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.
See Custom Formulas for a complete guide to the formula builder.
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 |
See Custom Formulas for details on input types.
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”).