99tools guides
South African Calculator Guides
Clear, practical explanations for the figures behind university applications, building projects, personal finance and road trips. Each guide links to the right calculator without repeating the calculator page.
What Is an APS Score?
An APS is an Admission Point Score. It summarises selected school results for admission planning. Each university decides which subjects and scoring rules ap
Read guideHow to Compare University Entry Requirements
Compare university requirements by qualification, intake, scoring method and compulsory subjects. Calculate each institution’s score separately, then check t
Read guideHow Many Bricks per Square Metre?
Bricks per m² depend on the actual wall-face dimensions, mortar joints and number of leaves. A 222 × 73 mm face with 10 mm joints gives about 51.932.
Read guideHow to Calculate Concrete Volume in South Africa
Calculate concrete volume by converting every dimension to metres and multiplying length × width × depth. Keep measured volume separate from allowance and.
Read guideHow to Estimate Roof Tiles in South Africa
Calculate sloping roof area, apply the selected product coverage and round the main roof quantity to whole packs.
Read guideHow Much Paint Do I Need for Walls and Ceilings?
Measure the surfaces, use coverage per coat and round each paint product to tins without combining different finishes or colours.
Read guidePAYE Tax Explained for South African Employees
Understand annualised taxable income, 2026/2027 tax brackets, age rebates, UIF and why payslip PAYE can differ.
Read guideHow UIF Contributions Work
Learn how employee and employer UIF contributions are calculated and how the monthly earnings ceiling affects the result.
Read guideAnnual Leave Days in South Africa Explained
Understand the statutory annual leave cycle, common accrual methods and when unused leave may be paid out.
Read guideSeverance and Retrenchment Pay Explained
Understand severance, notice pay and unused leave when estimating a South African retrenchment package.
Read guideHow Bond Repayments Are Calculated
Understand home loan principal, interest, term, deposits and why variable rates change monthly bond repayments.
Read guideHow Extra Payments Can Reduce a Home Loan
See how extra monthly bond payments can shorten a home loan and reduce interest, plus what to confirm with the lender.
Read guideProperty Transfer Costs in South Africa
Understand transfer duty, conveyancing, Deeds Office and bond costs when budgeting for a South African property purchase.
Read guideCompound Interest Explained with a Simple Example
Learn how starting capital, monthly contributions, return and time combine to grow savings and investments.
Read guideThe Two-Pot Retirement System Explained
Understand the savings and retirement components of new contributions and why withdrawals need careful tax planning.
Read guideCrypto Tax in South Africa Explained
Understand why crypto gains may be revenue or capital, what records to keep and why a simple tax estimate is not final.
Read guideHow to Plan Toll Costs for a South African Trip
Plan toll fees by route and vehicle class, allow for return travel and confirm current plaza tariffs before leaving.
Read guideHow to Calculate Fuel Cost for a Trip
Estimate trip fuel cost from total distance, real vehicle consumption and the current price per litre.
Read guideHow to Build a Realistic Road Trip Budget
Build a practical South African road trip budget covering fuel, tolls, accommodation, meals, activities and contingency.
Read guideHow to Split Group Accommodation Costs Fairly
Split room rates, booking fees and shared extras clearly between travellers while handling private costs separately.
Read guideHow to Use the Trip Cost per Person Calculator
Use this trip cost per person calculator to split shared travel spending, add individual costs, adjust shares for children or days, and settle payments.
Read guideHow to Use the Driving Arrival Time Calculator
Use this driving arrival time calculator to find when you arrive or when to leave, using a SAST date and time, driving duration, stops and a delay allowance.
Read guideHow to Use the Fuel Range Calculator
Use this fuel range calculator to estimate full-tank range, remaining range and safe range from litres or a tank percentage, with a reserve for refuelling.
Read guideHow to Use the Commute Cost Calculator South Africa
Use this commute cost calculator for South Africa to compare monthly car costs with your public transport fares, including fuel, parking, tolls and carpool s
Read guideHow to Use the Travel Allowance Calculator South Africa
Use this travel allowance calculator for South Africa to estimate a reimbursive business-kilometre claim, approved expenses and the balance after an advance.
Read guideHow to Use the Subsistence Allowance Calculator (SARS)
Use this subsistence allowance calculator to compare employer payments with the selected SARS deemed-expense basis for qualifying business travel days.
