Why this site exists
Where do material estimates go wrong? Usually in the same two places, the unit conversion and the waste allowance. The supplier quotes cubic yards, the bag quotes cubic feet, the plan is in inches, and the number that finally goes in the truck is more or less a guess.
LevelCalcs does that arithmetic in the open. Every calculator shows the formula it used, lets each field carry its own unit, and adds the waste that trade practice typically expects. The number you take to the yard should be the one you need, give or take the waste you set yourself.
How we build the calculators
Each tool starts from a published trade figure rather than a rule of thumb. That means bag yields printed on the products themselves, code limits for stairs and framing, roofing guidance from the trade body, and manufacturer coverage rates for paint and tile. We state the assumption on the page rather than burying it, so you can override it depending on how your job differs.
In practice that comes down to a few habits, and the same ones hold on every calculator page, whether it’s concrete or wallpaper.
- Formulas are shown on every page, not hidden in code.
- Stairs and framing follow IRC limits, with the Canadian NBC limits selectable, and roofing follows NRCA guidance.
- Waste factors follow trade practice, and you can change them.
- Results convert between imperial and metric without re-typing.
- Nothing is stored, and nothing needs an account.
Who runs it
LevelCalcs is built and maintained by Salman Khalid, a software engineer. It’s a one-person site. Every calculator, every page and the test suite that checks them passes through the same hands, and nothing is scraped from anywhere else.
No page publishes until its numbers have been traced to a manufacturer data sheet or a code section, and if that trace can’t be made the page waits.
Corrections and calculator requests go through the contact page and reach the person who wrote the formula (there isn’t anyone else to forward them to). Several of the calculators on this site exist because a reader asked for them.
What we are not
Treat every result here as a planning and purchasing estimate. The calculators aren’t structural design, they’re not a substitute for a licensed professional, and they won’t know that your ground slumps or your walls are out of square.
For anything load-bearing or permitted, have the numbers confirmed. And check your local code or supplier before anything is ordered.
Common questions
Is LevelCalcs free?
Every calculator is free, and there’s no account to create. The site is supported by advertising, so the ads you see are what keep it running.
Do you store what I type?
No. Calculator inputs run in your browser and are never sent to a server, and there’s no account behind it either. The only thing we hold is a message you choose to send through the contact form.
Can I suggest a calculator?
Please do. Use the contact page and tell us the job you’re trying to estimate (what you’re buying, and in what units). Most of the calculators here got built that way.