatorTile / FlooringCalculate tile, flooring, underlayment, thinset and grout for a room with waste.
- CalculatorJob PricingBuild a defensible price from labor, materials, overhead and your target profit margin.
- CalculatorShop RateDetermine the hourly rate you must charge to cover overhead and hit your income target.
- CalculatorJob ProfitabilityCompare quoted price against actual hours and material to see what a job really earned.
- CalculatorBreak-EvenFind the revenue and billable hours required to cover fixed and variable costs.
- CalculatorMarkup / MarginConvert between markup and gross margin so you stop pricing below your intended profit.
- CalculatorSalary CalculatorEstimate earnings by trade, experience level, region and overtime.
- PlannerStarter Tool KitBuild a first-year tool list for your trade and see what it costs at three quality tiers.
- ComparisonRent vs. BuyCompare renting against buying a tool across the number of times you will actually use it.