About MaterialForeman.
A hub of free material-estimation calculators for DIYers and homeowners. Fourteen calcs across concrete, roofing, drywall, paint, tile, fencing, lumber, and more. Every formula cites a published source. No accounts, no email gates, no pop-ups.
MaterialForeman publishes calculators that answer one question: how much of this material should be ordered for this job. Inputs are the field dimensions a tape measure can read. Outputs are a takeoff sheet with quantities, sizes, and a national-baseline cost range.
Every calculator is scoped narrowly. A concrete slab calculator computes cubic yards, bag equivalents, and delivered-cost range. It does not design the footings, evaluate the subgrade, or certify compliance with frost-depth requirements. Scope boundaries live in a redline notice on every calc page.
Formulas trace back to published authorities: ACI 318 for reinforced concrete, IRC 2021 for residential construction, ASTM C90 and BIA TN 10 for masonry, IECC 2021 for insulation R-values, ANSI A108 for tile installation, AWC NDS for wood design, and university agricultural-extension publications for landscape materials. Code section numbers appear next to the relevant constants in source so a reader can verify a number against the authority without leaving the file.
The methodology page breaks this down calc by calc. The sources index lists every citation across all fourteen calculators, grouped by authority.
Default values on every calculator represent a median realistic project for the input it controls. A concrete-slab default of 12 by 16 by 4 inches is a small patio. A stair default of 108 inches total rise is an interior basement flight. Defaults are set from keyword research on what DIY users actually search for, not from test-suite fixtures. Changing a default changes nothing about the math.
Waste factors default to trade convention (5% for lumber, 10% for concrete and tile, 15% for drywall, and so on) and can be overridden in every calc. The rationale for each default sits in the methodology page and in the per-calc Note 02 equation block.
MaterialForeman is not a licensed engineering firm, architectural firm, or contracting business. No engineering, architecture, or contracting services are offered through the site. Any project that requires a building permit requires review by a licensed professional in the applicable jurisdiction. The terms and disclaimer covers this in full.
Math errors, broken source links, outdated code citations, regional pricing that does not match reality: all of these are in-scope for correction. Email [email protected] with the calculator name, the input values used, the output received, and what is expected instead. Include a source citation for the expected value when possible.
Accepted corrections ship with a commit that references the report and a line in the changelog. Calculator content carries a "last reviewed" date so a reader can see when the numbers were last verified.
The calculator roadmap is driven by search demand plus what is actually missing from the DIY web: a calc that answers a question accurately where the top Google results currently do not. Requests are welcome at [email protected]. Include the field scenario (what the project looks like) and the specific math question a calc would answer.
Corrections, calc requests, privacy and terms questions, affiliate inquiries, accessibility reports, and press all route through the contact page. One inbox at [email protected] handles everything; subject-line topics speed triage.