Every number on this site comes from the same repeatable process. This page explains it, because an estimate you can’t interrogate is just a guess with confidence.
1Material prices
We survey supplier and retailer pricing for core materials — ready-mix concrete per delivered yard, bagged concrete, fencing lumber and panels, decking boards, shingles, and HVAC equipment tiers — each quarter. Where regional supplier prices differ meaningfully, we record ranges rather than averages.
2Labor and installed rates
Installed costs combine material with prevailing labor rates drawn from published construction cost data and contractor pricing made public in quotes, invoices, and industry surveys. Installed figures are always shown as a low–high range, reflecting the genuine spread between contractors in the same market — which commonly reaches 25–35% on identical specs.
3State adjustment
Every calculator applies a state cost index (1.00 = national average). The index blends local labor rates, material logistics, and fuel costs. Hawaii (~1.38) and California (~1.27) sit at the top; Mississippi (~0.84) at the bottom. City-level variation exists within states — metro areas typically run 10–20% above the state figure — so treat our state number as your starting point, not your ceiling.
4Real-world allowances
Material quantities include the allowances professionals use: 10% waste on concrete volume, rounding up to whole bags and full panels, short-load fees on small ready-mix orders, and tear-off or removal priced as its own line. An estimate that ignores these looks cheaper and lies.
5Update cycle
Prices are reviewed quarterly — January, April, July, and October. If you find a figure that doesn’t match reality in your area, tell us; verified reader reports are checked against our next survey.
6What our numbers are — and aren’t
Our estimates are planning figures: accurate enough to budget, compare options, and spot an outlier quote. They are not a substitute for written quotes from licensed local contractors, and no website’s numbers are. For any significant project, get three itemized bids — and treat a bid far outside our range, in either direction, as a question worth asking.