THE NUMBERS, EXPLAINED
How to use this calculator.
Target contribution is before fixed overhead and tax. Rates and job times are user assumptions, not a market quote.
Start with your inputs
Enter round-trip travel time (minutes), visit setup time (minutes), billable work time (minutes), desired contribution per occupied hour (currency), direct travel expense (currency), direct job materials (currency). Keep amounts in the units shown on each field. The example is a starting point, not a recommended value.
| Input | Example value |
|---|---|
| Round-trip travel time (minutes) | 40 |
| Visit setup time (minutes) | 20 |
| Billable work time (minutes) | 60 |
| Desired contribution per occupied hour (currency) | 40 |
| Direct travel expense (currency) | 10 |
| Direct job materials (currency) | 20 |
A worked example
With the example inputs above, total occupied time (hours) is 2. Change the inputs to explore your own scenario.
| Result | Example answer |
|---|---|
| Total occupied time (hours) | 2 |
| Minimum visit fee (currency) | 110 |
| Contribution at minimum fee (currency) | 80 |
How this is calculated
Total occupied time (hours)
Include travel, setup and job time.
Minimum visit fee (currency)
Fund desired contribution over all occupied time and recover expenses.
Contribution at minimum fee (currency)
Report the amount remaining after listed direct expenses.
Symbols and units
- a
- Round-trip travel time (minutes)
- b
- Visit setup time (minutes)
- c
- Billable work time (minutes)
- d
- Desired contribution per occupied hour (currency)
- e
- Direct travel expense (currency)
- f
- Direct job materials (currency)
Use the units shown. A list keeps the order in which you enter its values. The symbol ^ means “raised to the power of”.
Assumptions and limits
Target contribution is before fixed overhead and tax. Rates and job times are user assumptions, not a market quote.
Calculations use the values you enter. Blank or invalid inputs show an error instead of silently substituting zero. Results are displayed to useful precision; calculations retain the underlying numeric precision.
Questions about this tool
What does the result tell me?
Total occupied time (hours); Minimum visit fee (currency); Contribution at minimum fee (currency). The result applies to the method and inputs described above. Check the units and assumptions before using it in a decision.
Why might another calculator differ?
Differences in units, rounding, timing or model definitions can produce different answers. Compare the input definitions and the method, rather than only the final number. For this tool: Target contribution is before fixed overhead and tax. Rates and job times are user assumptions, not a market quote.
Are my inputs stored or sent to AI?
Calculations on this page happen in your browser. The separate AI question finder sends its submitted conversation to OpenAI; these calculator fields are not sent. Favourites and recent tool names are stored locally. A shared link contains the inputs you choose to include.
Further reading
OpenStax: Describe and Identify Cost Drivers ↗
Background reading; this does not imply endorsement or independent review of SumFizz.
Review status
Software example and browser checks are recorded in our quality report. No external expert review is claimed. Created with coding assistance; calculations run as ordinary browser code.
Read the quality report →