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ProsNookcontractor pricing, decoded
Job estimator
Contractor pricing, decoded

What should that job cost in your city?

Illustrative cost ranges for common trade work, broken down line by line, plus guides to read a contractor's bid before you sign it. Every figure shows its arithmetic, and none of it is a quote.

Illustrated local neighborhood
Project estimator

What should it cost to hire a pro?

Typical range$260 to $480Illustrative plumbing range for a typical metro. Get written quotes to confirm.

Labour for the visit only. Materials, permits and any separate trip or service-call charge are extra.

Learn more:Reading a quoteThe three-quote ruleAll cost files
85 cost guidesacross 41 topicsUpdated Every guide carries its own dateFree to readNo signup, no accountEstimator is free to embedFor publishers and trade sitesHow this site is fundedNo ads, no affiliate linksclosed
Start here

The six guides we would read first

New to hiring a pro? These cornerstone guides cover the essentials before you gather a single quote.

All cost files
01
Hiring cost file

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a General Contractor? (2026)

Cost file on the cost of hiring a general contractor: the typical percentage fee, cost-plus versus fixed...

Read the guide02
Hiring playbook

How to Hire a Contractor (7-Step Guide)

This playbook walks you through hiring a contractor step by step, from scope to signed contract, avoidin...

Read the guide03
Hiring playbook

How to Find a Good Contractor (7 Steps)

This walkthrough shows the best way to find a good contractor: sourcing channels, license checks, red fl...

Read the guide04
Hiring cost file

How to Compare Contractor Quotes Like a Pro

This walkthrough turns three contractor quotes into one comparison: aligning scope line by line, reading...

Read the guide05
Remodeling cost file

Cost to Finish a Basement: Price Per Square Foot (2026)

Basement finishing cost runs an illustrative $30 to $75 per square foot. This cost file adds totals by s...

Read the guide06
Hiring playbook

How to Read a Contractor Estimate (7 Steps)

This walkthrough reads a contractor estimate in seven steps, from spotting a vague one-line bid to the a...

Read the guide
What we cover

Browse by topic

41 topics, 85 cost files. Each topic opens a hub with every file filed under it.

All cost files
Garage cost file2 cost filesAddition cost file1 cost fileFlooring cost file5 cost filesBathroom cost file1 cost fileDriveway cost file2 cost filesFoundation playbook2 cost filesRestoration cost file1 cost fileOutdoor cost file5 cost filesHandyman cost file1 cost fileHome inspection cost file1 cost fileInteriors2 cost filesROI and resale data1 cost fileRemodeling cost file2 cost filesRemodel timeline file1 cost fileHiring playbook11 cost filesPlumbing cost file1 cost fileHome systems15 cost filesFoundation cost file2 cost filesStructural work1 cost fileRoofing cost file3 cost filesWater heater cost file2 cost filesChimney cost file1 cost fileSeasonal playbook1 cost fileMaintenance cost file1 cost fileShed cost file1 cost fileTree cost file1 cost fileGutter cost file1 cost filePainting cost file2 cost filesSiding cost file1 cost fileFinancing playbook1 cost fileRemodel idea file1 cost fileCost files1 cost fileTax explainer1 cost fileAir conditioner cost file1 cost fileConcrete cost file1 cost fileGenerator cost file1 cost fileBudget playbook1 cost fileHiring cost file2 cost filesGarage cost playbook1 cost fileWindows cost file1 cost fileRemodel cost file2 cost files
Fresh from the files

Latest cost files

Line by line breakdowns of what common home projects should really cost, updated as we publish. Newest first.

All cost files
A worker in a dark blue cap and coveralls, one gloved hand under the bottom edge of a white raised panel garage door, standing at a partly open garage entrance in a pale stucco and painted brick wallLatest cost file
Garage cost file

Garage Door Repair Cost: Springs, Panels, Openers (2026)

Garage door repair cost by job: springs, cables, rollers, track, sensors, a single panel and the opener, priced separately from a full door replacement.

27 min read
Wood floor joists forming a framed grid with metal hangers, a triangular framing square and a yellow tape measure resting on a corner beam, on a construction siteAddition cost file

Home Addition Cost: Price Per Square Foot (2026)

Home addition cost by type: a single-story bump-out, an addition with a bathroom or kitchenette, and a second story, p...

