Our Methodology
How we calculate accurate, location-specific home repair cost estimates
Data Sources
1. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS)
The BLS OEWS program surveys approximately 1.2 million establishments per year, producing employment and wage estimates for over 800 occupations across 400+ metro areas. We use this data to determine actual hourly labor rates for each trade by location.
URL: bls.gov/oes
Occupations we track:
- 47-2011 — Boilermakers
- 47-2111 — Electricians
- 47-2152 — Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
- 49-9021 — Heating, AC, and Refrigeration Mechanics
- 47-2031 — Carpenters
- 47-2141 — Painters, Construction and Maintenance
- 47-2181 — Roofers
- 37-3011 — Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
- 37-2021 — Pest Control Workers
2. Census Bureau — American Community Survey (ACS)
We use ACS 5-year estimates for median home values, housing age, and regional economic indicators that contextualize repair costs. A home valued at $500K in San Francisco will typically command higher service costs than a $150K home in rural Ohio — and our model accounts for this.
URL: census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
3. BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI)
We apply CPI regional adjustments to normalize costs across different metro areas. This ensures our estimates reflect actual purchasing power differences between cities.
Cost Calculation Formula
Our cost estimates follow this general formula:
Total Cost = (Hourly Labor Rate × Labor Hours) + Materials + Overhead Markup Where:
- Hourly Labor Rate = BLS median wage × 1.5 (contractor markup for overhead, insurance, profit)
- Labor Hours = Industry-standard time estimates for each service type
- Materials = National average material costs adjusted by regional CPI
- Overhead Markup = 15-25% (varies by trade and complexity)
Low / Average / High Ranges
- Low estimate = 10th percentile wage × minimum scope
- Average estimate = 50th percentile wage × typical scope
- High estimate = 90th percentile wage × maximum scope + premium materials
Update Frequency
BLS OEWS data is released annually (typically in March for the prior year). We update our cost database within 7 days of each new BLS release. Census ACS data is updated annually in September.
Limitations
- Our estimates represent typical costs. Unusual project conditions, emergency services, or specialty materials may result in costs outside our ranges.
- We do not account for permit fees, which vary significantly by municipality.
- Rural areas with fewer than 50,000 population may use state-level averages due to BLS data suppression.
Contact
Questions about our methodology? Email us at data@fixhomecosts.com.