Framing Overrun Calculator

Framing costs swing with lumber and labor. This calculator sizes overrun risk.

Framing budget

Lumber volatility %

Labor premium %

Design change allowance %

Overrun projection

$751,800

Lumber exposure

$340,200

Total risk %

17.90%

How the math works

Overrun = lumber share × volatility + labor share × premium + design allowance.

Pre-purchase lumber on large projects if the market is relatively calm — buying $2-3M of lumber 2-3 months ahead at fixed price removes 30-50% of framing overrun risk. Storage cost runs 1-2% per month, a rounding error against a 20%+ price swing.

How to Use

Enter framing budget.
Enter lumber price volatility %.
Enter labor shortage premium %.
Enter design change allowance %.
Read overrun projection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Lumber volatility?

2020-2022: lumber prices swung 300%+ in 6-month windows. Even stable periods see 15-30% annual movement. Engineered wood (LVL, PSL, truss) more stable than dimensional. Framing quote valid 30 days typical — longer hold adds premium.

Labor premium?

Tight-market framing labor adds 15-30% to budget. Subs will bump other jobs if premium attached. Standard framing crews slip schedule if larger GCs outbid for crew time — small jobs suffer disproportionately.

Design changes?

Post-permit design changes trigger re-framing: $50-500/SF of affected area depending on scope. Post-frame changes: 5-10x cost. Lock design before framing starts; minor preference changes are 100x cheaper at floor plan stage.

How often should I rerun this?

Rerun this calculator whenever inputs change materially — new rent roll data, rate moves, loan balance updates, or quarterly operating data. For active deals, monthly refresh is typical. For stabilized assets under monitoring, quarterly is fine. Treat the output as a decision tool, not a one-time answer — market conditions evolve and so should your analysis.