WoodWorkCalc guide · Estimating
Price a Project in WoodWorkCalc
A project price is dependable when each part of the cost base has a home. WoodWorkCalc helps you separate those inputs, review the result, and continue into Quotes once the job is ready to be discussed with a customer.
Follow this in WoodWorkCalc
Follow these steps
Each step links to the tool or workspace you need.
- 01
Define the scope
Make the deliverable specific before calculating. A price cannot protect details that were never named.
Open Quotes - 02
Build the cost base
Use material, labor, overhead, waste, and equipment inputs that reflect the work as it will actually be done.
Open Project Pricing - 03
Review pricing policy
On the homepage or Quotes screen, use Markup on cost. The + / − buttons adjust the rate; Exact amount accepts typed values. Review the displayed margin equivalent. Estimated tax and markup both use the cost subtotal.
Open project calculator - 04
Create the quote
When the number and scope are ready to show a client, move it into Quotes so the job has a clear next action.
Create or manage a quote
Before you begin
What you need
- Write the project scope, dimensions, finish, hardware, delivery, and installation expectations.
- Collect current material costs and make a realistic labor estimate.
- Decide which uncertain items need a buffer, allowance, or separate line item before you price.
Check demand and production capacity
Use break-even units to compare selling price, variable cost and fixed costs for one period. Then use batch capacity to see how many attempted parts fit after setup and how expected yield affects output. Capacity does not guarantee sales; keep demand and actual shop performance separate from the estimate.
Price the work that surrounds the build
A project is not only material plus bench time. Include layout, setup, machining, assembly, sanding, finishing, cleanup, communication, delivery, installation, and the normal interruption cost of operating a shop. Use the calculator inputs to make those parts visible instead of relying on a padded total.
Use material and waste tools before the final price
Board-foot, sheet-yield, material-waste, cut-list, and kerf tools help turn a parts list into a protected material number. Use them before finalizing a project total when the stock plan is a meaningful part of the risk. The goal is not perfect prediction; it is a documented, reasonable allowance.
Know what Markup on cost means
Markup is profit divided by cost; margin is profit divided by the pre-tax selling price. A 20% markup produces a 16.67% margin, while a 25% markup produces a 20% margin. WoodWorkCalc’s homepage, breakdown, and dashboard Quotes now use the same cost-subtotal policy. Existing saved quotes keep their recorded totals; a reopened calculator scenario is recalculated. The tax field is an estimate on costs, not a jurisdiction-aware tax engine: confirm the correct tax basis before issuing a final quote.
Treat the first estimate as a record to improve
The price becomes more accurate when you compare its assumptions against a completed job. Once approved, continue through Jobs and Operations so actual time, material use, task friction, and changes can inform the next estimate.
Check the same estimate on both screens
| Input or result | Example |
|---|---|
| Cost subtotal | $1,000.00 |
| Markup on cost · 25% | +$250.00 |
| Estimated tax on costs · 8% | +$80.00 |
| Total estimate | $1,330.00 |
| Margin before tax | 20.00% |
Use a fresh scenario with no transferred calculator line. A different tax basis must be handled before the final client price is agreed.
Open the right workspace
Your next step
Common questions
Common questions
Should I create a quote before I know the price?
Use the calculator workflow to build the cost base first. Create or complete the quote once you can define the scope, number, and next client action clearly.
Where do I revisit an estimate after the job?
Use the linked quote, job, and operations record to compare planned assumptions with the work that actually happened.