How the lumber cost calculator works
How yards actually price
Dimensional lumber prices per stick (varying wildly by dimension and length — a 2x10x16 costs multiples of a 2x4x8), sheet goods per sheet by grade, and hardwood per board foot. The sticker wall shows the common ones; anything special is a counter conversation. Prices move weekly — a quote is a snapshot, not a contract.
The waste factor by material
Construction lumber wastes ~10% (cut-offs, crowns, the occasional split). Mixed projects run 15%. Hardwood demands 20–30% — defects, grain matching, and the boards you reject on sight. The waste factor is also your return policy: uncut surplus goes back, which makes over-buying a free option with a delivery-fee deductible.
Delivery vs the pickup bed
Yard delivery ($50–150) versus personal hauling: a full-size bed carries ~25 sticks of 2x8 (weight-limited around 1,500–2,000 lb), and a trailer doubles it. Mid-size projects hit the delivery break-even fast — especially with sheet goods, where a 3/4" subfloor order is 60–75 lb per sheet of regret.