Resources
Cost guides and estimating help for contractors
Every figure on these pages comes from the same cost data Wylie Estimates prices from, and every page carries its date. For a worked example of pricing by area, see the cost index.
Cost guides
Cost guides by trade, with material and labor ranges from nationally published 2026 cost data. These guides use one example area. Wylie Estimates adjusts prices for every part of the country.
- Kitchen remodel cost (2026): a Tampa Bay exampleWhat a kitchen remodel costs in 2026, shown with one example area, Tampa Bay, Florida: component-level costs b…
- Bathroom remodel cost (2026): a Tampa Bay exampleBathroom remodel costs in 2026, shown with one example area, Tampa Bay, Florida: cost ranges before markup for…
- Framing cost per square foot (2026): a Tampa Bay exampleFraming costs per square foot in 2026, shown with one example area, Tampa Bay, Florida: cost ranges before mar…
- Roof replacement cost (2026): a Tampa Bay exampleRoof replacement costs in 2026, shown with one example area, Tampa Bay, Florida: shingle tear-off and replacem…
- Concrete slab cost (2026): a Tampa Bay exampleConcrete slab costs in 2026, shown with one example area, Tampa Bay, Florida: cost ranges before markup per sq…
- Whole-home renovation cost (2026): a Tampa Bay exampleHow whole-home renovation costs build up in 2026, shown with one example area, Tampa Bay, Florida: trade-by-tr…
Estimating guides
How to build a scope, price it from current data and choose your markup with your cost in plain view.
- How to estimate a remodeling jobA working process for estimating remodeling jobs: list the scope, measure the quantities, price each line from…
- How to price a construction job for where the job isPricing a construction job for its location: current cost data adjusted by area, local code and permit require…
- What markup should a contractor use?Choosing a contractor markup: what markup has to cover, the difference between markup and margin, when a highe…
Estimating glossary
The words of estimating, one at a time: cost before markup, markup and margin, allowances, contingency, draw schedules and the rest.
- Cost before markup (cost before markup)Cost before markup is material plus labor for a work item, before contractor overhead and profit. Cost books c…
- Markup vs marginMarkup and margin are not the same number. A 25% markup is a 20% margin. The difference, the math, and why con…
- OverheadOverhead is the cost of running the contracting business rather than building the job: insurance, vehicles, of…
- Unit costUnit cost prices work per measurable unit: per square foot, linear foot, or each. How unit-cost estimating wor…
- AssemblyAn assembly bundles the components of a repeatable construction element into one priced unit. What assemblies …
- TakeoffA takeoff converts plans or a site walk into measured quantities ready to price. What a good takeoff includes …
- ContingencyContingency is a named reserve for defined unknowns, not padding. How to size it, where it belongs in a bid, a…
- AllowanceAn allowance reserves budget for a selection not yet made: fixtures, finishes, appliances. How allowances work…
- Draw scheduleA draw schedule staggers payment across a job's milestones. How draws protect both parties and what a fair dra…
- Change orderA change order documents and prices scope changes after contract. Why disciplined change orders protect margin…
Price your next job from current costs.
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