What This Calculator Does

This tool organizes a renovation budget into the categories investors actually use, adds them into a subtotal, applies the contingency percentage you choose, and shows the total. It does not guess at pricing: every number is yours.

Who It's For

It is for flippers, BRRRR investors, landlords planning capital improvements, and agents helping clients budget a renovation. Use it with bids from contractors or your own recent project history.

What Each Input Means

Each line item is a category of work: roof, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, paint, windows and doors, exterior, landscaping, structural and foundation, permits, appliances, cleanup, and other. Enter what you expect each to cost. The contingency is the reserve you add on top for surprises, expressed as a percentage of the subtotal.

How the Calculation Works

  • Subtotal = the sum of every line item you entered.
  • Contingency = subtotal times the contingency percentage.
  • Total = subtotal plus contingency.

What the Output Means

The total is your planning budget for the renovation. Use it in the Fix & Flip Calculator and the ARV / Maximum Offer Calculator as the rehab cost, and in the BRRRR Calculator for the rehab stage. The contingency is your buffer for the surprises every renovation brings.

Common Questions

  • What contingency should I use? There is no universal number. Choose based on the property's condition, the scope, and your tolerance for surprises.
  • Should I include my own labor? Only if you are paying yourself from the project budget. Many investors exclude their own labor and count it as part of their profit.
  • What if I do not know a cost? Get a bid. A real number from a contractor in your market beats a guess from any tool.

Limitations

This tool has no pricing knowledge. It cannot tell you what a roof costs in your market, and it does not model financing, holding, or selling costs. It is a budget organizer, not a cost database.

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