SoloBid Estimator
2026 OBBBA Tax-Aware Contractor Bid Calculator
Job Details
Overtime (OBBBA §1234)
The overtime premium deduction is capped at $12,500 under 2026 OBBBA rules.
Annual Tax Context
Used to calculate your effective tax rate for bid pricing.
Recommended Bid
Tax-adjusted to preserve your profit target after 19.4% effective rate
Base Bid
$842
Profit Amount
$140
Bid Breakdown
2026 OBBBA Tax Summary
Annual tax estimate based on your revenue context.
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Results are estimates based on your inputs. See how we build and review our calculators.
How the SoloBid Estimator Works
The SoloBid Estimator is a free contractor bid pricing calculator built specifically for independent contractors, handymen, and solo operators. It calculates a recommended bid price that accounts for your actual labor hours, material costs, overhead, profit margin, and — critically — the full tax burden you will owe as a self-employed worker under 2026 rules.
Most contractors underprice their bids because they calculate labor and materials but forget to account for self-employment tax (15.3%), income tax, and the fact that there is no employer paying half of their Social Security and Medicare. The SoloBid Estimator builds all of these costs into the recommended bid so you know the minimum price that actually covers your take-home income goal.
The calculator applies the 2026 OBBBA tax rules: the $16,100 standard deduction for single filers, the new $12,500 overtime premium deduction cap, and the updated $40,400 SALT cap. These figures are sourced from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 and the One Big Beautiful Budget Act provisions effective for the 2026 tax year.
How the Bid Price Is Calculated
The recommended bid is built from the bottom up, starting with your true cost of doing the job and working up to the price that covers taxes and delivers your target take-home income.
(Hourly Rate × Hours) + MaterialsYour raw cost of labor and materials before overhead or profit.
Base Cost × (1 + Overhead %)Overhead covers tools, insurance, vehicle, phone, and other business expenses. Typical range: 10–25%.
Cost with Overhead × (1 + Margin %)Your profit margin is what you earn above costs. For solo contractors, 15–25% is standard.
Net SE Income × 92.35% × 15.3%Self-employment tax applies to 92.35% of net SE income. Half is deductible above the line per IRC §164(f).
Taxable Income − $16,100 (standard) − ½SE Tax − QBIThe $16,100 standard deduction, half of SE tax, and the 20% QBI deduction (IRC §199A) all reduce taxable income.
Job Revenue needed to net your target after all taxesThe final bid price is the revenue required so that after paying SE tax and income tax, you take home your target amount.
Step-by-Step: How to Price a Contractor Bid
Enter your hourly rate and estimated hours
Start with your base hourly rate — what you charge for your time, not what you want to take home. If you are unsure, research local market rates for your trade. Underestimating hours is the most common cause of unprofitable bids; add a 10–15% buffer for jobs with uncertain scope.
Enter your material cost
Include all materials you will purchase for the job. If you are buying materials and marking them up, enter the cost to you and adjust your margin accordingly. Do not forget consumables like tape, sandpaper, caulk, and fasteners that are easy to forget but add up on larger jobs.
Set your overhead percentage
Overhead covers all your business expenses that are not tied to a specific job: tools, vehicle, insurance, phone, software, and marketing. Divide your annual overhead costs by your annual billable hours to get a per-hour overhead rate, then convert to a percentage of your average job cost. Most solo contractors fall between 10–20%.
Set your profit margin
Profit margin is what you earn above your costs — it is not the same as take-home pay. A 20% margin on a $1,000 job means $200 in profit before taxes. For solo contractors, 15–25% is a reasonable target depending on your market and competition.
Review the tax breakdown
The calculator shows your estimated SE tax, income tax, and effective tax rate based on your 2026 filing status. If the tax burden looks higher than expected, check whether you are capturing all your deductible business expenses — these reduce your net SE income and therefore your SE tax.
Use the recommended bid as your floor, not your ceiling
The recommended bid is the minimum price that covers your costs and taxes while delivering your target take-home. In competitive markets you may need to bid at or near this floor. In less competitive markets or for specialized work, you can and should bid higher. Never bid below the recommended price unless you have a specific strategic reason.
Real-World Example: Bathroom Tile Job, 2026
A solo tile contractor in the Southeast is bidding a bathroom tile replacement. Here is how the SoloBid Estimator would build the recommended bid:
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Hourly rate | $65/hr |
| Estimated hours | 14 hours |
| Materials | $420 |
| Overhead | 15% |
| Profit margin | 20% |
| Filing status | Single |
| Recommended Bid (after tax coverage) | ~$1,890 |
Without the tax calculation, a contractor might quote $1,400 (labor + materials + margin) and feel good about it — only to find at tax time that SE tax and income tax consumed most of the profit. The SoloBid Estimator prevents this by building the full tax cost into the recommended bid upfront.
