Calculator Types
Calculator Types
Measurement Price Calculator includes 10 built-in calculator types covering the most common measurement-based pricing scenarios. Each type defines which input fields are shown to the customer and how the measurement is calculated.
Overview
| Type | Formula | Inputs | Use Cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimension | length | Length | Fencing, trim, ribbon |
| Area (L×W) | length × width | Length, Width | Flooring, fabric, sod |
| Area (Direct) | area | Area | Pre-calculated areas |
| Perimeter | 2(L + W) | Length, Width | Framing, edging, borders |
| Surface Area | 2(LW + LH + WH) | Length, Width, Height | Box wrapping, coating |
| Volume | L × W × H | Length, Width, Height | Mulch, concrete, gravel |
| Volume (A×H) | area × height | Area, Height | Pool fills, raised beds |
| Weight | weight | Weight | Metals, bulk foods |
| Room Walls | distance × height | Distance, Height | Paint, wallpaper |
| Custom Formula | user-defined | Custom variables | Anything else |
Dimension
Prices products based on a single length measurement.
Formula: length
Inputs: Length
Pricing unit examples: ft, m, yd, in
When to use
- Fencing sold by the linear foot
- Trim and moulding by the metre
- Ribbon or rope by the yard
- Pipes and tubing by the inch
How it works
The customer enters a length value. The plugin multiplies the length by the price per unit to calculate the total price.
Example: Fencing at $12.00/ft. Customer enters 50 ft → Total: $600.00
Area (L×W)
Prices products based on a rectangular area calculated from length and width.
Formula: length × width
Inputs: Length, Width
Pricing unit examples: sq ft, sq m, sq yd
When to use
- Flooring and tile
- Fabric and textiles
- Sod and turf
- Glass and mirrors
- Decking material
How it works
The customer enters length and width. The plugin calculates the area and multiplies by the price per unit.
Example: Hardwood flooring at $4.50/sq ft. Customer enters 12 ft × 15 ft = 180 sq ft → Total: $810.00
Area (Direct Input)
Prices products based on a single area value entered directly by the customer.
Formula: area
Inputs: Area
Pricing unit examples: sq ft, sq m, sq yd
When to use
- Customers already know the area
- Irregularly shaped areas that can't be described as length × width
- Professional customers who have pre-calculated measurements
How it works
The customer enters the total area. The plugin multiplies directly by the price per unit.
Example: Carpet at $6.00/sq ft. Customer enters 200 sq ft → Total: $1,200.00
Perimeter
Prices products based on the perimeter of a rectangle.
Formula: 2 × (length + width)
Inputs: Length, Width
Pricing unit examples: ft, m, yd
When to use
- Picture framing
- Garden edging and borders
- Baseboard and crown moulding for a room
- Fencing around a rectangular area
How it works
The customer enters length and width. The plugin calculates the perimeter and multiplies by the price per unit.
Example: Garden edging at $3.00/ft. Customer enters 20 ft × 30 ft → Perimeter: 100 ft → Total: $300.00
Surface Area
Prices products based on the surface area of a rectangular box.
Formula: 2 × (LW + LH + WH)
Inputs: Length, Width, Height
Pricing unit examples: sq ft, sq m
When to use
- Gift wrapping or box covering
- Protective coating application
- Insulation for box-shaped spaces
- Custom packaging material
How it works
The customer enters length, width, and height. The plugin calculates the total surface area of all six faces and multiplies by the price per unit.
Example: Protective wrap at $0.50/sq ft. Customer enters 4 ft × 3 ft × 2 ft → Surface area: 52 sq ft → Total: $26.00
Volume
Prices products based on the volume of a rectangular space.
Formula: length × width × height
Inputs: Length, Width, Height
Pricing unit examples: cu ft, cu m, cu yd, L
When to use
- Mulch, soil, and gravel
- Concrete and cement
- Fill sand and aggregate
- Shipping and storage space
How it works
The customer enters length, width, and height. The plugin calculates the volume and multiplies by the price per unit.
Example: Mulch at $35.00/cu yd. Customer enters 10 ft × 8 ft × 0.25 ft = 20 cu ft ≈ 0.74 cu yd → Total: $25.93
Volume (Area × Height)
Prices products based on volume calculated from area and height.
Formula: area × height
Inputs: Area, Height
Pricing unit examples: cu ft, cu m, L
When to use
- Pool water volume (irregular shaped pools where customer knows the area)
- Raised garden beds
- Any volume where the base is non-rectangular
How it works
The customer enters the base area and height. The plugin calculates the volume and multiplies by the price per unit.
Example: Pool fill service at $0.10/gal. Customer enters 450 sq ft area × 5 ft depth → Volume calculated and priced accordingly.
Weight
Prices products based on a weight measurement.
Formula: weight
Inputs: Weight
Pricing unit examples: lb, kg, oz, g, t
When to use
- Metals (steel, aluminium) sold by weight
- Bulk foods (nuts, grains, spices)
- Gemstones and precious metals
- Industrial materials
How it works
The customer enters a weight value. The plugin multiplies by the price per unit.
Example: Steel plate at $1.25/lb. Customer enters 50 lb → Total: $62.50
Room Walls
Prices products based on the wall area of a room, calculated from the room perimeter and wall height.
Formula: distance × height
Inputs: Distance (room perimeter), Height (wall height)
Pricing unit examples: sq ft, sq m
When to use
- Paint coverage for a room
- Wallpaper calculations
- Wall panelling and wainscoting
- Sound insulation
How it works
The customer enters the total wall distance (room perimeter) and the wall height. The plugin multiplies to get the total wall area.
Tip: This is different from the Area calculator because the "distance" field is labelled as the room's perimeter, making it intuitive for painting and wallpaper scenarios.
Example: Paint at $0.15/sq ft. Customer enters 60 ft perimeter × 8 ft height = 480 sq ft → Total: $72.00
Custom Formula
Prices products using any formula you define. This is the most flexible option, allowing you to create calculations that don't fit any of the built-in types.
Formula: User-defined (e.g., width + (2 * height))
Inputs: Custom variables you define
Pricing unit examples: Any unit
When to use
- Garage door seals:
width + (2 * height) - Circular areas:
3.14159 * radius * radius - Complex composite pricing
- Any calculation the built-in types don't cover
How it works
- Define custom variables (e.g., width, height, radius).
- Write a formula using those variables and math functions.
- The plugin evaluates the formula with the customer's inputs.
Common settings for all types
These settings apply regardless of which calculator type you select:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Pricing Unit | The unit used for pricing (e.g., sq ft, cu m, lb) |
| Pricing Label | Display label (e.g., "per sq ft"). Auto-suggested from unit |
| Minimum Price | Floor price regardless of calculated measurement |
| Overage % | Waste buffer added to the measurement (e.g., 10%) |
Input field constraints
Each input field supports:
| Constraint | Description |
|---|---|
| Min Value | Minimum allowed input |
| Max Value | Maximum allowed input |
| Step | Input increment (e.g., 0.25 for quarter-foot increments) |
Input types
Each variable or input field can be configured as:
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Free | Standard number input with min/max/step |
| Dropdown | Predefined values in a select dropdown |
| Hybrid | Dropdown with a "Custom..." option that reveals a free input |
Best practices
- Choose the simplest type that fits your product. Don't use Custom Formula when Area (L×W) works.
- Set min/max constraints to prevent unrealistic measurements and unreasonable prices.
- Use overage percentage for materials that need a waste buffer (flooring, fabric, paint).
- Test with real measurements before publishing to verify pricing is correct.
- Check the pricing label to make sure it reads naturally (e.g., "per sq ft" not "per sq_ft").