[01]
Collect public cost sources
We review public cost guides and source pages with visible units, ranges, dates, and coverage notes.
- Independent benchmark project
About HomeCostBench
HomeCostBench is a research-style cost benchmark for homeowners who want to understand project ranges before contacting contractors. It is independent from contractors and lead buyers.
Plain statement
What this site is and is not
This site publishes planning estimates based on sourced public data and a visible component model. It does not sell contractor services, does not collect lead forms, and does not claim that a model output is a final local quote.
HomeCostBench does not claim contractor, engineer, appraiser, or building inspector credentials. If a future page names a reviewer or contributor, that page should describe their real role and only the credentials that are true.
Research loop
How pages are prepared
[02]
Normalize the pricing basis
Installed totals, material-only ranges, labor-only ranges, allowances, and markups are separated before they are combined.
[03]
Run model checks
Sample projects are tested against external references so obvious model drift is caught before publishing.
[04]
Publish limits beside the estimate
The page shows assumptions, exclusions, data version, model version, last verified date, and a confidence label.
The full method page explains the data hierarchy, normalization, confidence labels, and correction process in more detail.
Read methodology