The OCB Interactive Budget Calculator
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Visualize Your Build. Align Your Priorities. Know What It Really Costs.
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Before you commit to finishes, finalize a design, or start getting quotes — take a moment to understand where your budget is actually going.
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This calculator was built by Old City Builders to give clients, designers, and project stakeholders a clearer picture of how a Charleston-area construction budget typically breaks down. It’s based on real project data and calibrated with regional benchmarks — so you’re not working off vague national averages.
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How to use the calculator:
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Enter your budget at the top — everything updates live.
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Toggle optional add-ons (like pools or ADUs) to see their impact.
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Adjust any percentage to fit your preferences and see how it reshapes the whole budget.
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The Fields in BLUE are items that you generally have more control over - like allowances for finishes.
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Download the full PDF guide below for deeper insights.
This calculator won’t give you a formal quote — but it will help you and your architect, builder, or design team get on the same page before surprises show up. It has pre-built weights that OCB has seen in our own projects and checked against local averages so you can see where you budget will go, line item by line item. Use it as a planning tool, a conversation starter, or just a reality check.
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Give it a spin. Enter a budget. Tweak the weights. Don't need fire suppression? Set the % weight to zero.
Want a pool? Click it. Just be sure to notice we included a "reset" button...you'll thank us later.
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