23 min read
Six loose ceramic and porcelain floor tile samples in white, off-white and pale blue-gray arranged on a tiled floor next to a yellow tape measure and a pencilFlooring cost file

Tile Flooring Cost: Ceramic and Porcelain (2026)

Tile flooring cost per square foot for ceramic and porcelain, installed, with subfloor prep, waterproofing and old-flo...

23 min read
A finished bathroom with a wood vanity, a toilet and a curbless glass-walled shower enclosure with tiled walls, lit by a wall sconce above the mirrorBathroom cost file

Walk-In Tub Cost: Installed Prices by Type (2026)

Walk-in tub cost by type: soaker, hydrotherapy and bariatric models, with the tub, installation labor, electrical and...

23 min read
Two white contractor work vans parked on a brick paver driveway outside a home, viewed from an open front door with two toolboxes resting on the thresholdDriveway cost file

Driveway Installation Cost by Material (2026)

Driveway installation cost compares gravel, asphalt, concrete and paver pricing per square foot, plus base prep, drain...

23 min read
A close-up vertical crack running down the outside face of a light grey concrete foundation wall below a house's siding, with bare soil and grass at the baseFoundation playbook

How to Waterproof a Basement From the Outside

This walkthrough explains exterior basement waterproofing: the grading and downspouts you can do yourself, and what a...

24 min read
A vertical crack in a concrete foundation wall fitted with a row of white injection ports from top to bottom, with bare soil and grass at the base of the wallFoundation playbook

How to Waterproof a Basement Wall (Step-by-Step)

This walkthrough shows how to waterproof a basement wall: find the leak, inject cracks, patch with hydraulic cement, a...

23 min read
A vertical crack running down a concrete foundation wall near grade, with excavated soil exposed alongside the wall and green grass just beyond the dig lineRestoration cost file

Water Damage Restoration Cost by Severity (2026)

Water damage restoration cost prices extraction, structural drying, removal, reconstruction and insurance by water cat...

29 min read
A freshly poured concrete slab inside wooden forms in a backyard, wire mesh reinforcement visible beneath the wet surface, fenced yard in the backgroundOutdoor cost file

Patio Installation Cost: Pavers vs Concrete (2026)

Patio installation cost runs an illustrative $9 to $40 per square foot. This cost file prices pavers, concrete, flagst...

23 min read
How this site works

Local hiring, without the guessing

What you get here

Price context firstKnow the typical range before anyone quotes you.
Read bids like a proGuides that decode itemized quotes and red flags.
No lead-sellingWe do not sell your details to contractors, and no guide sits behind a signup.

Hiring checklist

Full checklist
  • Get 2 to 3 detailed quotes
  • Verify licensing and insurance
  • Ask about warranties
  • Review recent local feedback
  • Get scope in writing

Why the same job costs more here than there

  • Labour rates. Trades charge what their own market bears, so the hourly figure behind a bid moves city to city.
  • Access and site conditions. Parking, stairs, a tight crawl space or old pipework and wiring all add hours to the same nominal job.
  • Demand and season. A trade booked out for six weeks prices differently to one with a gap next Tuesday.
  • Permits and inspections. Which work needs a permit, and what it costs, is set locally. Your city or county building department is the only reliable source. Ask before you sign anything.

The estimator's area setting is an illustrative multiplier for that spread, not a rate lookup.

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By email

Get a project cost breakdown by email

Tell us about your project and we'll email you a breakdown of what work like that typically costs and what a fair written quote should itemise. We are not a contractor or a matching service, we do not book jobs, and we will not pass your details to anyone.

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About

Local knowledge, plainly stated

"Near me" searches deserve real local answers, not national fluff.

How we research

We take one job at a time and explain how it is priced: what the line items on a bid mean, which variables move the total, and what a fair written quote should itemise. Figures here are illustrative ranges for framing a quote, never a quote themselves. Permit fees, code requirements and labour rates are set locally, so we tell you what to ask your building department rather than guessing on your behalf.

How we make money

At the time of writing this site carries no affiliate links and no advertising. No link earns a commission and no company pays for coverage. If that ever changes, the disclosure page will say so first and any paid link will be marked where it appears.

Every figure on this site is an illustrative range meant to frame a written quote, never a substitute for one. If a number here does not match what you were quoted, the quote is the one that counts, and we would like to hear about it.

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