Free construction labor burden calculator
Estimate the true hourly cost of field labor including payroll burden, insurance, benefits and productive time.
Labor burden
Account for employer taxes, benefits, insurance and nonproductive paid time.
How to use this calculator
What is a fully burdened labor rate?
It adds employer-side taxes, workers compensation and benefits to the hourly wage, then accounts for paid hours that are not spent on productive field work.
How the calculator works
Burdened paid-hour cost = wage × (1 + payroll tax rate + workers comp rate) + weekly benefits ÷ weekly paid hours. True productive rate = burdened paid-hour cost ÷ productive time percentage.
Use your real rates
Actual employer taxes, insurance premiums, union benefits, paid leave and workers compensation vary. Replace all examples with company-specific figures.
These are general estimating aids, not industry standards or professional advice. Check your actual rates and contract.