Contractor Markup Calculator

Calculate your selling price based on costs and desired markup percentage

Free tool by ThePocketBoss — enter your labor and material costs, set your markup, and instantly see the selling price, markup amount, and equivalent profit margin. Confused about markup vs margin? Our markup vs margin calculator explains the difference.

Project Costs

$

Total labor costs including wages and benefits

$

All materials, supplies, and equipment rental

%

Use a percentage based on your own costs, overhead, risk, and target

Pro Tip: Your markup should cover all overhead expenses (insurance, vehicle, tools, office) plus your desired profit. If your resulting margin is below 15%, consider increasing your markup.

Pricing Results

Selling Price
$0
Total Cost (Labor + Materials)$0
Markup Amount (20%)$0
Markup
20.0%
Profit Margin
0.0%
Margin Status: Low
Your markup may be too low to sustain your business. Consider increasing it.

Why Markup Matters for Contractors

What Does Markup Cover?

Your markup isn't just profit — it needs to cover all the costs of running your business that aren't directly tied to a specific job:

  • Insurance: General liability, workers' comp, vehicle insurance
  • Vehicle Costs: Fuel, maintenance, payments, commercial plates
  • Tools & Equipment: Replacement, repair, and new tool purchases
  • Office & Admin: Software, phone, bookkeeping, licensing
  • Marketing: Advertising, website, business cards, lead generation
  • Your Profit: What you actually take home after all expenses

Markup vs Margin: The Key Difference

Many contractors confuse markup and margin, which can lead to underpricing. Markup is based on your cost. Margin is based on the selling price. A 25% markup only gives you a 20% margin. A 50% markup gives you a 33% margin. Always know the difference to avoid leaving money on the table.

Need to dive deeper? Use our Markup vs Margin Calculator to see the exact relationship between any markup and margin percentage.

How ThePocketBoss Helps You Price Profitably

ThePocketBoss tracks your actual project costs, compares them to estimates, and helps you identify where you're losing money. Use the contractor profit calculator to check your overall margins, then leverage our contractor estimating software to build professional quotes with consistent markup applied to every job cost estimate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good markup percentage for contractors?

There is no universal contractor markup. Choose a percentage using your complete direct costs, overhead allocation, scope risk, warranty exposure, market, taxes, and target return. This calculator models the percentage you enter; it does not recommend one.

How is markup different from profit margin?

Markup is the percentage added to your cost to determine selling price. Profit margin is the percentage of the selling price that is profit. For example, a 25% markup on $100 gives a $125 selling price, but the profit margin is 20% ($25/$125). Markup is always a higher number than margin for the same profit.

Should I use the same markup on labor and materials?

You may use different markups when labor and materials carry different overhead, handling, warranty, or risk. This calculator applies one combined markup, so verify that the result covers the cost categories in your own estimate.

How do I know if my markup is high enough?

Your price needs to account for direct costs, allocated overhead, risk, taxes where applicable, and your chosen return. Compare the result with your actual completed-job data and consult a qualified accounting or pricing adviser when needed.

What is the formula for contractor markup?

Markup Amount = Total Cost x (Markup Percentage / 100). Selling Price = Total Cost + Markup Amount. For example, if your costs are $1,000 and you want a 30% markup: $1,000 x 0.30 = $300 markup, so your selling price is $1,300.

Track Job Profitability Automatically with Pocket Boss

Stop guessing your markup. Track every expense, compare estimates to actuals, and improve your profitability with every project.

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