How We Estimate Costs

Many of our guides include cost estimates for home improvement projects. Here’s how we put those numbers together, and how to use them.

Where the numbers come from

Material prices come from checking current listings at major home-improvement retailers. Labor and project-cost ranges are cross-referenced against commonly cited national averages from cost-estimation sources like Angi and HomeAdvisor, and against our own interactive calculators’ underlying assumptions, which we document on the calculator itself wherever one appears.

When we checked

Cost figures reflect prices at the time each guide was researched or last updated. Prices change, so treat our figures as a starting point, not a current quote.

Regional variation

Material and labor costs vary significantly by region, so your actual costs may be higher or lower than the ranges we quote.

Estimates, not quotes

The numbers in our guides are estimates for planning purposes, not quotes. Always get quotes from local suppliers or contractors before budgeting a project.