Creating Your Construction Budget

Step-by-step budget creation including adding categories, entering amounts, and understanding the structure.

Getting Started

Your construction budget is the financial backbone of your project. OwnerDraw uses the NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) cost code system to organize your budget into standard categories.

How to Create Your Budget

1. Navigate to the **Budget** page from the navigation menu
2. Click **Load Template** to start with the standard NAHB budget structure
3. Review the pre-loaded categories and adjust amounts based on your estimates
4. Add custom line items for anything specific to your project

Budget Structure

Your budget is organized hierarchically:

• **Categories** (groups) — Major divisions like Foundation, Framing, Electrical
• **Line Items** — Specific costs within each category (e.g., "Concrete footings" under Foundation)
• **Worksheets** — Detailed breakdowns for individual line items

> TIP: Start with the NAHB template and customize it. This ensures you don't miss common categories that banks expect to see in your budget.

What Happens Next

After creating your budget, start entering estimates for each line item based on contractor bids and material quotes.