How to use Planicalc

Planicalc helps you know how much material to buy before you start a DIY build or remodel. Here is how the site works and the easiest order to figure things out.

Six steps

  1. Find a calculator

    Press “Search” at the top of the page or the “/” key and start typing, for example “concrete”, “drywall” or “roofing”. Search forgives typos. You can also pick a calculator on the home page by stage of work.

  2. Check the country and units

    The top of the form shows the country for material sizes. It sets the sizes of block, bags, gallons and sheets, and the currency. The “ft, lb” and “m, kg” switch changes the units.

  3. Enter your measurements

    The letters on the drawing match the letters next to the fields. Under “More settings” you can change the extra for waste, package size and bag weight, and add a price so the calculator shows the cost of materials.

  4. Read the result

    The main figure is at the top. The “Shopping list” box is rounded up to whole boxes, bags and sheets, and “How we got there” shows the math. Further down the page you will find the formula, an example and answers to common questions.

  5. Your measurements are remembered

    Planicalc remembers what you entered on this device. The footing length and size are filled in for the concrete, AAC and ICF calculators, and wall height and openings are shared between the wall calculators. “Reset values” brings back the usual values, and “Start from scratch” deletes everything saved.

  6. Save or send it

    “Share” sends the shopping list to a messaging app, “Copy link to this result” keeps every number in the page address, and “Print” makes a clean sheet for the store or your contractor.

Building a house from scratch: the order to figure it out

If you are building your own home, go stage by stage. Start with the footing: its measurements are then filled in for the next calculators.

  1. Footings — footing: concrete, rebar, forms, gravel base, waterproofing and what to set before the pour
  2. Concrete, Rebar — concrete strength, cement, sand and gravel, rebar for a slab
  3. AAC blocks, Bricks and CMU, ICF blocks — walls: block or brick, mortar or thin-set, reinforcement
  4. Lumber and board feet, Roofing — lumber and rafters, roof squares, shingles or panels, ridge and underlayment
  5. Insulation — insulating walls, attic and floor
  6. Stairs — stairs to the second floor
  7. Radiators and heat loss, Radiant floor heating, Electricity cost — heating, radiant floors and electricity costs
  8. Pavers, Fence — outside: patio, walkway and the fence

Remodeling a home

For a remodel, work from rough-in to finishes. With several rooms, open the “Remodeling plan”: add every room and get one shopping list with packages rounded for the whole home.

  1. Plaster and joint compound, Drywall — patch and skim the walls, frame and hang drywall
  2. Floor leveling — level the floor with self-leveler
  3. Tile, Laminate flooring — tile in the bathroom and kitchen, flooring in the rooms
  4. Paint, Wallpaper — paint and wallpaper

Remodeling plan

Results are estimates. Always check the coverage printed on the product and your local building code.