Job Profit Calculator
See what stays in your business after every job cost is covered.
Based on your inputs. Review the assumptions below.
Where the contract dollars go
Your financial inputs stay in this browser. Results are planning estimates, not guaranteed outcomes or professional advice.
The math, without the mystery.
What this calculator does
See what stays in your business after every job cost is covered. It separates the parts of your estimate so you can examine what changes when a price, cost, or timing assumption changes.
Who should use it
General contractors and trade contractors preparing a bid or reviewing a completed estimate.
How to use it
Replace the hypothetical inputs with figures from your estimate, contract, or business budget. Enter dollar amounts in USD and percentages as whole percentages: enter 20 for 20%. Results recalculate immediately. Use Reset to return to the example and compare a revised scenario.
How the calculation works
Revenue = base contract + approved changes. Direct cost = materials + labor + subcontractors + equipment + permits + other. Total cost = direct cost + overhead + expected contingency expense. Profit = revenue − total cost. Margin = profit ÷ revenue. Target price = total cost ÷ (1 − target margin).
A worked example
A hypothetical $55,000 contract with $35,000 in direct costs, $4,500 overhead, and $2,000 expected contingency expense leaves $13,500 profit: a 24.55% margin. A 20% target margin requires a $51,875 price.
Common mistakes
Leaving out overhead makes a job look more profitable than it is. Counting the same overhead in both labor and allocated overhead makes it look less profitable. Include each cost once.