Job Profit & Margin Checker

How to use the Job Profit & Margin Checker

1. Enter the total you plan to quote, excluding VAT.
2. Add the materials, plant, hire and subcontractor costs for the job.
3. Enter the total person-days needed and the true daily cost of that labour, including your own time.
4. Add sensible overhead and contingency allowances, then set the gross margin you want the job to achieve.
5. Review the break-even figure, projected profit, actual margin and target selling price before sending the quote.
6. Use the target price in the quote builder if the current figure leaves the job too tight.

Why use this tool

• Exposes quotes that look profitable until labour, overheads and risk are counted properly.
• Shows the cash shortfall when a price is below break-even or below the target margin.
• Separates margin from markup so the desired profit is applied to the correct figure.
• Remembers the last inputs, making it quick to test revised prices or compare similar jobs.

A quote can cover the merchant bill and still lose money. The business also has to pay for labour, vehicles, insurance, tools, office time, callbacks and the gaps between jobs. This checker treats materials, labour and other job-specific spending as direct costs, then adds overhead and contingency allowances before calculating profit. Gross margin is profit divided by the selling price; markup is profit divided by cost. A 20% markup does not produce a 20% margin. Use the result as a commercial planning check, not a substitute for up-to-date supplier prices, detailed take-offs, tax advice or contract review.

Part of Builder Tools Calculators — free construction tools for UK tradespeople.