Labor Cost Calculator

Labour is usually the largest single line on a job, and the easiest to underestimate because crew size quietly multiplies the rate. The Labor Cost Calculator lets you build a list of trade rows — each with a trade, an editable hourly rate, the hours worked and how many workers — and sums them into a total labour bill and a blended hourly rate across the whole crew.

Add burden (payroll tax, insurance, benefits) as a percentage on top of raw wages, and split overtime from straight time so the premium is honest. It is labour only; pair it with the Material Cost Estimator for a complete job cost.

• Unlimited trade rows: Add carpenter, electrician, plumber, mason, painter, HVAC, roofer and more.
• Editable rates: Pre-filled market defaults you can override per trade and region.
• Crew multiplier: Rate × hours × workers, so crew size is explicit.
• Burden: Add 0–40% on wages for tax, insurance and benefits.
• Overtime split: Separate straight and 1.5× OT hours.
• Totals: Total labour, total hours and blended hourly rate.
• Report & export: Copy or download as text, CSV or JSON.
• Learning guide: Trade rate table, burden and overtime explained.

1. Add trade rows. One row per trade/crew on the job.
2. Set the rate. Edit the hourly rate to your market (defaults are US mid-range).
3. Enter hours. Straight time, and a separate overtime row where needed.
4. Set crew size. Number of workers on that trade.
5. Add burden. A percentage on wages for loaded cost.
6. Read totals. Total labour, hours and blended rate update live.
7. Export. Copy or download the labour sheet.

Example 1 — Single trade. 3 carpenters × 40 h × $50 = $6,000 labour.

Example 2 — Mixed crew. Electrician 1 × 30 h × $75 = $2,250; labourer 2 × 40 h × $25 = $2,000; total $4,250.

Example 3 — With burden. $4,250 wages + 30% burden = $5,525 true labour cost.

Example 4 — Overtime. 2 roofers, 40 straight h at $55 + 10 OT h at $82.5 = $2,200 + $825 = $3,025.

Example 5 — Blended rate. $10,000 labour across 220 total hours = ~$45.5 blended hourly rate for the whole crew.

• No forgotten crews: Each trade is its own line, so multipliers are visible.
• True loaded cost: Burden turns wages into real employer cost.
• Overtime honesty: The 1.5× premium is explicit, not buried.
• Blended rate: One number to compare against a lump-sum labour quote.
• Pair with materials: Combine with the BOQ for full job cost.
• Private: No account, nothing uploaded.