Enter a budget. Get a material list.
Every other construction calculator works in one direction: dimensions in, cost out. Trussly's budget calculator runs the math backward. Tell it how much money you have, and it tells you about how much material that buys at the prices you've set. 32 calculators support it.
Real example
You've got $52 left in the rebar budget. Punch that in. At the default $14 per 20 ft stick, Trussly tells you that's 3 sticks of #4 rebar, 60 linear feet. Now you know what to ask for at the yard.
Same thing works for concrete, lumber, roofing, tile, paint, mulch. Any calculator with a material cost component can run in reverse.
Why this matters
Budgets are real constraints. A homeowner says "I've got $800 for the patio." You need to know right now whether that covers 200 square feet of pavers or 150. Running the normal calculator forward means trial and error, adjusting dimensions until you land on a price that works.
The reverse calculator skips all that. One input, one answer.
32 calculators run backward
This isn't a separate tool bolted on. The budget mode is built into 32 calculators. Concrete, framing, roofing, electrical, paint, drywall, insulation, tile, and landscape. Flip to "Cost to Materials" and the inputs swap. It uses the same prices and yields as the forward calculators, and it tells you what the number leaves out.
Related features
- Material Prices -- 81 built-in prices you can override with your local numbers.
- Guided Projects -- chain calculators into one material list for a whole build.
Read more: How to Calculate Concrete for a Slab
Get Trussly
The only construction calculator that works in both directions.