Free tools forthe trades. No email required. | Tradesman Office
Free Tools & Calculators

Free tools for
the trades. No email required.

A small library of calculators and downloadable templates for quick field estimates and reference. They're not a substitute for proper takeoffs, code-based sizing, or full estimating software, but for the napkin-math moments, they'll save you time. Built by a working electrician, free to use and share.

Bookmark this page. New tools added as I build them.

Every free tool, on its own page

Each tool now has a dedicated page with the calculator, the reasoning behind the math, and the questions that come up most.

★ Featured Tool · For Every Trade

Contractor Labor Rate Calculator

Find the rate you actually need to charge. Plug in your overhead, take-home goal, billable hours, self-employment tax, profit margin, and material markup. Get your break-even rate, recommended rate, required gross revenue, and a full breakdown of where every dollar goes. Each input has a guidance toast with real Philadelphia metro 2026 anchors.

Open the calculator →
For Every Trade · Printable PDFs

Three Free Printables for the Truck

Calculators are for the office. These are for the truck. Three one-page PDFs you can print, fold, and keep in the glovebox: a pricing reference card, a hand-written quote form, and a matching invoice. No signup, no email, no upsell at the end.

PDF

Pocket Pricing Card

Material markups by trade, trip charges, and five rules that keep you profitable. Print it, fold it, keep it in the truck.

PDF · 4 KB
Download
PDF

Quote Template

Hand-write a professional quote on the spot. Customer info, scope of work, line-item pricing, and signature lines on one page.

PDF · 3 KB
Download
PDF

Invoice Template

Print, fill in, and hand to the customer when the work is done. Charges, deposit subtracted, balance due.

PDF · 3 KB
Download

If a file opens in your browser instead of downloading, right-click the button and choose “Save link as…” These are the same three files handed out on the direct download page, hosted here so you don't need a link to find them.

For Every Trade

Markup vs. Margin Calculator

Most contractors use "markup" and "margin" interchangeably, and lose real money doing it. A 50% markup is NOT a 50% margin. This calculator converts between the two so you can stop guessing and start pricing correctly.

Markup adds to cost (Cost × (1 + markup%) = Price). Margin is the profit as a % of the selling price (Profit ÷ Price = margin%). A 50% markup gives you a 33.3% margin. A 50% margin requires a 100% markup. Get this wrong on every job and it adds up fast.

For Plumbers

Pipe Material Estimator

A quick way to estimate linear feet of pipe needed for a project, with a built-in waste factor so you don't run short on the second day. Works for PEX, copper, CPVC, or any other linear pipe material.

This is a quick field estimate, not a takeoff. Every job has its own twists, turns, and obstructions. Use this for "how much should I throw on the truck" decisions, not for bid-grade material lists. Manifold-and-home-run systems use roughly 30% more pipe than trunk-and-branch.

For HVAC

HVAC Tonnage Quick Reference

A rough cooling capacity estimate based on square footage and climate zone. Useful for the first conversation with a customer or sanity-checking an existing system size, but it does not replace a Manual J load calculation, which is what you actually need before installing equipment.

This is a rough sanity check, NOT a Manual J load calculation. Real sizing accounts for orientation, window area & type, ceiling height, infiltration rates, internal loads, ductwork condition, and dozens of other variables. Install equipment based on a Manual J, never on a quick estimate. Oversized AC equipment short-cycles, fails to dehumidify, and burns out compressors. Undersized equipment runs constantly. Both are bad.

For Roofers & Carpenters

Roofing Bundle Calculator

Convert roof square footage into bundle counts for asphalt shingles, with a built-in waste factor. Three bundles = one square (100 sq ft of coverage) for standard 3-tab and architectural shingles.

This calculates field shingles only. You'll also need: starter strip (2 bundles per 100 lf eave), ridge cap (1 bundle per 35 lf of hip/ridge for cap shingles, or 1 bundle per 100 lf for cut shingles), drip edge, ice & water shield (typically 3 ft up from eaves and in valleys per IRC), underlayment, and fasteners. Always order one extra square beyond the calculation for repairs and replacements down the road.

For Electricians

Panel Schedule Template

A clean, printable circuit directory for any standard residential panel. Three sheet sizes, 24, 30, and 42 circuits, all sized to slide directly into the panel cover label pocket. No folding, no trimming guesswork. Standard residential layout (odd circuits left, even right) so it matches what's on the panel and what an inspector or future homeowner expects.

Three panel sizes (24 / 30 / 42 circuits) in one Excel workbook. Editable, printable, free to share with your crew.

Download Excel Template

Excel (.xlsx) · Compatible with Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers, and LibreOffice · ~13 KB

Print at 100% / actual size, do NOT use "fit to page". Trim along the outside border and slide into your panel cover. Designed to fit Square D, Eaton, Siemens, GE, and other standard residential panels.

This template is a circuit labeling reference. For load calculations, breaker sizing, and full code-compliant install documentation, see the NEC Code Quick Reference Guide or the Electrician Flat Rate Price Book.

Also for Electricians

Master Electrician App

Instead of building one electrician calculator here, I built a whole free app. Master Electrician is a free iOS and Android app with NEC code reference, AI code Q&A, photo compliance scanning, and 10+ calculators (voltage drop, conduit fill, conductor sizing, and more). Pro features available via subscription for daily users. Built by the same person who built this site.

Free download · iOS & Android · masterelectricianapp.com

More tools coming.

If there's a calculator or template you wish existed, let me know, most of these get built because someone asked. Send me a note.