SubeR WORK / TOOLKIT

Contractor/Handyperson

Estimate non-structural material quantities and labour. Compare costs before preparing your own quote.

Illustrative photograph: A craftsperson shaping a piece of wood.

WORKSHEET / QUICK CALCULATION

Margin vs markup

Compare your entered cost and selling price for one item, visit or job. No price is suggested.

HOW IT WORKS · EXAMPLECost 60Difference 40Margin: 40 ÷ 100= 40% of selling priceMarkup: 40 ÷ 60= 66.67% of cost
Example only: cost 60, price 100 CAD. Difference is not net profit.
Method & limits

Difference = selling price − entered cost. Margin = difference ÷ selling price × 100; markup = difference ÷ cost × 100. A zero denominator is undefined. Percentages round to 2 decimals. Use the same unit and cost basis. The difference is not net profit: omitted labour, materials, overhead, fees and taxes are not inferred. Arithmetic only, not a price recommendation.

WORKSHEET / QUICK CALCULATION

Break-even units

Estimate how many comparable units cover the fixed costs you enter for one period.

HOW IT WORKS · EXAMPLE300 CAD fixed÷ 10per unit30 unitsCover costs
Example: 300 fixed ÷ (25 price − 15 variable) = 30 whole units.
Method & limits

For a single product or service: contribution per unit = price − variable cost. When contribution is positive, whole units = fixed costs ÷ contribution, rounded UP without intermediate rounding. Revenue = whole units × price; total entered cost = fixed costs + whole units × variable cost. With positive fixed costs, zero or negative contribution has no finite break-even target. With zero fixed costs, zero sales already cover the entered costs; if contribution is also zero, every quantity balances. No numeric target is returned for these nonpositive-contribution cases. Keep all fixed costs in the same period; use one consistent unit, such as one visit or meal. Enter all applicable variable costs, including labour and materials, without double-counting fixed costs. Prices, unit costs and fixed costs are assumed constant; capacity, demand, timing of payments and tax rules are not modelled. No taxes, contingency or rates are added. This is not a profit or cash-flow forecast.

Check the method at the source

BDC: costs, margin and markup (external) · SBA: single-product break-even formula (external)

Canadian planning context: BDC: financial projections and cash flow (external). These references support the methods, not a recommended price or a guarantee. Official pages checked 21 October 2026.

A practical starting point

  1. Measure the non-structural work and keep the agreed scope in your own system.
  2. Check product coverage and packaging, then separate materials, labour and overhead.
  3. Compare completed-job costs with your estimate; these quantities are not a final quote.

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