Read guideHow to Use the Flight Baggage Cost Calculator
Use this flight baggage cost calculator to compare quoted online and airport fees by extra bag, excess kilogram or a fixed weight-band charge.
Read guideHow to Use the Holiday Savings Goal Calculator
Use this holiday savings calculator to set a monthly, fortnightly or weekly contribution from your goal, deadline and savings already available in Rand.
Read guideHow to Use the Fuel Cost per Km Calculator South Africa
Use this fuel cost per km calculator for South Africa to convert your fuel economy and pump price into cost per kilometre, 10 km, 100 km and monthly distance
Read guideHow to Calculate Fuel Cost per Km
Work out fuel cost per kilometre from measured fuel use and the price per litre. Includes a formula, example and budgeting limits.
Read guideHow to Calculate Your APS Score
To calculate APS, identify the university method, select the subjects it counts, convert the marks if its method requires conversion, and add the correct con
Read guideWhat Is a Good APS Score?
A good APS is one that is competitive for your chosen qualification under that university’s calculation. There is no single national good score or maximum. A
Read guideWhich Subjects Count for APS?
The subjects counted for APS depend on the university and qualification. Compulsory languages, the mathematics route and programme subjects may need to remai
Read guideWhat Can I Study With My APS?
Use your APS to build a shortlist, not to generate an automatic list of guaranteed courses. Start with the university method, then check programme level, req
Read guideHow Many APS Points Do You Need for Teaching?
There is no single APS requirement for teaching. It depends on the university, qualification, teaching phase and subject specialisation. Compare the institut
Read guideAPS Needed for Law at UJ
For law at UJ, first distinguish the BA Law, BCom Law and four-year LLB. The required subjects and mathematics routes are not identical. Calculate UJ APS fro
Read guideWhat Does a Brick Calculator Need for Accuracy?
A brick calculator needs measured wall sections, openings, actual product coverage, masonry leaves, joints, waste and purchasing units. A product name alone.
Read guideCompare Brick Calculators: Cashbuild, Build it and BUCO
Comparing a Cashbuild, Build it, BUCO or Cem Brick estimate? Match the product, joints, openings, leaves and waste before comparing the total. 99tools is.
Read guideHow Much Does It Cost to Build a Brick Wall in South Africa?
Build a brick wall budget from current quotes for bricks, completed-wall labour, mortar, foundations, finishes and delivery.
Read guideMaxi Bricks vs Stock Bricks: Quantity and Size
Compare maxi and stock bricks using their installed face dimensions and total job quotes. Fewer pieces do not automatically make a suitable wall cheaper.
Read guideHow to Calculate Paving Bricks for a Driveway or Patio
Measure a driveway or patio, check paver coverage and calculate waste and full packs with a worked paving example.
Read guideInterlocking Pavers: Coverage, Pallets and Supplier Checks
Check interlocking pavers per m², pallet counts and supplier quotes before ordering paving bricks in South Africa.
Read guideBrick Mortar for Maxi Bricks and Thin Brick: What to Enter
Choose suitable inputs for maxi brick mortar, thin brick fixing and pointing, or premix bags without confusing cement mass and product yield.
Read guideSingle vs Double-Skin Brick Walls: Quantity Guide
Measure single and double-skin wall quantities, compare actual brick coverage and avoid counting both wall faces twice.
Read guideWhat Is Brickforce? Uses, Sizes and Roll Length
Understand brickforce reinforcement, width, wire diameter and roll length before measuring an order in South Africa.
Read guideBrickforce Prices: Compare Roll Quotes in South Africa
Compare brickforce roll quotes by width, wire size, finish and length. Calculate your material budget without relying on an outdated price list.
Read guideSand and Cement Mix Ratios: Mortar, Plaster and Screed
Understand cement:sand ratios, volume batching and the difference between bricklaying mortar, plaster, screed, concrete and complete premix.
Read guideHow Much Sand and Cement per m² or 1,000 Bricks?
Convert plaster thickness or a confirmed brickwork mortar yield into cement bags and sand without assuming one quantity for every wall.
Read guideMaxi Brick Prices and Pallets: How to Compare Quotes
Compare maxi brick unit and pallet quotes, confirm actual pack quantities and avoid confusing dimensions, delivery charges or current retailer prices.
