Calculators for Property Investors
A good investment property decision comes down to a few numbers. The rental yield calculator shows gross and net yield once vacancy, management fees, rates, strata and insurance are taken off. The property cash flow calculator adds your loan to show the weekly cash in or out, and the negative gearing calculator estimates the tax refund and the real after-tax cost of holding a property that runs at a loss.
Before you buy, the LVR calculator shows your loan-to-value ratio and whether you are under the common 80% threshold for lenders mortgage insurance. When it is time to sell, the capital gains tax estimator applies the 50% CGT discount for assets held more than 12 months and estimates the tax at your marginal rate.
Estimating Building Materials
Ordering too little material holds up a job, and ordering too much wastes money. Each building calculator works in metric and adds a wastage allowance you can change:
- Concrete calculator — cubic metres for slabs, footings, round piers and steps, with bags of premix for small jobs.
- Paint calculator — litres for walls and ceilings, allowing for doors, windows and the number of coats.
- Tile calculator and flooring calculator — tiles, packs and square metres with cutting waste.
- Decking calculator — boards, joists and screws for a new deck.
- Roof pitch calculator — pitch in degrees, rise over run and rafter length.
- Tank volume calculator — litres in round and rectangular rainwater tanks.
Tips for Accurate Estimates
Measure each area separately and add them together rather than estimating one large shape. Allow extra for cuts — around 10% is a common starting point for tiles and flooring, more for diagonal layouts. Check product coverage on the label or data sheet, because paint spread rates and tile sizes vary between brands. For structural work such as slabs, footings and roof framing, follow your engineer's or builder's specifications.