Hard Cost Contingency Drawdown Calculator

Construction contingency depletes over project — track drawdown vs remaining work.

Total contingency

Contingency used

% complete

Remaining contingency

$1,600,000

Drawdown pace vs plan

On pace

Used %

0.36%

How the math works

Expected used = total × % complete. Compare actual vs expected.

$2.5M × 45% = $1.125M expected. $900k actual = behind (good). $1.6M remaining.

How to Use

Enter total contingency.
Enter contingency used.
Enter % complete.
Enter expected final %.
Read contingency status.

Frequently Asked Questions

Typical contingency use?

Early project (0-30% complete): use 15-25% of contingency. Mid project (30-60%): 40-55% used. Late project (60-90%): 70-85% used. Closeout (90-100%): 95-105% used (sometimes overrun). Track weekly.

Red flags?

More than 60% used at 30% complete — significant overrun risk. Accelerating drawdown rate — investigate root cause. Same line items repeated — systematic issue. Quality disputes emerging — change order disputes coming.

Contingency sizing?

Ground-up: 5-10% of hard costs. Renovation: 10-20%. Historical/complex: 15-25%. First-time in market: add 3-5%. Lean sizing creates budget pressure; excess sizing allows sloppy execution. Balance carefully.

Who owns this risk — sponsor or lender?

Construction risks are typically shared: hard-cost overrun owned by sponsor (via completion guaranty), soft-cost and delay risks shared per contract, force-majeure excused but bears owner carry cost. Document risk ownership in the loan agreement and GC contract before closing. Disputes get expensive when roles are unclear. Institutional deals spell out every allocation in writing.