Labour Cost Calculator
Estimate the total manpower cost of a job before you quote it: number of workers, duration in days, daily rate, and a contingency buffer for overruns.
How to estimate labour cost for a quote
Base Labour Cost = Workers × Days × Daily Rate. A 6-worker team at ₹550/day for a 20-day job costs ₹66,000 in wages. On top of that, experienced contractors add a contingency of 5–15% for rain days, rework and overtime — the difference between a profitable quote and an optimistic one.
The estimate is only half the job; the other half is knowing your actual cost as the project runs. Daily attendance against the estimate tells you by week two whether the job is tracking over or under — early enough to act, instead of discovering the overrun at final billing.
Frequently asked questions
How much contingency should I add to a labour estimate?+
Between 5% and 15% depending on the trade and season. Outdoor monsoon work and jobs with rework risk sit at the higher end; controlled indoor work at the lower end.
Should overtime be included in the estimate?+
If the deadline is tight, yes — estimate expected OT hours separately at your OT rate, or cover it inside the contingency buffer. Deadline-driven jobs routinely spend 5–10% of wage cost on OT.
How do I track actual labour cost against my estimate?+
Mark daily attendance per worker and record advances as they happen. The Laborbook app gives you actual man-days and wage liability at any point in the project, so you can compare against this estimate live.
Track actual cost against this estimate
Laborbook records daily attendance and advances, so you know your real labour cost while the job is still running.