Job costing for home builders
Builders don’t cost a house by labor and material; they cost it by phase, because almost every dollar is a sub and the question is which phase blew the budget. JobMargin’s Home Builder setup follows the build sequence, from lot and site work through warranty and punch.
What home builders track in JobMargin
- Costs by build phase. Foundation, framing, roofing, MEP, drywall, cabinets, flooring, and more each get a budget, in the order you build.
- Every house as its own job. See which plans, and which lots, actually make money across a whole subdivision.
- Supervision labor. Superintendents clock in on their phones, and their time posts to each house.
- Upgrades as change orders. Buyer upgrades go in as change orders and straight into the contract value.
Set up for home building from the first day
When you pick Home Builder as your trade, JobMargin loads these cost categories for budgets, receipts, and job costs. You can rename or add your own at any time.
- Lot & Site Work
- Permits & Fees
- Foundation
- Framing & Lumber
- Roofing
- Exterior & Siding
- Windows & Doors
- Plumbing
- Electrical
- HVAC
- Insulation & Drywall
- Interior Trim & Doors
- Cabinets & Countertops
- Flooring
- Paint
- Appliances & Fixtures
- Landscaping & Final Grade
- Supervision Labor
- Warranty & Punch
- Other
Bid line items use the units home building actually bid in: square feet (SF), each (EA), linear feet (LF), squares (SQ), and lump sum (LS).
Example: what a spec home looks like mid-way
A two-story spec home on a finished lot. It’s dried in, with rough plumbing, electrical, and HVAC done; drywall starts next week. (Not every phase is shown.)
| Cost category | Budget | Spent so far |
|---|---|---|
| Lot & Site Work | $62,000 | $61,500 |
| Foundation | $28,000 | $29,800 |
| Framing & Lumber | $58,000 | $63,900 |
| Roofing | $16,000 | $15,700 |
| Windows & Doors | $21,000 | $20,400 |
| Plumbing | $19,000 | $12,600 |
| Electrical | $17,000 | $10,900 |
| HVAC | $16,000 | $10,400 |
| Insulation & Drywall | $24,000 | $0 |
| Cabinets & Countertops | $28,000 | $0 |
| Supervision Labor | $22,000 | $12,100 |
| Other | $25,000 | $3,800 |
| Total | $336,000 | $241,100 |
Framing came in at 110% of budget, about $5,900 over, after lumber prices moved between contract and delivery, and the foundation ran about $1,800 over. Everything else bought so far is on budget or close. Knowing you’re $7,700 behind before the finishes start tells you how much room is left for allowances and upgrades on this house.
Guides and tools for home builders
Job costing for contractors: a step-by-step guide
What counts as a job cost, and a six-step system to know what every job made before it’s over.
GuideConstruction change orders: how to track them and get paid
What to put in writing, when to get it signed, how to price it, and making sure it gets billed.
Free toolProfit margin and markup calculator
Margin and markup from cost and price, or the price to charge for a target margin.