Job Estimating & Bid Calculator
Build a bid from your scope, labor burden, contingency and target gross margin. Review allocated overhead separately to see the expected profit under your assumptions.
One-time purchase · XLSX workbook · no subscription · lifetime file
you must mark up cost 42.9% to earn it
Sample direct cost basis: $50,000 · overhead 18%
…and you underpriced by $6,429. Illustrative example only.
An omitted cost or misunderstood margin can change the economics of a job. Review labor burden, scope and overhead before agreeing the price, then update your cost forecast as the work develops.
What it does
Enter labor at the base wage. The tool adds payroll taxes, workers' comp, insurance, and benefits on top — the burden percentage you enter. You bid the real cost of an hour, not the number on the paycheck.
Your truck, your office, your admin time, your own pay. Set overhead as a share of revenue and every bid carries its fair share — so being busy all year actually leaves you money at the end of it.
A 30% markup is only a 23% margin. To actually earn a 30% margin you have to mark up cost 42.9%. Get that backwards on every job and you underprice all year without knowing it. The tool prices on margin and shows you the exact markup it implies — no more guessing.
Pick a target gross margin. The workbook calculates a price from the entered cost basis, then subtracts the overhead allocation to show expected profit. The target gross margin is before overhead; actual profit depends on the job.
A What-If tab shows what happens to your profit at different margins, different labor burdens, and if the job runs 5–20% over. See the risk before it's your money on the line.
See the gap
A $50,000-cost job, both priced to a "30%" target. On the left, margin done right. On the right, the same 30% applied as a markup on cost — the mistake that feels identical and costs thousands.
In this invented example, the two pricing methods differ by about $5,271 in modeled profit after the assumed overhead allocation. This is arithmetic, not a forecast of customer savings.
What it's worth — the honest version
See cost, gross margin and overhead separately.
Pricing assumptions can materially change a bid. Use your own costs and review the output against your actual job. No profit increase or payback is guaranteed.
What's inside
Each download purchase arrives as a ZIP containing the listed XLSX workbook(s) and PDF buyer guide. Open or import a copy in your spreadsheet application and check formulas and formatting. Native Excel/Google Sheets verification is still in progress.
A one-page legend covering input cells, the four-step workflow and the difference between markup and gross margin.
Your readout. Set two pricing levers, get your bid price, net profit, and the correct-vs-mistake gap.
Line-item entry for materials, labor, subs, equipment, permits — with labor burden and contingency built in.
Three sensitivity tables: margin, labor burden, and cost-overrun — see the risk before you commit.
Every default sourced and cited in-cell, plus a full markup-to-margin conversion table you can keep.
Pricing
The estimator is listed at $149 for a one-time download. It provides a workbook you maintain yourself. Compare its scope and manual workflow with your requirements before buying.
ZIP download via your receipt · 14-day money-back guarantee
Compare the five-tool toolkit — $299. The toolkit includes this estimator; choose one option to avoid buying the estimator twice.
Questions
Yes. This is a manual XLSX workbook for entering scope and costs, calculating a price at your target gross margin, and reviewing allocated overhead and expected profit. You maintain the file and review your inputs and formulas. Workbook figures do not sync with workspace job records.
Each download purchase arrives as a ZIP containing the listed XLSX workbook(s) and PDF buyer guide. Open or import a copy in your spreadsheet application and check formulas and formatting. Native Excel/Google Sheets verification is still in progress.
Maybe not about carpentry. But the markup-vs-margin gap catches seasoned builders constantly, and unburdened labor is the single most common reason a busy year ends thin. If you're already pricing perfectly, the What-If tab still earns its keep by showing your downside before you sign.
Illustrative planning examples. Use your own job costs and overhead; industry averages cannot establish what your business will earn.
Email hello@bidsolid.com within 14 days of purchase with your order number to request a refund.