Pricing

Break-Even Jobs Calculator

Estimate how many jobs your trade business may need each month to cover fixed costs and reach a desired income target.

Currency

Monthly fixed business costs

Include recurring overheads such as insurance, vehicles, premises, subscriptions, accounting, marketing, and other regular business expenses.

Average job value

Use the average amount charged for one completed job.

Average direct cost per job

Include costs that rise when a job is completed, such as materials, subcontractors, disposal, and other direct expenses.

Desired monthly income

Enter the amount you want the business to generate above fixed costs each month.

Working weeks per month

Around 4.3 weeks represents an average calendar month.

Estimated Results

Break-even jobs per month

3.9

Contribution per job

€900

Break-even revenue

€5,833

Jobs needed for income target

8.3

Jobs needed per week

1.9

What this means

Contribution margin

60%

Break-even jobs

3.9

Target monthly revenue

€12,500

Each average job contributes approximately €900 towards fixed business costs and income after the direct job costs entered above.

With monthly fixed costs of €3,500, approximately 3.9 average jobs would be required each month before those fixed costs are covered.

To also generate a desired monthly income of €4,000, the business would need approximately 8.3 jobs per month, or around 1.9 jobs per working week.

Your break-even target looks manageable provided the business consistently generates enough work and has the capacity to complete it.

This is a simplified planning estimate. Tax, VAT, finance repayments, irregular costs, seasonal changes, cancellations, and unexpected expenses may affect the actual break-even point.

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Understanding Your Result

How Break-Even Works

How break-even jobs are calculated

Break-Even Jobs = Fixed Costs ÷ Contribution Per Job

Contribution per job is the average job value minus the direct costs required to complete that job. That remaining amount is what helps cover the business’s fixed monthly costs.

Break-even is not the same as profit

Reaching break-even means the contribution from completed jobs has covered the fixed costs entered. Additional work is still subject to direct job costs, tax, and any other expenses before it becomes final profit.

Break-Even Jobs Calculator FAQs

How do you calculate break-even jobs?+

Divide monthly fixed business costs by the amount each average job contributes after its direct costs are deducted. This estimates how many jobs are needed before fixed costs are covered.

What is contribution per job?+

Contribution per job is the selling value of an average job minus the direct costs required to complete it. The remaining amount contributes towards fixed overheads and, once those are covered, income or profit.

What costs should be treated as fixed costs?+

Fixed costs are regular business expenses that do not change directly with each job, such as insurance, premises, software, accounting, vehicle finance, subscriptions, and other recurring overheads.

Does reaching break-even mean the business is profitable?+

Not necessarily. Break-even means the fixed and direct costs included in the calculation have been covered. Tax, unplanned expenses, and costs that were not entered may still affect final profitability.

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