DIY & construction tools

Free material and project-cost calculators — concrete, lumber, paint, tile, and DIY-vs-contractor math. Every tool shows real quantities and costs.

25 resources

Calculator Baseboard and Trim Calculator Calculate the linear feet of baseboard or trim for a room, the number of stock pieces, and the total cost. Open → Calculator Board Feet Calculator Convert lumber dimensions into board feet and total cost, so you can compare and buy hardwood by the correct unit. Open → Calculator Brick and Block Calculator Calculate how many bricks or concrete blocks a wall needs from its area and the units per square foot, with waste. Open → Calculator Building Permit Cost Estimator Estimate a valuation-based building permit fee from the project value, a rate per thousand, base fee, and plan review. Open → Calculator Concrete Slab Calculator Calculate cubic yards of concrete and the number of 60 lb or 80 lb bags you need for a slab, with a waste allowance. Open → Calculator Deck Cost Calculator Estimate the total cost to build a deck by breaking it into material and labor cost per square foot. Open → Calculator DIY vs Contractor Savings Calculator Compare a contractor quote against doing it yourself, valuing your own time to find the real net savings. Open → Calculator Drywall Sheet Calculator Calculate how many drywall sheets, plus screws, you need for a given wall and ceiling area, with a waste allowance. Open → Calculator Excavation Volume Calculator Calculate bank and loose cubic yards of dirt to remove for a dig, accounting for soil swell when hauling. Open → Calculator Fence Cost Calculator Estimate total fence cost from the linear footage, a per-foot price, and the number and cost of gates. Open → Calculator Flooring Cost Calculator Estimate flooring material and installation cost for a room, including a cutting-waste allowance on the material. Open → Calculator Grass Seed and Sod Calculator Calculate the pounds of grass seed and the cost of seed versus sod to cover a lawn area of a given size. Open → Calculator Gravel, Mulch and Topsoil Calculator Find the cubic yards and tons of gravel, mulch, or topsoil to order for a bed or driveway at a given depth. Open → Calculator Insulation Calculator Estimate how many bags or batts of insulation you need for an area and the total material cost, with waste. Open → Calculator Paint Coverage Calculator Estimate how many gallons of paint you need for a wall area, factoring in coats and coverage per gallon, plus total cost. Open → Calculator Plywood Sheet Calculator Work out how many sheets of plywood or OSB you need to cover a surface area, with a cutting-waste allowance. Open → Calculator Project Labor Cost Calculator Estimate total labor cost for a job from crew size, hours, days, hourly rate, and a burden rate for overhead. Open → Calculator Rebar Calculator Estimate the linear feet of rebar and the number of bars needed for a reinforced slab grid at a given spacing. Open → Calculator Roofing Shingle Calculator Convert roof area into roofing squares and asphalt shingle bundles, with waste, plus the total shingle cost. Open → Calculator Stair Stringer Calculator Work out the number of risers and treads and the exact riser height for a staircase from the total rise. Open → Calculator Tile Calculator Work out how many tiles and how many boxes you need for a floor or wall, including a cut-and-breakage waste factor. Open → Calculator Wall Stud Calculator Count the studs and plate boards needed to frame a wall at a given on-center spacing, with extra studs for openings. Open → Guide DIY vs Hiring a Contractor: When Each Actually Saves You Money A practical framework for deciding when doing it yourself truly saves money and when a contractor is the cheaper choice once time, tools, and risk are counted. Open → Guide How Much Concrete Do I Need? A Simple Guide for Any Project Calculate concrete for slabs, footings, and posts the easy way, with a cubic-yard reference table, bag counts, and the waste factor pros always add. Open → Guide How Much Does It Cost to Build a Deck in 2026? A clear 2026 breakdown of deck costs by size, material, and labor, with a per-square-foot table and the numbers that actually move your budget. Open →