Form CMB-001 Contractor pricing tools

Price the job.
Check the margin.

Most contractors lose money not because they lack skill, but because they guess their numbers. They undercharge on labor, forget overhead costs, confuse markup with margin, and end up working 60-hour weeks for less than they deserve. CalcMyBid changes that with 22 free pricing calculators built specifically for the trades. Whether you run a plumbing operation, wire houses, install HVAC systems, paint interiors, maintain landscapes, or roof buildings, every tool here is designed around the way you actually price work. Enter your real costs, pick your trade for instant presets, and get answers you can take to the next bid. Export job estimates as PDF. Save your numbers for next time. No account, no SaaS trial, no contractor form asking for your phone number. Just math that protects your margin.

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Markup Calculator

Core Calculators

Hourly Rate Calculator

Salary + overhead + profit target = your minimum hourly rate. With trade presets.

Profit Margin Calculator

Revenue minus total costs. See your real margin and markup equivalent on any job.

Job Estimate Builder

Labor + materials + overhead + markup = client-ready quote. Export as PDF.

Specialty Tools

Labor Burden Calculator

True cost per employee hour: wages + taxes + insurance + benefits + workers comp.

Markup vs Margin Converter

Interactive slider. See that 25% markup only equals 20% margin. Avoid the costly confusion.

Break-Even Calculator

How many jobs or how much revenue you need per month to cover all your fixed costs.

Overhead Calculator

Track every overhead cost: vehicle, insurance, tools, rent, phone, marketing. See cost per hour.

Flat Rate vs Hourly

Compare what you earn hourly vs flat rate. See the risk and reward of each pricing model.

By Trade

For Plumbers

Hourly rate calculator with plumbing presets. Service calls, drain clearing, bathroom rough-in.

For Electricians

Electrician hourly rate with panel upgrades, rewiring, and licensing cost factored in.

For HVAC Techs

HVAC labor rate with equipment markup, seasonal adjustments, and diagnostic fee guidance.

For Painters

Painter job estimate with per-room pricing, paint markup, crew vs solo calculations.

Guides & References

How to Price a Job

Step-by-step pricing wizard: direct costs, overhead, profit margin, final price.

How Much to Charge

Find out what hourly rate you need based on your salary goals and real overhead.

Good Profit Margin

See where your margin ranks: below average, average, above average, top performer.

Markup Formula

The math behind markup and margin. Step-by-step with worked examples.

Overhead Percentage

Typical overhead percentages by trade. See how yours compares.

Material Markup

How much to mark up materials. Side-by-side at 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%.

Billable Hours

How many hours you can actually bill per year. The number is lower than you think.

10 and 10 Rule

The old 10% overhead + 10% profit rule. When it works, when it fails.

Service Call Fee

Calculate your minimum service call fee based on drive time and diagnostic time.

How It Works

CalcMyBid puts contractor-specific pricing tools in your hands without the usual SaaS friction. Every calculator follows the same three-step process designed for speed on the job site or in the truck between calls.

Step 1: Choose your trade. Select from six trade presets (plumber, electrician, HVAC, painter, landscaper, roofer) and the calculator pre-fills with realistic industry defaults for overhead, billable hours, markup percentages, and workers comp rates. You can always adjust any number.

Step 2: Enter your numbers. Plug in your actual costs, salary target, or job details. Every input field uses numeric keyboards on mobile so you can type fast. Each calculator explains exactly what each field means.

Step 3: Get your answer. Results appear instantly. See your markup, margin, hourly rate, or full estimate broken down line by line. Save your numbers locally for next time, or export your job estimate as a clean PDF to send to clients. No account required at any point.

Why CalcMyBid

The contractor pricing tool market is dominated by SaaS companies that use free calculators as bait to sell you $49-299/month subscriptions. We took a different approach. CalcMyBid is built by developers who believe pricing tools should be free, period. No trial that expires. No feature locked behind a Pro tier. No "create an account to see your results." No form that sends your phone number to three local contractors.

Every calculator runs entirely in your browser. Your data never leaves your device. We make money through small, non-intrusive ads placed below your results. That model means we never need your email, your credit card, or your patience.

Frequently Asked Questions

What trades does CalcMyBid support?
CalcMyBid includes built-in presets for six trades: plumbing, electrical, HVAC, painting, landscaping, and roofing. Each preset loads realistic industry defaults for overhead costs, billable hours per year, standard markup percentages, and workers compensation rates. You can also select Custom to enter your own values for any trade not listed. The calculators work for general contractors, handymen, and specialty trades equally well.
How does the contractor markup calculator work?
The markup calculator takes your cost (what you pay for materials, labor, or a complete job) and applies a percentage markup to determine your selling price. For example, if your cost is $1,000 and you apply a 25% markup, your selling price is $1,250. The calculator also shows your resulting profit margin, which in this case would be 20%. This distinction between markup and margin is one of the most common sources of pricing errors for contractors.
Can I export my job estimate as a PDF?
Yes. The Job Estimate Builder lets you create a complete estimate with labor, materials, equipment, and overhead line items. When you click Export PDF, the estimate generates as a downloadable document with your company name, the client name, a line-item breakdown, and totals. Everything happens in your browser. No account or email is needed. Your company name and other details are saved locally so they pre-fill on your next visit.
What costs are included in the hourly rate calculation?
The hourly rate calculator factors in your target annual salary, total annual overhead costs (vehicle, insurance, tools, office, marketing, software, licenses), your desired profit margin percentage, total working days minus non-billable days (vacation, sick, training, weather), and productive hours per workday. The result is the minimum hourly rate you need to charge to meet your income goal after all costs. Most contractors are surprised at how high this number needs to be.
What is the difference between markup and margin?
Markup is the percentage you add to your cost to get your selling price. Margin is the percentage of the selling price that is profit. They are calculated from different bases, so the same number means very different things. A 25% markup results in only a 20% margin. A 50% markup gives you a 33.3% margin. Many contractors set a 20% markup thinking they earn a 20% margin, which costs them thousands per year. Use our Markup vs Margin Converter to see the difference interactively.