# BuildCalc — Construction Calculator > Advanced construction calculator for professional layout and material estimation. (iPhone/iPad app by 42nd Parallel.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buildcalc/id333369423 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [42nd Parallel](https://appshunter.io/developer/333369426) - Category: Utilities, Business - Price: $24.99 - Rating: 4.70/5 from 69 App Store ratings · 94 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 12.0 · 15 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2009-10-14 - Data updated: 2026-08-26 - Monetization: paid - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buildcalc/id333369423/reviews.md ## What is BuildCalc? What if you could take the best construction calculator and fix it. That’s right ... you love it, it has served you well, and you stand by it ... but could it do more? Could it be easier to use? After testing by pros from around the world, BuildCalc is ready to give you more - more function and more answers with less complexity, less hassle, and less confusion. MORE FUNCTIONALITY: • Advanced Baluster Function: Complete layout of railing and staircase balusters with less guess work - and with all the flexibility you need for every custom job. • Advanced Stair function: Stair layouts for professional results - including dimensioned drawings of your Stringer, Stringer Installation, and Finished Staircase. And you can email a PDF of these drawings right from BuildCalc so you can print them or share them. • Fence Function: Give BuildCalc a fence row length and it will tell you how many posts, rails, pickets, and or panels you need. • Interactive Functions: The Stair, Baluster, Compound Miter, and Rafter functions are now fully interactive. Want to change input values? Change the Run? Switch between Regular and Irregular Hip Roof analysis? You can do this and your results will be updated automatically - without you needing to remember what key to press. MORE ANSWERS: • You are no longer tied down to: only one brick, block or tile size for the masonry function; a fixed number of drywall sheet sizes; only one footer cross sectional area; or one size of shingles and sheathing. If you don’t see the size you want, you can add as many as you need. And for area input, you can store your custom sizes in Length x Width format, so you won’t have to do mental gymnastics to figure out what was the dimensions for that last size you stored. • Want to cut your hip roof rafter using a miter saw ... or a circular saw using a hand-held protractor? With a tap of a button, BuildCalc will automatically switch between Miter Saw and Protractor results. BuildCalc can do this for Compound Miters, too. • Sheathing Angles, Purlin Angles, Gable Area, Backing Angles, Plan Angles, Rough vs. Finished Stair Layout Dimensions, Stringer Throat, Stringer installation dimensions ... and a lot more not found on other construction calculators. LESS COMPLEXITY AND LESS HASSLE: • Tired of having to press and press and press buttons to get the results of a calculation? BuildCalc puts an end to this. For all advanced functions, you get ALL of your results in list form with just one or two key taps. • And, rather than having to write down those results, all advanced functions allow you to save your results - as many times as you want with a label you choose - so you can recall the complete results at your convenience. Now you can do a calculation today and two days, two weeks or two years later, it is there for you. • Less “quirks”. Have you been annoyed by arcane key stroke sequences on other construction calculators? We are too. BuildCalc 2.1 streamlined the keystrokes to do a better job of giving you less “errors” and more results. Don’t remember what you have to enter before a Hip Rafter or Stair calculation? Well, now you don’t have to. BuildCalc will provide you with a check list of inputs and on-the-spot help to get it right. • Drywall and Masonry “Room Mode”: If you have stored a Length, Width and Height for a room, BuildCalc will give you the Drywall or Masonry required for the walls and the ceiling / floor - with only a tap of the Drywall or Masonry button. No more pondering over complex key sequences ... it just works. NOW WITH ADVANCED STAIRS, BALUSTER, AND HIP/VALLEY FUNCTIONS Get more results than you ever could before - including dimensioned Stringer, Stringer Installation and Finished Staircase Drawings. Drawings can then be emailed to others or printed at your convenience. Email us and we'll send you an example! ## Key features - Advanced baluster and stair layout - Fence post and material estimation - Interactive calculation adjustments - Customizable material sizes - Miter saw vs. protractor rafter calculations - Streamlined results display and saving ## Chart rankings - #77 in Top Paid · Utilities (US App Store) ## Recent user reviews (10 of 94) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buildcalc/id333369423/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Buy this app! *2026-08-09, version 2.15.4* I have used BuildCalc in my day to day work for years. I have nothing say but praise. I specifically love the stair stringer calculations and pdf generation of said stringer calc. ### 5/5 — Excellent *2026-07-02, version 2.15.4* I’ve had this app for years and it has always worked flawlessly. It’s rare that an app has no BS and is just exactly what you want. I just recently had to repurchase it because my apple account, and gladly did so. ### 5/5 — Best calculator for metal work *2026-03-31, version 2.15.1* This is the only app I use every day. Solid performance. ### 5/5 — The best *2026-03-31, version 2.15.1* Better than the rest ### 5/5 — Outstanding product and outstanding support *2026-03-21, version 2.12.0* I’ve been a subscriber to BuildCalc for many years, maybe as many as 15 but I honestly can’t remember. The software and app performs as it should but the advanced features is what sets this product apart. It’s difficult to put into words as there are too many to list. If I’m performing a calculation that I haven’t completed in a long time or if it’s a new calculation I’ve never attempted the app/software has a function that allows you to hold down any desired key and it will open a background to explain the function and its uses. When this doesn’t work I have reached out on a few occasions and I was always answered promptly with a solution to my problem. I recently found a bug (as all apps have) and the owner reached out for a meeting in which we shared