Pricing
Project Quote Calculator
Turn estimated hours into a defensible fixed-price quote — labor, contingency, margin and a milestone payment schedule, ready to print or send.
Total project quote
$3,036.00
- Labor cost
- $2,400.00
- Contingency
- $240.00
- Profit margin
- $396.00
- Deposit (on signature) (30%)
- $910.80
- Midpoint delivery (40%)
- $1,214.40
- Final delivery (30%)
- $910.80
Milestone split assumes a standard 30/40/30 payment schedule — adjust to match your contract.
How this calculation works
Labor, then buffer, then margin
Labor cost = hours × rate. Contingency is added on top of labor to absorb scope risk, then profit margin is added on top of that total — so your margin isn't eaten by the buffer.
Milestones split the total
The final total is split across payment milestones (deposit, midpoint, final) so you know exactly what to invoice at each stage.
Frequently asked questions
Why add a contingency buffer if I already estimated the hours?+
Every fixed-price project has some risk of scope creep or underestimation. A 10-20% contingency protects your margin without needing to renegotiate scope mid-project for minor overruns.
What's a reasonable profit margin for a project quote?+
It varies by field and risk level, but 10-20% on top of labor and contingency is a common range for fixed-price freelance work, since you're absorbing the estimation risk that hourly billing would otherwise pass to the client.
How is the milestone schedule split?+
This calculator uses a standard 30% deposit / 40% midpoint / 30% final split, a common structure for freelance and agency contracts. Adjust the percentages in your actual contract to fit the project's real delivery structure.
Calculated your rate already? It carries over automatically from the Hourly Rate Calculator. Ready to bill? Send the total to the Invoice Calculator.