How 2026 OBBBA Tax Changes Affect Your Bids
The One Big Beautiful Budget Act made several permanent changes that directly affect how solo contractors should price their work. Understanding these rules lets you bid more competitively while protecting — or even increasing — your after-tax profit.
Permanent 100% Bonus Depreciation
For qualifying property placed in service after January 19, 2025, the OBBBA restored permanent 100% bonus depreciation. If you buy a new tile saw, truck, scaffolding system, or other business equipment in 2026, you can deduct the full purchase price in the year of purchase instead of depreciating it over 5–7 years. On a $12,000 truck tool package, that is a $12,000 deduction in year one — reducing your taxable income and allowing you to bid more aggressively on jobs that require that equipment.
QBI Deduction (20% of Qualified Business Income)
The Qualified Business Income deduction under IRC §199A allows most solo contractors to deduct 20% of their net business income from federal taxable income. The OBBBA made this deduction permanent and expanded the income thresholds. On $80,000 of net contractor income, the QBI deduction reduces your taxable income by $16,000 — saving approximately $2,400–$3,520 in federal income tax depending on your bracket. The SoloBid Estimator applies this automatically.
Overtime Premium Deduction (New for 2026)
OBBBA §1234 created a new deduction for the overtime premium portion of wages — the 0.5× multiplier above your regular rate — capped at $12,500 per year. If you pay yourself or subcontractors overtime, this deduction reduces your taxable income dollar-for-dollar up to the cap. On an overtime-heavy job, this can meaningfully lower your effective tax rate and improve your net take-home without raising your bid price.
Higher Standard Deduction and SALT Cap
The 2026 standard deduction is $16,100 for single filers and $32,200 for joint filers — the highest ever. The SALT cap was raised to $40,400, which is particularly valuable for contractors in high-tax states. These changes reduce your overall tax burden and mean the SoloBid Estimator's after-tax profit calculations are more favorable in 2026 than in prior years.
Three Scenarios: How OBBBA Rules Change Your Net Profit
| Scenario | Gross Bid | Tax Burden | Net Profit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landlord repair — no OBBBA bonus deductions | $1,890 | $420 | $310 |
| Equipment job with $8,000 bonus depreciation | $1,890 | $220 | $510 |
| OT-heavy job with $12,500 OT premium deduction | $2,400 | $390 | $780 |
Estimates based on single filer, 22% federal bracket, 2026 OBBBA parameters. Actual results vary by state, income level, and deduction eligibility. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
Common Contractor Pricing Mistakes
Forgetting self-employment tax
Self-employment tax is 15.3% of 92.35% of your net SE income — and unlike W-2 employees, you pay both the employer and employee share. On $50,000 of net SE income, that is approximately $7,065 in SE tax before income tax. Many solo contractors price their work as if they were employees and then wonder why they cannot save money.
Underestimating job hours
Scope creep, unexpected complications, and travel time between jobs all add hours that are easy to miss in a bid. A useful rule: estimate your hours honestly, then add 15% as a buffer. If the job comes in under budget, you look good. If it runs long, you are covered.
Not tracking overhead as a real cost
Your truck, tools, insurance, phone, and software are all business expenses — and they have to be paid from your revenue. If you do not build overhead into your bid, you are effectively paying for your business out of your take-home pay. Track your annual overhead and divide by your annual billable hours to get your true overhead rate.
Pricing to win instead of pricing to profit
Winning a bid at a price that does not cover your costs and taxes is worse than not winning it. Every unprofitable job costs you time you could spend on a profitable one. Use the SoloBid Estimator to know your floor price, then compete on value, speed, and reputation rather than undercutting on price.
Missing the 2026 overtime premium deduction
The OBBBA created a new deduction for the premium portion of overtime wages — the 0.5× multiplier above your regular rate — capped at $12,500 for 2026. If you pay yourself or employees overtime, this deduction reduces your taxable income. The SoloBid Estimator applies this automatically when you enter overtime hours.
Related Tools and Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 2026 standard deduction for solo contractors?
What is the OBBBA overtime premium deduction for 2026?
What is the 2026 SALT deduction cap under OBBBA?
How does the QBI deduction work for solo contractors in 2026?
How should I price a contractor bid to cover taxes?
What is self-employment tax for contractors in 2026?
Is the SoloBid Estimator free to use?
What is the difference between markup and margin for contractors?
How much should a solo contractor charge per hour in 2026?
What overhead costs should a solo contractor include in their bid?
How does the 2026 QBI deduction work for contractors?
Free 2026 Solo Operator Tax Cheat Sheet
All the 2026 OBBBA tax rules in one printable PDF — $16,100 standard deduction, $12,500 overtime cap, $40,400 SALT limit, and more. No fluff.
Download Free PDF