Trust & data

About HomeCostTotals

A free, independent planning tool built around traceable cost inputs.

How the calculators are maintained

HomeCostTotals publishes calculator definitions, a source registry, validation rules, and automated data refreshes. The site has no human editorial team and does not present an individual expert, reviewer, or professional credential.

Automated validation scope

The publication pipeline checks registered provenance, source links, formulas, deterministic fixtures, schema, accessibility, and build output. A failed gate blocks the affected release.

How estimates are produced

Calculations run in your browser from published material, labor, permit, and disposal components. Each public estimator must pass citation, provenance, decomposition, range, and plausibility gates; its method, sources, assumptions, and automated data status remain visible. Read the complete calculation method.

Why the site exists

HomeCostTotals helps U.S. homeowners form a transparent early budget before requesting local bids. It is not a contractor directory, quote, engineering opinion, or paid software product.