Skip to main content
Free tool · no signup

Markup or margin? See what you actually keep.

Enter a job's contract price and costs. You get the markup, the gross and net margin, and where you sit against 2026 general contractor benchmarks. Then see how one missed line in a sub's bid changes the answer.

Your job

$
$
Use the leveled sub prices, not the low numbers as submitted.
$
A common rule: yearly overhead ÷ yearly revenue × this contract.
Net margin6.3%Above average
Residential typical 3–5%GC average 5–6%Top performers 10–12%
Markup on cost20.6%
Gross margin17.1%
Net profit$30,000

One missed scope line

Missed item$12,000
Net margin after you cover it3.8%
Share of your profit gone40%

Benchmarks from our article General Contractor Markup & Profit Margins in 2026.

Before you award

Find the missed line before it comes out of your margin.

Drop 2 or 3 sub bids for the same trade. We line them up item by item and flag what each one leaves out, free, in about two minutes.

Drop your sub bids herePDFs or phone photos · 2–3 bids for one tradeLevel my bids freeFiles are deleted after 7 days. No account needed.

Questions

What is the difference between markup and margin?
Markup is profit as a share of your cost; margin is profit as a share of the contract price. A 20% markup on cost is about a 16.7% gross margin, which is why GCs who quote markup often think they keep more than they do.
What net margin do general contractors make in 2026?
The average general contractor keeps a 5–6% net margin after overhead. Residential work often runs 3–5%, and top performers reach 10–12%.
How should I count overhead for one job?
A common rule is your yearly overhead divided by your yearly revenue, times this job's contract price. Overhead includes the office, trucks, insurance and your own salary.