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Independent Cost Data · 6 Trades · 5 Cities

Your contractor quoted you a number. Is it fair?

We built a cost index from BLS wages, material prices, and real permit fees so you can see what your project should actually cost, before you sign anything.

home-improvement trades
6
US cities
5
Every quote is checked against verified per-city labor + material + permit data.
Outdoor Living & Hardscapes $3,876 avgPlumbing $1,780 avgHVAC $8,319 avgPainting $10,342 avgBathroom Remodeling $14,803 avgKitchen Remodeling $23,230 avgOutdoor Living & Hardscapes $3,876 avgPlumbing $1,780 avgHVAC $8,319 avgPainting $10,342 avgBathroom Remodeling $14,803 avgKitchen Remodeling $23,230 avg
Updated Quarterly
Federal labor + industry pricing data
Expert Reviewed
Reviewed by Leonard "Chuck" Thompson, LC Thompson Construction Co., Owner (retired)
Proprietary benchmarks · BLS · FRED · NKBA
What this is

Kelly Blue Book, for construction.

You can look up what a used Civic is worth in about ten seconds. Figuring out a fair price for a new water heater, a repainted house, or a kitchen remodel is somehow still a guessing game. We fix that. TheFatBook builds the real cost of common home improvement jobs from federal wage data, a licensed cost book, current material prices, and the actual permit fee in your city, then shows you the fair range and the floor a contractor can still do the work for. No lead forms, no kickbacks, no "request a quote" maze. Know the number before you sign, then hire whoever you want.

What Are You Getting Done?

Pick your trade. We'll show you the real numbers.

Expert Review

Who reviewed the methodology.

All cost data and methodology reviewed by Leonard "Chuck" Thompson, LC Thompson Construction Co., Owner (retired) · High-End Residential & Commercial Builder · Jefferson City, MO.

Read complete methodology →
Stop Guessing

You shouldn't need three quotes to know if one quote is fair.

Enter your contractor's number. We'll tell you where it lands against verified cost data for your city, and show you what the job should actually cost, line by line. Also see: Outdoor Living & Hardscapes Bid Fairness Checker Also see: Plumbing Bid Fairness Checker Also see: HVAC Bid Fairness Checker Also see: HVAC Bid Fairness Checker Also see: Painting Bid Fairness Checker Also see: Bathroom Remodeling Configurator Also see: Bathroom Remodeling Quote Check Also see: Bathroom Remodeling Resale Value Also see: Bathroom Remodeling Financing Also see: Bathroom Remodeling Bid Fairness Checker Also see: Kitchen Remodeling Bid Fairness Checker Also see: Leonard "Chuck" Thompson, TheFatBook Also see: David Olson, TheFatBook

Outdoor Living & HardscapesPlumbingHVACPaintingBathroom RemodelingKitchen Remodeling
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Cost index built by David Olson, Founder of TheFatBook · Methodology reviewed by Leonard "Chuck" Thompson, LC Thompson Construction Co., Owner (retired) · 2026.Q2