Free tool
PPF & detailing margin calculator
A wall menu tells you revenue. This tells you profit. Cost the film by the foot, add your labor and waste, and see the price you need for the margin you want — or check what a price you have in mind actually earns.
Your job costs
Cost the job from the bottom up. Everything stays in your browser — nothing is sent anywhere.
Total job cost $895.84. To hold a 65% margin after card fees, quote $2,636. At the price you entered: 66% margin, $1,774 gross profit, $197 per bay hour.
True job cost
- Film + waste
- $455.84
- Labor
- $405.00
- Total cost
- $895.84
Price to hit a 65% margin
$2,636
Quote at or above this to keep a 65% margin after card fees.
Or check a price you have in mind
Margin
66%
Profit
$1,774
Per bay-hr
$197
Free downloads
Templates to take with you
The same bottom-up logic as spreadsheets and shop paperwork you can use today — no signup required.
FAQ
Margin math, answered
How do I calculate the margin on a PPF or detailing job?
Work from the bottom up. Add your true job cost — film costed by the linear foot off the roll (including the offcuts you can't reuse), install labor at a fully loaded rate, and consumables — then subtract that from your price. Margin percent is gross profit divided by net revenue (price minus card fees). This calculator does that math live: enter your feet, cost per foot, waste, labor and consumables, and it shows the price you need for a target margin and the margin any price actually earns.
What margin should a PPF or detailing shop aim for?
There's no single 'right' number — it depends on your market, overhead and mix of work — so this tool lets you set your own target rather than baking in a figure we can't stand behind. The important habit is reading the margin on every job before you send the quote, and comparing profit per bay-hour across jobs, because the biggest ticket isn't always the best use of a bay.
Does this calculator send my numbers anywhere?
No. All the math runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded, saved or shared. Refresh the page and it resets. Use it as often as you like.
Can I get this on every quote automatically?
Yes — that's what Service VIN does. Instead of typing numbers into a calculator, it costs each quote from the real film on your rack (inventory tracked to the foot with true cost per roll), adds your labor, and shows projected profit live as you build the quote. You see the margin before you send it, and every finished job draws down inventory with real COGS attached.
Want the deeper method? Read how to price a PPF job with real margin.