About Build Material Planner
Who runs this site
Build Material Planner is a free website run by LeadStallion LLC, a small company that builds and maintains free online tools. We don't sell building materials, we aren't a contractor, and the calculators don't need an account or a login. You can reach us through the Contact page.
What the planners do
Each planner turns the measurements of a home project into a material list: how much to buy, with a waste allowance included, a typical cost range and a shopping list you can copy or share. There are planners for fences, gravel, concrete, mulch, soil, river rock, pavers, drywall, flooring, tile, baluster spacing and rebar grids. Every result has its own link, so you can save a plan or send it to whoever is helping with the job.
How the estimates are made
We show our working. Each planner page has a "How it works" section with the formulas it uses, a worked example you can run with one click, and a list of what the tool leaves out. In short:
- Quantities come from standard geometry: area times depth for bulk materials such as gravel, concrete and mulch, converted to cubic yards, and to tons using a stated density for each material.
- Waste allowances are added before anything is rounded up, usually 10%, and more where cutting adds waste, such as 15% for diagonal tile or flooring and 20% for herringbone. Whole items (bags, posts, boards, tiles) are always rounded up, never down.
- Cost ranges are national-average DIY retail price estimates that we compile ourselves. They are not live prices from a store, and prices in your area can be higher or lower.
- Official price data sits beside our estimates where it exists. The gravel prices page shows the US Geological Survey's average plant prices for crushed stone and sand and gravel, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics producer price index, with links to both sources.
What the estimates are not
Every result is a planning estimate. It isn't a quote, a price we or anyone else will honor, engineering advice, a structural design or a check against your local building code. Site conditions, local prices, delivery charges and supplier minimums all change the real numbers. Check quantities and prices with your supplier or contractor before you buy, and ask a qualified professional about anything structural. The full wording is in our Terms of Use.
How the site is paid for
The calculators are free. Some results offer an optional form to ask local suppliers for delivered prices, and some pages may carry ads or referral links. None of this changes how a quantity is calculated. Our Privacy Policy explains what each of these collects.
Found a mistake?
If a formula, a price range or a worked example looks wrong, please tell us on the Contact page. Corrections from people who do this work are the best way we have to keep the planners accurate.