Cost Per 100 Square Foot Calculator
This calculator helps you determine the cost for every 100 square feet of a project or material, based on its total cost and total area. This standardized metric is useful for comparing expenses regardless of the overall size.
Enter the total cost of the item or project and the total area it covers in square feet.
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Understanding Cost Per 100 Square Foot
What is "Cost Per 100 Square Foot"?
"Cost Per 100 Square Foot" is a unit rate that tells you how much it costs to cover or service an area equivalent to 100 square feet. It standardizes costs, making it easier to compare different options. For example, if you're comparing two types of flooring sold at different total prices for different box sizes, converting their costs to cost per 100 sq ft gives you an 'apples-to-apples' comparison.
Formula
The formula is straightforward:
Cost Per 100 Sq Ft = (Total Cost / Total Area) × 100
Where:
- Total Cost: The total price paid for the material, service, or project.
- Total Area: The entire area covered or affected, measured in square feet.
Ensure your total area is in square feet before using the calculator.
Examples
Here are 10 examples demonstrating how to use the calculator. Click on an example to see the details.
Example 1: Painting a Room
Scenario: You spent $500 to paint a room with a total wall area of 250 sq ft.
Input: Total Cost = 500, Total Area = 250
Calculation: Cost Per 100 Sq Ft = ($500 / 250 sq ft) * 100 = $2/sq ft * 100 = $200
Result: $200 per 100 sq ft.
Example 2: Flooring a House
Scenario: New flooring for a house cost $10,000, covering 1500 sq ft.
Input: Total Cost = 10000, Total Area = 1500
Calculation: Cost Per 100 Sq Ft = ($10,000 / 1500 sq ft) * 100 ≈ $6.67/sq ft * 100 = $666.67
Result: $666.67 per 100 sq ft.
Example 3: Landscaping a Yard
Scenario: A landscaping project on a 500 sq ft area cost $3,000.
Input: Total Cost = 3000, Total Area = 500
Calculation: Cost Per 100 Sq Ft = ($3,000 / 500 sq ft) * 100 = $6/sq ft * 100 = $600
Result: $600 per 100 sq ft.
Example 4: Roofing a Garage
Scenario: Replacing a garage roof costs $2,500 for a 400 sq ft area.
Input: Total Cost = 2500, Total Area = 400
Calculation: Cost Per 100 Sq Ft = ($2,500 / 400 sq ft) * 100 = $6.25/sq ft * 100 = $625
Result: $625 per 100 sq ft.
Example 5: Small Material Purchase
Scenario: You bought a box of tiles for $150 that covers 75 sq ft.
Input: Total Cost = 150, Total Area = 75
Calculation: Cost Per 100 Sq Ft = ($150 / 75 sq ft) * 100 = $2/sq ft * 100 = $200
Result: $200 per 100 sq ft.
Example 6: Large Industrial Floor Coating
Scenario: Applying a coating to a 10,000 sq ft factory floor costs $50,000.
Input: Total Cost = 50000, Total Area = 10000
Calculation: Cost Per 100 Sq Ft = ($50,000 / 10,000 sq ft) * 100 = $5/sq ft * 100 = $500
Result: $500 per 100 sq ft.
Example 7: Tiling a Bathroom
Scenario: Tiling a small bathroom floor (60 sq ft) costs $700 for labor and materials.
Input: Total Cost = 700, Total Area = 60
Calculation: Cost Per 100 Sq Ft = ($700 / 60 sq ft) * 100 ≈ $11.67/sq ft * 100 = $1166.67
Result: $1166.67 per 100 sq ft.
Example 8: Building a Fence
Scenario: Building a linear fence 300 feet long (treat as 300 sq ft 'area' for cost) costs $1200.
Input: Total Cost = 1200, Total Area = 300
Calculation: Cost Per 100 Sq Ft = ($1200 / 300 sq ft) * 100 = $4/sq ft * 100 = $400
Result: $400 per 100 sq ft.
Note: For linear projects, 'area' here represents linear feet for calculation consistency.
Example 9: Installing Wall Insulation
Scenario: Insulating a wall section of 120 sq ft costs $800.
Input: Total Cost = 800, Total Area = 120
Calculation: Cost Per 100 Sq Ft = ($800 / 120 sq ft) * 100 ≈ $6.67/sq ft * 100 = $666.67
Result: $666.67 per 100 sq ft.
Example 10: Pouring a Small Concrete Slab
Scenario: Pouring an 80 sq ft concrete slab costs $400.
Input: Total Cost = 400, Total Area = 80
Calculation: Cost Per 100 Sq Ft = ($400 / 80 sq ft) * 100 = $5/sq ft * 100 = $500
Result: $500 per 100 sq ft.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cost Per 100 Sq Ft
1. What does "Cost Per 100 Square Foot" actually represent?
It represents the standardized cost for an area measuring 100 square feet. It's a common metric used in construction, real estate, and material sales to provide a consistent basis for cost comparison, regardless of the specific project size.
2. Why is 100 sq ft used instead of 1 sq ft?
Using 100 sq ft often results in more convenient numbers, especially for materials or projects where the cost per single square foot is very low or involves small decimals. It's simply a standard practice in many industries.
3. What inputs are required for this calculator?
You need two inputs: the Total Cost of the project, material, or service, and the Total Area it covers, measured in square feet.
4. Can I use this for costs like flooring, painting, or roofing?
Yes, absolutely. This calculator is ideal for comparing costs of materials or services across various area-based projects like flooring, painting, roofing, landscaping, insulation, concrete work, etc., as long as you know the total cost and the total square footage.
5. What if my total area is less than 100 sq ft?
The calculator will still work correctly. It scales the cost based on the ratio of your total area to 100 sq ft. If your area is 50 sq ft, the cost per 100 sq ft will be double your total cost (since 50 sq ft is half of 100 sq ft).
6. What units should I use for the Total Cost?
The calculator works with any currency (dollars, euros, pounds, etc.). The output "Cost Per 100 Sq Ft" will be in the same currency units that you enter for the Total Cost. Just be consistent.
7. What are the limitations on the input values?
The Total Cost must be zero or a positive number. The Total Area must be a positive number greater than zero, as you cannot calculate a cost per unit area if there is no area.
8. Is this the same as calculating cost per square foot?
It's related. Calculating cost per square foot is (Total Cost / Total Area). The result from this calculator is simply the cost per square foot multiplied by 100.
9. How accurate is the calculated cost?
The accuracy of the result depends entirely on the accuracy of the Total Cost and Total Area values you enter. The calculator performs the division and multiplication precisely.
10. Can I use different area units, like square meters?
This calculator is specifically labeled and designed for Square Feet. To use square meters, you would need a calculator designed for "Cost Per 100 Square Meters", or you would first convert your area from square meters to square feet (1 square meter ≈ 10.764 square feet) before entering the value here.
