Tools & guides
Our calculators tell you how much to buy. These tools help with everything around that: budgeting, hiring and the reference numbers you need on the job.
Planners, checklists & references
Home Project Planner
Budget with contingency, task list and materials from our calculators, in one printable plan saved on your device.
PlannerProject Timeline Planner
Your renovation in inspection order, with a critical path, finish date and calendar export. Templates for kitchens, baths, basements and decks.
ChecklistContractor Hiring Checklist & Quote Comparison
Check licenses, insurance and contracts the FTC way, then compare up to three quotes side by side.
ChecklistHome Renovation Checklist
Every step from scope to final payment, with the lead, asbestos, permit and 811 rules people miss. Saves as you tick.
PlannerHome Maintenance Tracker
Monthly-to-10-year tasks from USFA, ENERGY STAR and EPA. Track what’s due and add reminders to your calendar.
ReferenceFlooring Material Selector
Pick a room and see which flooring suits it, from basements to bathrooms, with the manufacturer rule behind each answer.
PlannerDIY vs Hire a Pro
Compare a contractor’s quote with your own materials, tools and time, plus the permit and safety rules that decide for you.
PlannerRenovation Budget Spreadsheet
Free Excel and Google Sheets template: line items, contingency, actual vs estimate, payments and lien releases.
ReferenceHome Improvement Glossary
Building terms in plain English, from board foot to lien release, with sources and links to the right tool.
ReferenceLumber Dimensions: Nominal vs Actual
Why a 2×4 is 1½ × 3½ in, the full size chart from the US lumber standard, and a board-foot calculator.
How they fit together
- Measure and price with a calculator, like the concrete, deck or paint calculator, and press “Add to my project plan”.
- Budget in the project planner: add labor, permits and a contingency.
- Hire well with the contractor checklist, and compare quotes side by side.
- Stay on track with the renovation checklist, then keep the house in shape with the maintenance tracker.
- Print the plan and take it to the store or your contractor.
Everything you enter stays on your device. Nothing is sent to us.
All calculators
Concrete Calculator
Cubic yards and 40–80 lb bag counts for slabs, footings and post holes.
Walls & paintPaint Calculator
Gallons and quarts for a room, minus doors and windows, with the ceiling optional.
Walls & paintDrywall Calculator
Sheets for walls and ceiling, plus joint compound and tape, from your room size.
FlooringFlooring & Tile Calculator
Boxes or tiles to buy, with waste for straight, diagonal and herringbone layouts.
Decks & fencesDeck Calculator
Deck boards, joists and screws for a straight or diagonal deck, from its size.
Decks & fencesFence Calculator
Posts, rails, pickets and concrete for a wood fence, including gates and corners.
LandscapingPaver Patio Calculator
Pavers, gravel base, bedding sand and edging for a patio or walkway.
LandscapingMulch & Gravel Calculator
Cubic yards, bags and tons of mulch, pea gravel, crushed stone or river rock.
Roofing & insulationRoofing Calculator
Roof area, squares and shingle bundles from house size and pitch, with starter, ridge cap, underlayment and drip edge.
Roofing & insulationAttic Insulation Calculator
R-value to add for your climate zone (ENERGY STAR), then bags of blown-in or packages of batts from your product’s label.
MeasuringSquare Footage Calculator
Area of any room or yard: rectangles, L-shapes, triangles, circles and cut-outs.