Estimate your home's replacement cost — and download a report.
A component-based estimator that models structure, materials, systems, custom features, debris removal, code upgrades, and market conditions to produce a Coverage A rebuild-cost range for your California home — then generates a printable report you can keep or share. Educational only; not a quote or appraisal.
Replacement Cost Estimator
Build a detailed Coverage A rebuild-cost estimate
Enter your home's characteristics below. The engine prices each component the way a rebuild estimate is actually assembled — regional base cost, construction grade, materials, systems, features, then rebuild conditions and soft costs. The estimate and report update instantly.
How It's Calculated
How this educational model calculates a result
The calculator applies built-in regional rates and adjustment factors to the characteristics you select. It combines dwelling, selected features and rebuilding allowances into a model estimate. The 2026 label identifies the model version; it does not mean construction prices are updated live. This explanation describes the calculation, not a property-specific construction bid or an independent validation of its rates.
1 · Regional cost basis
The selected California region sets a built-in base rate per square foot. A recognized ZIP prefix selects a broad region; it does not obtain a property-specific price or a contractor bid. Check that the selected region and property details are appropriate before interpreting the result.
- Built-in regional base rate per square foot
- Recognized ZIP prefixes select a broad region
- Your entries update the calculation immediately
2 · Structure, materials & systems
Construction grade, stories, exterior, roof, foundation, interior finish, HVAC, and electrical/plumbing each adjust the effective rate, compounding into a realistic per-foot figure.
- Construction grade: economy → luxury
- Material multipliers for roof & exterior
- Systems and finish complexity
- Age / code-complexity factor
3 · Features & attached structures
Distinctive cost drivers are added as discrete line items rather than buried in the rate, so the estimate reflects what actually has to be rebuilt.
- Attached garage by size
- Fireplaces (per unit)
- Premium built-ins & millwork
- Covered patio / deck area
4 · Rebuild conditions
Total-loss rebuilds cost more than new construction. The engine layers the real-world friction that drives that gap.
- Site access & slope difficulty
- Wildfire / WUI rebuild friction
- Debris removal & demolition
- Permits, plans & supervision (soft costs)
5 · Code & market conditions
Two factors that routinely cause underinsurance in California are made explicit and adjustable.
- Ordinance-or-law code-upgrade allowance
- Post-disaster contractor demand surge
- 2026 model version; no live price updates
6 · What it excludes
The calculation deliberately leaves out everything that is not part of rebuilding the structure itself.
- Excludes land value
- Excludes market / sale value
- Excludes personal property (Coverage C)
- Educational disclosure on every report
Worked example: model assumptions, not a property valuation
This illustration uses Los Angeles / Orange County, 2,400 square feet, year built 1998, two stories, two bathrooms and standard construction grade. Other selections are stucco, asphalt roofing, a crawl-space foundation, updated interior, standard HVAC and electrical/plumbing, a two-car garage, one fireplace, no premium built-ins and no covered patio. Access is easy, the wildfire adjustment is off, code upgrades are set to automatic and demand surge is zero. With these selections, the automatic code allowance is off.
| Calculation component | Illustrative result |
|---|---|
| Built-in regional base rate | $300 per square foot |
| Dwelling after selected adjustment factors | $818,004 |
| Garage | $102,960 |
| Fireplace | $7,500 |
| Subtotal | $928,464 |
| Model allowances: 12% overhead/profit, 5% debris removal and 6% soft costs | $213,547 |
| Model midpoint | $1,142,011 |
| Displayed low / high | $1,050,650 / $1,279,052 |
Dollar values are rounded for display. The low result is 92% of the unrounded midpoint; the high result is 112%. These are fixed model multipliers, not a statistical confidence interval, a guarantee of rebuilding cost or a statement that a particular insurance limit is adequate. Changing the inputs changes the calculation.
Use the example to understand the assumptions and prepare questions for a property-specific review. The output is not an appraisal, a contractor bid or an insurance quote. For background on dwelling coverage, review the California Department of Insurance residential insurance guide. That guide does not supply or endorse this calculator's rates, multipliers or illustrative range.
Good To Know
Why your replacement cost may differ from what you expect
Market value is not rebuild cost
Land, school district, and neighborhood demand push market value above or below reconstruction cost. Coverage A should track rebuild economics, not your purchase price or a Zillow estimate.
Older homes can cost more to rebuild
Period detail, plaster, custom windows, and code-driven upgrades can make an older home cost more to reconstruct than its square footage alone suggests.
Wildfire zones raise rebuild cost
Slope, access, labor demand, debris, and post-event conditions can sharply increase rebuild pricing in wildfire-exposed areas — even for a straightforward home.
Underinsurance is common
Code-upgrade costs and post-disaster demand surge are the two factors most often missing from a dwelling limit. This tool makes both explicit so you can see their impact.
What is home replacement cost compared with market value in California?
Replacement cost is what it would take to rebuild your home as it stands today, with current labor, materials, and code requirements. Market value is what a buyer would pay, and it carries land, school district, and neighborhood demand with it. California Insurance Code section 10102 treats the two as different figures: rebuild cost is almost always different from market value, which is why Coverage A should track rebuild economics rather than a purchase price or an online estimate.
Does Coverage A include land?
No. A dwelling limit does not cover land. Coverage A is the cost to reconstruct the structure, and the lot underneath it is not part of that figure. California Insurance Code section 10102 makes the same distinction, and it is one reason a home's market value can sit well above or below the amount needed to rebuild it.
How should I use this estimator for a rebuild-cost range?
Treat it as a starting point for a range rather than a single number. Enter the home as it stands, then look at what the code-upgrade and demand-surge factors do to the result, since those two are the ones most often missing from a dwelling limit. The output is educational: it is not an appraisal, it is not a quote, and it is not a binding figure. Use the range as the basis for a conversation about whether your home insurance Coverage A is still appropriate.
Need Actual Guidance?
This tool is a starting point — not a binding figure.
For a review of whether Coverage A is appropriate for your specific home, contact Bollinsure at quotes@bollinsure.com. We will review the current policy and compare appropriate available options, including FAIR Plan and companion coverage when relevant.