Distribution of the total project budget across the four major cost categories. The four entries below should sum to 100%.
Distribution of the Design & Engineering subtotal across individual design disciplines. These percentages should sum to 100%.
| Design Trade | Typical Range | % of Design | Subtotal |
|---|
Distribution of the Construction (Hard Costs) subtotal across individual construction trades. These percentages should sum to 100%.
| Construction Trade | Typical Range | % of Construction | Subtotal |
|---|
Distribution of the Contingency & Other subtotal across reserve, financing, and risk-protection line items. These percentages should sum to 100%.
| Reserve / Other Line Item | Typical Range | % of Other | Subtotal |
|---|
Top-Level Allocation. The four categories distribute the total project budget. Typical SoCal residential addition/remodel projects allocate the majority (70 to 80%) to construction hard costs, with design and permitting making up roughly 10 to 20%, and reserves another 10 to 15%. Sum should equal 100%.
Design Trade Breakdown. Sums to 100% of the Design & Engineering subtotal. Architectural typically dominates (45 to 60%). Structural engineering, Spruce's core scope, generally runs 15 to 25% of design. Geotechnical, civil, and survey are only required when scope demands.
Construction Trade Breakdown. Sums to 100% of the Construction (Hard Costs) subtotal. General Contractor overhead and profit is a notable line item (15 to 20%) and is often the single largest allocation. Trade percentages will vary substantially based on scope (a kitchen-heavy remodel will see higher cabinetry/tile shares; an addition will see higher framing/foundation shares).
Permit Fees. LA City and Coastal jurisdictions trend high. Inland Empire trends low. The regional selector adjusts the default top-level percent for permits.
Contingency. 10 to 15% reserve is recommended for any residential project. Pre-1978 structures, hillside lots, and coastal sites warrant the upper end of the range due to hidden conditions, abatement requirements, and geotechnical risk.
This estimator is for preliminary planning purposes only and does not constitute a fixed quote, bid, or engineering opinion of probable cost. All figures must be independently verified with licensed design and construction professionals prior to project commitment.