Calculator
Project price calculator
Figure out a starting price for a piece you are building to sell or for a commission. Enter your costs and time below for a suggested price and a line-by-line breakdown.
Your build
JavaScript is off, so this page cannot total the fields automatically. Use the formula and worked example below, or turn JavaScript on for a live price.
Lumber, sheet goods, hardware, glue.
Design, shopping, milling, building, finishing, delivery.
What your time is worth to you.
Finish, sandpaper, rags, blades, and other consumables.
Shop costs spread over jobs: tool wear, power, rent, fees. For example 10 to 20.
Added on top of total cost. For example 10 to 30.
| Materials | — |
|---|---|
| Labor | — |
| Finish and supplies | — |
| Overhead | — |
| Total cost | — |
| Profit | — |
Suggested price —
Pay per hour if it sells at this price (labor plus profit, before taxes and fees) —
Enter at least your materials or your hours and rate.
The formula
Labor = hours × hourly rate. Total cost = materials + labor + finish and supplies + overhead, where overhead is your overhead percent of the first three. Suggested price = total cost × (1 + profit percent).
Markup here means profit added on top of cost. That is different from margin, which is profit as a share of the selling price — a 25% markup is a 20% margin.
Worked example
A small side table, in US dollars: 120 for materials, 10 hours at 25 an hour (250 for labor), and 15 for finish and supplies comes to 385. Add 15% overhead (57.75) for a total cost of 442.75. Add 20% profit (88.55) for a suggested price of 531.30, or 535 rounded up to the next 5.
Before you quote
Count all your hours, not just time at the bench. Check what similar pieces sell for where you plan to sell. If the number feels high for your market, it may be worth looking at faster methods or cheaper materials rather than cutting your hourly rate.
This calculator gives an estimate and a starting point for education and planning only. It does not guarantee that a piece will sell at this price or that you will earn any amount. You are responsible for your own prices, taxes, permits, and local rules. It is not financial, tax, legal, or business advice and does not include sales tax, income tax, or selling-platform fees unless you add them. Talk to a qualified professional about your situation.
This calculator runs in your browser only. Your numbers aren't sent to us or anyone else, and the calculator doesn't save them. The page itself uses analytics; see our privacy policy.
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