Multiply a square footage figure by your own price per square foot to get project cost.
Quick answer: Project cost is area times price per square foot. Four hundred square feet of flooring at $6 per sq ft is $2,400 in materials and labor combined. Splitting that at a typical 60 percent labor share gives about $960 of material and $1,440 of labor, before tax, delivery or removal of the old surface.
%
Use 5–10% for flooring or siding, 0% for a pure measurement.
$
Enter the installed or material price per sq ft you were quoted.
Total area
144 sq ft
16.00 sq yd · 13.38 m²
Shapes counted
1
Each row adds to the total
Breakdown
Room 1 (1×)144 sq ft
Total144 sq ft
Cost at $6.00/sq ft$864
Most quotes you will receive are given as a price per sq ft installed. That figure normally includes material and labour — if it does not, add the labour line yourself before comparing bids.
Add one row per room or shape. For L-shaped rooms, split the shape into two rectangles. Subscribe to the old rule of thumb: measure twice, and write the numbers down before you go shopping.
Core facts
Formula
area × price per sq ft
Split
Material and labor percentages
Extra lines
Removal, delivery, tax
Output
Project total and cost per sq ft
What is Square Footage Cost Calculator?
This calculator does one job: it multiplies an area by a price. Enter the square footage you measured and the price per square foot you were quoted, and you get a project total. Because the price is yours, the result is only as good as the number you type — a contractor quote, a big-box store price or a figure from a local supplier all work. The material and labor split shows how much of the total is likely to be the product and how much is the installer's time, which is the part that moves most between contractors. Add removal of the old surface separately, because it is rarely inside a per-square-foot quote.
Common uses for Square Footage Cost Calculator
Check a contractor quote against your own square footage and price
Compare two flooring bids that quote different prices per sq ft
Work out what a project costs if you supply the material yourself
Budget a room-by-room remodel by pricing one area at a time
See how much of the total is material and how much is labor
Where a per-square-foot price comes from
A quoted price per square foot bundles material, labor, overhead and profit. Material is the most predictable part; labor varies with access, how much cutting the room needs and how busy local installers are. That is why two bids for the same 400 sq ft room can differ by thousands of dollars even when the product is identical. Ask what the price includes before you compare the numbers.
Splitting material from labor
A rough split for installed work often lands near 60 percent labor and 40 percent material, but the ratio swings with the product: expensive stone pushes material up, a simple vinyl plank pushes labor down. Use the split as a sanity check on a bid, not as a rule. If a quote claims a labor share far below the local norm, ask what shortcuts that assumes.
Costs that sit outside the per-square-foot price
Removal and disposal of the old floor, furniture moving, subfloor repair, transitions to other rooms, trim, permits and sales tax all sit outside a typical per-square-foot quote. On a small job these extras can rival the main figure, so list them and add them in. The results keep the main cost, the extra lines and the total separate so you can see which one drives the project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this calculator include labor?
It can. Enter a combined price per square foot to see the full installed cost, or the material price alone if you are doing the work yourself. The split panel takes the total apart so you can see how much of a combined quote is likely to be time rather than product.
How do I work out a price per square foot from a total?
Divide the total by the square footage. A $2,400 bid for 400 sq ft is $6 per sq ft. Do that for each bid and the cheaper one becomes obvious, but check what each bid leaves out — removal, disposal, trim and tax are common gaps.
Why is my result different from an online estimator?
Estimators use a regional average price. This calculator uses the price you type, which is the only number that applies to your house, your room and your access. If your figure comes from a real quote, trust it over any national average.
Should I add sales tax and delivery?
Yes, if they are not already in your price. Sales tax on materials varies by state, and delivery, a dumpster for the old material and any subfloor repair are separate line items. Add them as a percentage or a flat amount so the total reflects what you will actually pay.