How to use this house flip rehab cost calculator
The useful rehab number is the cost you expect now, not the number you wrote down before demo started. Add approved changes and credits to the starting budget, then keep pending items in a separate possible-total view.
What the calculator is showing you
Current committed cost is the starting contract or rehab budget plus approved additions minus credits. Pending changes stay separate until you decide to approve them.
Potential total adds pending changes to the approved cost so you can see the possible impact before committing.
Remaining approved balance subtracts payments made from the current approved project cost. That number changes as approved changes change the project price.
Why keep the starting baseline visible?
The original contract or rehab budget remains an important baseline, but it stops representing the current project price as soon as approved work changes. Keeping both numbers visible lets you see how far the project has moved without losing the starting reference point.