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
Want to know how these figures are calculated? See our cost methodology.
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.