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Rehab cost estimator
A quick rehab estimate is the square footage times a cost per square foot that matches how much work the house needs, plus a cushion for surprises.
Repair budget
—
Enter the square feet
Base repairs
—
Before contingency
The formula
- Base repairs = square feet x cost per square foot
- Light cosmetic ≈ $15/sq ft, medium ≈ $30/sq ft, heavy ≈ $50/sq ft
- Contingency = base repairs x contingency %
- Repair budget = base repairs + contingency
A worked example
- Square feet
- 1,500
- Condition
- Medium ($30/sq ft)
- Contingency
- 10%
Base repairs = 1,500 x 30 = $45,000. Contingency = 45,000 x 10% = $4,500. Repair budget = 45,000 + 4,500 = $49,500.
What this number does not tell you
Repairs are the number that changes most after you make an offer. Save the deal in the Retail Buyer Profits calculator and when the contractor's bid comes back, change one number and your new max offer updates instantly.
Run the full analysis freeLooking for a full wholesaling real estate calculator?
This page answers one question. The free wholesaling real estate calculator runs the entire deal: sold comps, repairs by condition, realtor commissions, seller concessions, closing costs and your own profit goal. It doubles as a retail buyer profit calculator, because it prices the house for a retail buyer using FHA, VA, USDA or conventional financing and shows that exit beside the wholesale exit on the same property — so you can see which one actually pays, and the highest price you can offer either way.
New to the retail exit? Read how wholesaling to retail buyers works — the method, the formulas and real student numbers, in plain text.
Common questions
How much does it cost to rehab a house per square foot?
As a rough screen: about $15 per square foot for paint, flooring and fixtures, about $30 for kitchens, baths and some systems, and $50 or more for a full gut. Local labor prices move these a lot — always confirm with a contractor walk-through.
How much contingency should I add?
10% on a cosmetic job and 15% to 20% on anything touching roof, foundation, plumbing or electrical. The older the house, the bigger the cushion.
Is a per-square-foot estimate good enough to make an offer?
It is good enough to decide whether a deal is worth a walk-through. Before you commit, replace it with a contractor's line-item bid and re-run your max offer.