> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.contractor-co-pilot.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Set labor rates and manage crew configurations

> Define labor types by trade, configure base rates and burden percentages, set up crew sizes, and control how loaded labor costs flow into your estimates.

Accurate labor pricing is one of the biggest drivers of estimate profitability. The labor catalog lets you define rates by task type — including the burden that turns a base wage into a true loaded cost — so every estimate reflects what labor actually costs your business.

## How loaded labor cost works

Contractor Co-Pilot calculates a **loaded labor cost** for each task type by combining the base hourly wage with a burden percentage. Burden covers payroll taxes, workers' compensation, benefits, and other employer costs on top of the base wage.

For example, a framing task with a $45/hr base wage and 35% burden has a loaded cost of **$60.75/hr\*\*. That loaded rate is what flows into your estimates by default, so your pricing always accounts for the full cost of putting someone on the job.

## Add a labor type

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Labor catalog">
    In the sidebar, go to **Costs > Labor**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a new labor rate">
    Click **New Labor Rate**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Fill in the details">
    Enter the following fields:

    * **Task name** — The type of work this rate describes (e.g., `Framing - Walls`, `Electrical Rough-In`, `Site Supervision`)
    * **Trade** — The skilled trade or cost category (e.g., `Carpentry`, `Electrical`, `General Labor`)
    * **Base rate** — The hourly wage before burden
    * **Burden %** — The percentage added on top of the base rate to arrive at the loaded cost
    * **Crew size** — The number of workers typically needed for this task type; used when estimating labor hours for a crew rather than an individual
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Click **Save**. The loaded cost is calculated automatically and shown in the catalog row.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  If you're unsure of your burden percentage, a common range for construction is 25–40%. Check with your accountant or use your actual payroll data for the most accurate number.
</Tip>

## Import labor rates

If you maintain a rate sheet in Excel or CSV, import it to populate the catalog without manual entry.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Click Import">
    On the Labor page, click **Import**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Upload your file">
    Upload an `.xlsx` or `.csv` file with a header row.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Map columns">
    Match your columns to Task Name, Trade, Base Rate, Burden %, and Crew Size. Unmapped columns are skipped.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review and confirm">
    Check the preview, then click **Confirm Import**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Crew configurations

Crew size determines how many workers are associated with a task when you build an estimate. When you add a labor line item and specify a number of hours, the system multiplies by crew size to give you total man-hours and the corresponding cost.

<Note>
  All labor and production figures in Contractor Co-Pilot use **man-hours**, not crew-hours. If you're importing rate data from another source that uses crew-hours, convert before importing to avoid underpricing.
</Note>

You can override the crew size on any individual estimate line item without changing the catalog entry.

## Organize with cost categories

Cost categories group labor types for reporting and for cost profile markup rules. Default categories include:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="General Labor">
    Unskilled and semi-skilled tasks: site cleanup, material handling, general labor support.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Skilled Trades">
    Licensed or certified work: electrical, plumbing, HVAC, welding, concrete finishing.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Supervision">
    Foremen, project superintendents, and site safety officers.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Specialty Work">
    Highly specialized tasks that don't fit standard trade categories.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

To assign a category to multiple rates at once, select the rows you want to update and click **Bulk Assign**.

## Filter and search

* **Search** — Find labor types by task name keyword
* **Trade** — Filter to a specific trade or cost category
* **Custom views** — Save your current filter combination for fast access later

## Division-level rate overrides

If your organization has multiple divisions operating in different markets, each division can carry its own labor rates for the same task type. A division override takes precedence over the organization default when an estimate is created within that division.

To set a division rate, open a labor type's detail panel, go to the **Division pricing** tab, and enter the override values for each applicable division.

<Info>
  Division pricing is available on the Growth plan and above. See [Divisions](/organization/divisions) for setup.
</Info>

## How labor rates flow into estimates

When you add a labor line item to an estimate, you can:

1. Search the catalog by task name — the autocomplete pulls from your labor types
2. Select a match to auto-fill the loaded rate and crew size
3. Enter the number of hours (or let a takeoff populate them)
4. Override the rate or crew size for this specific line item if needed

The estimate total reflects loaded costs throughout, so markup in your cost profile is applied on top of the full burden-inclusive rate.

## Export

Click **Export** on the Labor page to download your full rate catalog as a CSV file.

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Materials" icon="package" href="/costs/materials">
    Manage your materials catalog alongside labor.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Equipment" icon="truck" href="/costs/equipment">
    Add equipment rates to complete your cost database.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Cost profiles" icon="percent" href="/costs/cost-profiles">
    Apply markup to loaded labor costs in estimates.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Divisions" icon="building" href="/organization/divisions">
    Set up division-level rate overrides for regional pricing.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>