Material Waste Calculator
Calculate material waste percentage and costs. Most UK trades waste 5-15% of materials—offcuts, overordering, damage, and theft. Track it, reduce it, protect your margins.
Material Costs
Total cost of materials bought this month
Materials cost shown on customer invoices
14.3% of materials purchased were not invoiced
Estimated Waste Breakdown
Waste Analysis
Waste Rate: Poor
14.3%
High waste—implement better controls
Where You Stand
Verdict
⚠️ POOR — LEAKING CASH
14.3% waste equals roughly £7200/year left on the merchant counter.
Return unused materials within supplier windows and force field teams to log offcuts for reuse. Target 8% within 30 days.
Industry Benchmarks
Annual Waste Impact
£7200/year
Based on 12 months per year
💰 Potential Annual Savings
£4680
By reducing waste from 14.3% to 5% (industry best practice)
⚠️ Action Needed
- Stop overordering—order exact quantities needed
- Measure twice, cut once—reduce offcuts and errors
- Improve van/workshop storage to prevent damage
- Track materials per job to identify waste sources
- Standardize specs to reuse leftover materials
Material Efficiency
📏 Measure Accurately
Measurement errors cause 5-10% of waste. Double-check before ordering. A £50 mistake per week costs £2,600/year.
📦 Order Exact Quantities
Overordering "just in case" costs more than a second trip. A 10-minute return trip costs £10. Wasted materials cost £20-50.
📊 Track Every Job
Track materials purchased vs invoiced for every job. You can't improve what you don't measure. Target 5% waste or less.
📊 Turn Waste Numbers into Actions
Once you know your waste percentage, put a lightweight process in place so crews order better and throw away less.
Capture what you buy
Keep a simple list of materials ordered by job or phase.
Review vs invoiced
Compare purchased vs billed materials each month.
Flag high-waste jobs
Investigate when waste creeps above your target range.