How to use the calculators
Pick the job that matches your project, then enter your ZIP code. The calculator opens with a common version of that job already filled in, such as 150 linear ft of fence or a 2,000 sq ft home for a new AC. Change the details that fit your house: length, size, material, number of gates or downspouts, whether the old one has to come out. The estimate updates as you go.
You get three things. First, a low, typical and high price for your state. Second, a breakdown that splits the bill into lines like materials, labor, removal and permit. Third, a table with the typical price for the same job in all 50 states and DC, so you can see where yours sits.
Nothing is saved, and nothing is sent anywhere. The math runs in your browser.
What low, typical and high mean
Every result is a range, because real prices are. Two contractors can look at the same fence and quote numbers that are thousands apart, and both can be fair.
- Low is what a simple job can cost: easy access, standard materials, a contractor with an open schedule.
- Typical is the middle of what published sources report. Most quotes for an ordinary job tend to fall near it.
- High covers the hard cases: steep or tight sites, premium materials, extra prep work and busy seasons.
If your project is plain and your yard is easy to reach, plan around the typical number. If you already know about a complication, such as a tree leaning over the roof or ducts that need work, budget toward the high end.
Why your state matters
The same job can cost a lot more in one state than another, and most of that gap is labor. We adjust every national price with two sets of government data: construction wages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and regional price levels from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
The effect depends on how much of the job is labor. Tree removal is about 90% labor, so wages move it a lot: the typical price for one 30–60 ft tree runs from $690 in Nebraska to $1,200 in Minnesota. A fence is about 50% labor. For 150 feet of wood privacy fence, the typical price runs from $2,940 in Oklahoma to $4,280 in Hawaii. A kitchen remodel is mostly cabinets, counters and appliances, with labor near 21% of the bill, yet the typical mid-range kitchen still runs from $28,500 in Arkansas to $36,700 in Hawaii.
Permit fees are the one line we don't adjust. Cities set them, so we show the national range and mark it as varying by city.
Remodeling costs
Remodels are the biggest checks most homeowners write, and the widest ranges on the site.
A full bathroom remodel without moving plumbing runs $5,900–$21,000 nationally, typical $13,500. A half bath starts lower, a primary bath runs higher, and moving plumbing pushes the typical price to $16,500. Our sources disagree quite a bit on bathrooms, so expect a Limited data note. The bathroom remodel cost calculator handles bath size, finish level and plumbing.
A 150 sq ft mid-range kitchen remodel with new appliances runs $23,000–$40,000, typical $31,500. Finish level is the big lever: a basic kitchen of the same size is typical $17,200, a high-end one $46,500. Keeping your appliances brings the typical price to $26,800. The kitchen remodel cost calculator prices the remodel per square foot and lists cabinets and countertops for reference.
See all jobs in remodeling.
Yard and concrete costs
Outdoor jobs range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand.
Removing one 30–60 ft tree runs $510–$1,190, typical $850, before stump grinding or haul-away. Height drives the price, and a tree near the house or power lines costs more. The tree removal cost calculator handles several trees at once.
A 150-foot run of 6-ft wood privacy fence with one gate costs $2,970–$7,160, typical $3,410. Chain link is cheaper on the low end, vinyl and aluminum cost more. The fence cost calculator covers five materials, and there are separate pages for wood, vinyl and chain link fences.
A 600 sq ft crushed-stone driveway, 4 in deep, runs $730–$1,900, typical $1,280. Deeper gravel and pea gravel add to it; crusher run brings it down. Try the gravel driveway cost calculator.
See all jobs in yard and concrete.
Home systems costs
These are the jobs nobody plans for until something stops working, which makes a fair number even more useful.
Replacing one standard-efficiency central AC in a 2,000 sq ft home, keeping the ducts, runs $4,200–$12,800, typical $9,040. A heat pump is typical $9,580, and replacing the ducts too pushes a central AC job to $12,500. The HVAC replacement cost calculator covers four system types, and the heat pump cost calculator goes deeper on that one.
A standard gas furnace for a 2,000 sq ft home runs $3,960–$11,800, typical $7,900. Fuel and efficiency move it most: an electric furnace is typical $5,500, an oil furnace $9,370. Use the furnace replacement cost calculator.
A new conventional septic system for a 3-bedroom home runs $3,850–$11,800, typical $6,650, including the perc test (a soil test that shows whether a drain field will work). Mound and aerobic systems cost much more. The septic tank replacement cost calculator also prices a tank or drain field on its own.
See all jobs in home systems.
Building costs
A 300 sq ft room addition with mid-range finishes runs $34,600–$89,500, typical $61,900. That includes the foundation, design and plans, and a permit. A garage conversion is the cheapest way to add a room, typical $18,500, while a second story is typical $66,500. The home addition cost calculator compares four types of addition. See all jobs in building.
Roof and exterior costs
Gutters for a one-story home, 150 ft of aluminum with 4 downspouts, run $1,250–$2,870, typical $2,060. Vinyl is cheaper, copper costs far more, and gutter guards add a large share on top. The gutter installation cost calculator covers five materials and up to three stories, and the seamless gutter cost calculator covers gutters formed in one piece on site. More roof and exterior jobs will join once we have their price data. See roof and exterior.
How to use an estimate with contractor quotes
An estimate is most useful before the first contractor shows up and again when the quotes come in.
Before you call anyone, run the calculator with your real numbers and write down the typical price and the breakdown. That's your budget line and your yardstick.
When quotes arrive, put them next to the estimate:
- Check the total. A quote inside the low-to-high range is in the normal zone. One far above it isn't wrong by default, but it should come with a reason.
- Compare line by line. Materials, labor, removal and permit should each be there. If a quote is one number with no lines, ask for them.
- Ask about the gaps. If one quote is much cheaper, find out what it leaves out: haul-away, the permit, the old unit, the gate.
- Get at least two or three quotes. One quote tells you a price. Three tell you the market.
I'd treat a quote well below our low number with as much care as one well above the high. Cheap can mean missed scope. Bring the ballpark. Ask for the line items.
What this site is and isn't
Home Ballpark is a set of cost calculators. We collect published prices from public cost guides, adjust them with government data, and show where every number comes from. Each calculator page lists its sources with links and dates, and How we calculate walks through the method with a real example.
We are not contractors. We don't do the work, we don't inspect homes, and we don't recommend specific companies. There are no ads and no lead forms on the site today, and you never need to give an email address or phone number to see a result.
When the data for a job is thin, we say so with a Limited data note instead of hiding it. When there's no data at all for a line, such as a contingency allowance, we leave that line out instead of guessing. And when we don't have enough public prices for a whole job yet, we don't publish a calculator for it.
Questions or a price that looks off? Use the contact page. You can read more about who writes the site on the about page.