Walk through actual general conditions line items for a construction project. All defaults are editable — override with your rates and quantities.
General conditions (also called "General Requirements" or Division 01 costs) represent the overhead of running a construction project — staffing, temporary facilities, insurance, and project-level expenses that aren't tied to a specific trade.
Typical general conditions range from 8-15% of total construction cost, varying by project size, duration, complexity, and location. Larger projects tend toward lower percentages; complex healthcare or renovation projects trend higher.
How to use:
Default rates: Based on 2025-2026 Mid-Atlantic market conditions for commercial construction. Salary ranges reflect fully-burdened costs (salary + benefits + burden). Adjust for your local market using the location factor, or override individual rates.
Note: This calculator provides a structured framework — not a quote. Every project has unique general conditions requirements. Use this as a starting point and adjust based on project-specific scope, contract terms, and local conditions.
Project size is the strongest driver of general conditions as a percentage of total cost. Projects under $2M often run 12–18% because fixed overhead (superintendent, trailer, safety program) is high relative to total contract. Projects over $20M trend toward 8–10% as the fixed overhead is diluted across more trade work.
Duration drives staffing costs more than any other factor. A project superintendent at a fully-burdened rate of $12,000–$18,000/month for 18 months is $216k–$324k before any other general conditions. Always enter an accurate schedule duration — this calculator auto-multiplies monthly items by project months.
Location factor adjusts for regional labor cost differences. Mid-Atlantic / Northeast US labor runs 20–35% above national average; Southeast and Mountain West run 5–15% below. The location factor in this tool applies a multiplier to all labor-based line items while leaving material costs unchanged.
See also: ROM Estimator · Scope Gap Matrix