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FREE TOOLS FOR CONTRACTORS
Run your business on real numbers, not instinct.
Most contractors know their trade. Few know their true margins, their real labour cost, or whether their line of credit is the right size. These tools change that - free, no login, no catch.
6
FREE TOOLS
30
TRADES BENCHMARKED
2 min
AVERAGE RUN TIME
$0
COST OF USE
THE TOOLKIT
Pick the question that keeps you up at night.
Each tool addresses a specific financial blind spot that construction businesses deal with every day. Most are calculators. One will change how you think about your jobs. Start with the one that feels most urgent.
LABOUR COSTING
Burdened Labour Cost Calculator
"I pay $45/hr - but what does that worker actually cost me?"
The wage on the pay stub is only the beginning. Add CPP, EI, WCB, vacation, stat holidays, benefits, overhead, and productivity loss — and the real cost per productive hour can be 40–60% higher than the base wage.
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Pre-loaded with 2026 Alberta statutory rates
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Union and non-union modes
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Overtime blended rate for crews working 50+ hour weeks
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Target estimating rate — the number that goes in your bid
EQUIPMENT
Equipment Buy vs. Rent Calculator
"Should I buy this excavator or keep renting?"
The answer depends on your utilisation — not on gut feel or the monthly payment. This tool calculates the true hourly cost of owning versus renting, finds your breakeven utilisation point, and tells you what rate to use in your estimates.
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Daily, weekly, and monthly rental rate support
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Visual breakeven chart — see exactly where ownership wins
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True cost of ownership including financing, maintenance, insurance
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Equipment estimating rate for job costing
BENCHMARKING
Construction Profitability Benchmark Calculator
"Are my margins good — or am I just busy?"
Revenue is vanity. Profit is reality. This tool benchmarks your gross margin, overhead rate, and net margin against industry standards for your specific trade and revenue level — across 30 trades and 7 revenue bands.
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Gross margin, overhead rate, and net margin — all three at once
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30 trades with 7 revenue bands each
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Instant visual gauge showing where you stand
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Full benchmark table for all revenue levels — see your growth trajectory
PRICING
Markup vs. Margin Calculator
"I use 20% — but am I actually making 20%?"
Markup and margin sound like the same thing. They are not — and confusing them is one of the most common and costly pricing mistakes in construction. A 20% markup only produces a 16.7% margin. The gap compounds fast.
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See the exact dollar difference on any job
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Find the markup you actually need to hit your margin target
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Visual chart showing how the gap widens as percentages increase
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Quick-reference conversion table for common rates
JOB COSTING
WIP & Over/Under Billing Calculator
"My jobs look profitable — but where is all the cash going?
Your income statement tells you what happened last month. Your WIP schedule tells you what's happening right now — while you can still do something about it. This tool is as much a teaching moment as it is a calculator.
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See your true over/under billing position across all active jobs
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Understand why % complete can be dangerously misleading
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Enter a revised cost to complete and watch margin fade appear in real time
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Portfolio-level margin and margin fade — budget vs. revised, in dollars
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Plain-language assessment telling you what your WIP position means and what to do about it
WORKING CAPITAL
Line of Credit Sizing Calculator
"My line of credit never feels like enough."
Most contractors either have too little line and fund the gap personally, or too much line and pay unnecessary interest. The right size is a function of your revenue, margins, and cash conversion cycle — not what the bank offered.
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Calculate your true working capital requirement
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Identify the gap between what you have and what you need
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Understand your cash conversion cycle and its impact
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Build the case for a conversation with your banker
WHY FREE?
Because the problem is real whether you hire us or not.
Most contractors we talk to are underpricing their work, overestimating what their line of credit can cover, or paying 30% more for labour than they think they are. Some don't know their WIP position is hiding a margin problem that will only show up on the income statement after it's too late to fix. These aren't small problems — they're the difference between a business that scales and one that stays stuck.
These tools exist because a contractor who understands their numbers makes better decisions — and better decisions are good for the whole industry. If the tools help you fix something without ever calling us, that's a win. And if the numbers raise questions you don't know how to answer, we're here.
READY TO TALK THROUGH YOUR NUMBERS?
The tools show your where you stand.
We help you move the needle.
Or call 403-803-5907
Marawood work with "Western Canadian contractors to build the financial systems, job costing structure, and reporting that turns accurate numbers into profitable businesses. Book a free 30-minute call - no obligation, no pressure, just a conversation about your numbers.