Building materials calculator
Pick any of 29+ materials — cable, copper pipe, radiators, insulation, bricks, timber, roof tiles and more — enter the area, run or count, and we'll work out the quantity, packs and cost, with the full calculation shown.
1 m of cable per m of run.
| 2.5mm² twin & earth cable (sockets/ring) | 2 × 50 m drum | £96 |
- 1Cable run: 60 m
- 2Usage rate: 1 m of cable per m of run
- 3Allowing for waste: 60 × 1 × 1.1 waste = 66 m
- 4Packs: 66 m ÷ 50 per pack = 2 × 50 m drum
- Ring final circuits for sockets. Add ~10% for routing and drops.
- Indicative trade-counter price; confirm with a current supplier quote.
How material quantities are calculated
- 1Measure the driver
Each material is driven by an area (m²), a run/length (m), a count, or a volume (m³). The calculator tells you which and gives a sensible default.
- 2Apply the usage rate
We multiply by a real usage rate — e.g. 60 bricks per m² for single-skin brickwork, ~10 tiles per m² of roof, 1 m of cable per m of run.
- 3Add a waste allowance
Most materials get a 5–10% allowance for cuts, offcuts and breakages — sensible for a real-world order.
- 4Round to packs
We divide by the pack size (a 50 m cable drum, a 2.4×1.2 board, a roll) and round up, then price it at indicative trade-counter rates.
Most material calculators hide their assumptions, so you can't tell whether the number is right for your job. This one shows the rule of thumb behind every figure — 60 bricks per m², 10 tiles per m², a metre of cable per metre of run — so you can adjust it for your situation and know it's reasonable before you load the van. Adding a new material is a one-line change to our open data file.
Common usage rates (the rules of thumb)
| Material | Usage rate | Typical pack |
|---|---|---|
| Facing brick (single skin) | ~60 / m² | Priced per brick |
| Concrete block (100mm) | ~10 / m² | Priced per block |
| Roof tile (interlocking) | ~10 / m² | Priced per tile |
| 2.5mm² T&E cable | 1 m / m of run | 50 m drum |
| Loft insulation 270mm | 1 m² / m² | Roll ≈ 5.4 m² |
| Plasterboard 12.5mm | 1 / 2.88 m² | 2.4×1.2 sheet |
Indicative — confirm exact rates against current data sheets and quotes.
Frequently asked questions
What materials can this calculator work out?+
It covers 29+ common refurbishment materials across electrical (cable, sockets, consumer units), plumbing & heating (copper and plastic pipe, fittings, radiators), insulation, brick/block/mortar, concrete and screed, timber and studwork, and roofing — with paint, plaster, tiling and flooring on their own dedicated pages.
How much cable do I need to rewire?+
As a rough guide, allow about 1 metre of cable per metre of route plus 10% — and for a whole house, roughly 0.9 m of 2.5mm² and 0.55 m of 1.5mm² per m² of floor area. Our house rewire calculator works out the full job.
How many bricks are there in a square metre?+
About 60 standard bricks per square metre for a single-skin (half-brick) wall, before a ~5% waste allowance. A double-skin (one-brick) wall is roughly 120 per m².
Are the prices accurate?+
They're indicative UK trade-counter prices to give a credible material cost. Prices move — copper especially — so always confirm with a current supplier quote before ordering.
Related tools & guides
Cost figures shown are indicative estimates, not quotations. You are responsible for verifying all costs (obtain contractor quotes) and any figures submitted to a lender. ScopeWise is a documentation tool, not financial, tax, structural or planning advice. HMO compliance prompts are guidance only — confirm requirements with your local council, as standards and licensing vary by authority.