Project picker
| If you are building… | Start here | Also estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Fence line | Fence calculator | Post hole concrete |
| Deck | Deck materials | Sonotube piers |
| Roof / re-roof | Pitch → Shingles | Measure pitch safely |
| Painted walls | Paint calculator | Room paint guide |
| Segmental wall | Block calculator | Blocks & base guide |
How to choose what to estimate first
Start with geometry (run length, deck footprint, plan roof area, wall face), then layer on waste and related materials. Fence posts drive concrete volume; deck boards drive joist count and pier locations; roof pitch drives shingle squares; retaining-wall height drives whether you need engineering beyond a simple block count.
Worked examples
- 48 ft fence at 8 ft spacing: 6 sections, 7 posts, 18 rails (3 per bay). For 10" × 2.5 ft holes filled solid, plan ~15 × 80 lb bags after 10% waste—use the post-hole tool, not a flat “one bag per post” rule for cylinder fills.
- 12×16 deck: board and joist takeoff in the 12×16 deck material list; pier concrete via Sonotube diameter × height.
- 40×25 plan roof at 6/12: area factor ≈ 1.118 → ~11.2 squares before waste; with 10% waste and 3 bundles/square, order about 37 bundles.
Taller retaining walls and load-bearing decks may need a licensed design—follow manufacturer height charts and local code. Paint coverage varies by brand (this site defaults to 350 sq ft/gal); confirm on the can.