screens and attempted to replicate the problem. This shows the amount of buy-in the company has in their product and customer service as well as their desire to continue to be THE platform for job site calculations. ### 5/5 — Construction Foreman *2026-01-16, version 2.12.0* I work in the film and movie industry and have been using Build Calc for over 13 years. Some your favorite movies like Spider-Man, Guardians of the Galaxy, Vennom, Black Panther and many many more have benefited from the use of this app. I have made several recommendations to the developers for improvements and additions and they add them. Hands down, you want professional results, use the apps that the Pros use. ### 5/5 — 110% Worth the purchase *2025-12-27, version 2.12.0* I purchased build calc several years ago, it is something I feel every Carpenter should have in their pocket. I love the blueprint features it offers. It makes clear prints to send easy. Also. I originally purchased this on my Samsung, and transferred to iPhone over the holidays. I sent an email with my recipes to Ben, an within 5 mins I was sent back a code. Exceptional app and exceptional service. 100% will recommend. ### 5/5 — Best calculator on iPhone *2025-09-06, version 2.12.0* Been using this for about 13 years now. Never disappointed ### 5/5 — Handyman/cabinet man *2025-05-23, version 2.12.0* I use this calculator daily best calculator app ever my only concern is can I customize the layout if possible? I wanna bring the inch button closer to the numbers thanks in advance ### 5/5 — Haptic *2025-04-09, version 2.11.16* It’s a great app, can you add haptic feedback to the buttons ## Frequently asked questions about BuildCalc ### What does the BuildCalc app do? BuildCalc is an advanced construction calculator designed to provide more functionality and answers with less complexity. It offers features for detailed layout calculations, material estimation for fences and masonry, and advanced stair and baluster design. The app aims to streamline the calculation process for construction professionals. ### What are the key features of BuildCalc? Key features include advanced baluster and stair layout functions, fence material estimation, interactive calculation adjustments for various inputs, customizable material sizes for masonry and drywall, and the ability to switch between miter saw and protractor results for rafter calculations. It also offers streamlined results display and saving. ### How much does BuildCalc cost? Based on the provided information, BuildCalc is a paid application. There is no mention of free versions, subscriptions, or in-app purchases, indicating a one-time purchase model. ### What kind of construction projects can BuildCalc help with? BuildCalc is suitable for a wide range of construction projects. It can assist with railing and staircase baluster layouts, fence construction, masonry work, drywall installation, footer calculations, roofing sheathing, and rafter cutting for hip roofs. Its interactive nature makes it adaptable to custom jobs. ### Can I save my calculations in BuildCalc? Yes, BuildCalc allows you to save your calculation results. For all advanced functions, you can save your results as many times as you want with a chosen label. This enables you to recall complete results at your convenience, even after extended periods. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2.15.4 — 2026-05-01 FIXED: - Factory reset not working - Common Rafter inputs changing when changing "measured-to" and "birds-mouth" values ### 2.15.3 — 2026-04-27 FIX: Plumb and Level angles missing from Common Rafter results ### 2.15.2 — 2026-04-25 FIX: App crashes when trying to recall saved analyses ### 2.15.1 — 2026-03-29 NEW: - Rafter analysis and design portion of Diagonal function has been redesigned and rebuilt from the ground up. Now you can input Rise, Run and/or Diagonal values using realistic site measurements, instead of "Theoretical" values. BuildCalc takes these site dimensions and, with your specified design details, it calculates the rafter layout (including corresponding theoretical dimensions) and generates a complete Rafter Layout Drawing Fixed: - Crash when entering advanced functions after a fresh install - iOS Swipe bar overlaps BuildCalc's Toolbar at page bottom - making some operations very difficult to access. - Entering HBP (Height Below Plate) incorrectly calculates HAP and breaks Common Rafter layout drawing. ### 2.15.0 — 2026-03-25 NEW: - Rafter analysis and design portion of Diagonal function has been redesigned and rebuilt from the ground up. Now you can input Rise, Run and/or Diagonal values using realistic site measurements, instead of "Theoretical" values. BuildCalc takes these site dimensions and, with your specified design details, it calculates the rafter layout (including corresponding theoretical dimensions) and generates a complete Rafter Layout Drawing Fixed: - iOS Swipe bar overlaps BuildCalc's Toolbar at page bottom - making some operations very difficult to access. - Entering HBP (Height Below Plate) incorrectly calculates HAP and breaks Common Rafter layout drawing. ## Apps similar to BuildCalc | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Construction Master Pro Calc](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/construction-master-pro-calc/id370406446) | 4.8 (39,372) | Free | Utilities | | [Construction Master 5 Calc](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/construction-master-5-calc/id370412148) | 4.8 (13,064) | Free | Utilities | | [Chippy Tools: Construction](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chippy-tools-construction/id1579138717) | 4.5 (905) | Free | Utilities | | [Material Estimator Calculator](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/material-estimator-calculator/id376071081) | 4.8 (3,093) | Free | Utilities | | [Feet and Inches Calculator](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/feet-and-inches-calculator/id1072241945) | 4.6 (401) | Free | Utilities | | [Feet & Inches Tape Calculator](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/feet-and-inches-tape-calculator/id1434258634) | 4.4 (9,261) | Free | Utilities | ## Related topics [builder calculator](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/builder-calculator) · [building code calculator](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/building-code-calculator) · [cgpa calculator](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/cgpa-calculator) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-26.*