Read guideHow to Measure Wall Plaster Area in m²
Measure wall elevations, subtract openings and count plastered faces once before calculating thickness, bags and quotes.
Read guideCement, Gypsum, Lime and Pool Plaster Quantities
Choose the correct material model: site-mixed cement and sand or the declared consumption of a complete plaster product.
Read guideHow Many Concrete Premix Bags Do I Need?
Use finished product yield to calculate complete premix concrete bags, full packs and an entered purchase budget.
Read guideConcrete Mix Quantities: Cement, Sand and Stone
Estimate concrete mix materials by scaling a confirmed batch recipe with a known finished yield. A generic volume ratio is not a verified concrete strength.
Read guideReady-Mix Concrete Order Guide South Africa
Calculate the required finished volume, confirm the specified concrete and obtain a complete South African supplier quote. A volume result alone is not a.
Read guideHow Much Concrete for Fence Posts?
Estimate the concrete-filled part of each post hole by subtracting the embedded post cross-section from the matching hole shape, then multiplying by.
Read guideSlab Diagonal and Sub-Base Quantity Checks
For a rectangular slab, calculate the target diagonal from its side lengths. Estimate sub-base material separately from concrete, using its specified.
Read guideCompare Concrete Calculators: PPC, AfriSam and BUCO
Compare PPC, AfriSam, BUCO or Cashbuild-related estimates only after matching geometry, units, concrete product, finished yield and allowance. 99tools is.
Read guideFoundation Quantities: Strip, Pad and Raft
Measure foundation concrete using the specified geometry. Strips, pads and rafts need different take-offs, but a quantity calculator cannot select a safe.
Read guideHow to Calculate Foundation Cost in South Africa
Estimate foundation cost from measured quantities and current itemised quotes. Keep concrete volume, excavation volume, other allowances and VAT on a.
Read guideHow to Square a Building Foundation
Check a planned rectangular foundation outline using its intended side lengths and both diagonals. A calculated diagonal helps the arithmetic but does not.
Read guideConcrete Slab Cost in South Africa
Build a slab budget from the actual design, final concrete order and current itemised quotes, rather than one national price.
Read guideSolid, Precast and Reinforced Concrete Slabs
Distinguish slab systems before using dimensions to estimate a solid concrete pour or compare supplier quotations.
Read guideConcrete Slab Curing, Drying and Repairs
Understand the difference between curing, moisture readiness and repair assessment before finishing or waterproofing a slab.
Read guide40 kg Premix Concrete: Yield and Coverage
Read the exact product yield before converting a 40 kg bag into finished concrete volume or area coverage.
Read guidePremix Concrete Prices and Product Checks
Compare complete premix bag quotes using finished yield, pack quantity and delivery, rather than bag price alone.
Read guideCubic Metres, Litres and Area Conversions
Understand volume units and why square metres need a depth before they can be converted to cubic metres.
Read guideCubic Metres to Tonnes and Wheelbarrows
Use material density and usable load capacity to turn measured volume into a practical quantity estimate.
Read guideConcrete Bags per m³ and Fence Post Volumes
Calculate bags per cubic metre, convert area using depth and account for fence post displacement before whole-bag rounding.
Read guideHow to Calculate Floor and Wall Tiles in m²
Measure floors and walls, subtract untiled areas and convert a tile estimate into complete boxes.
Read guideMosaic Tile Calculator: Sheets and Boxes
Estimate mosaic sheets using installed sheet coverage rather than counting the small chips.
Read guideCTM, Cashbuild and Harvey: Which Tile Coverage to Use?
Use product-specific coverage to compare tile quantities from different South African suppliers.
Read guideRoof Tile Types, Sizes and Prices
Compare roof covering specifications, effective coverage and quotes before choosing a quantity or budget.
Read guideRoof Tile Paint, Waterproofing and Repairs
Distinguish roof coating, ridge repair, underlay and leak repairs before selecting products for a tiled roof.
Read guideSolar Panel Mounting on Tile Roofs
Plan solar mounting around the actual roof structure, tile profile and a compatible engineered mounting system.
Read guideFloor Tile Patterns, Boxes and Cost
Plan floor tile quantities, compare box and m² quotes, and allow for cuts before ordering in South Africa.
Read guideFloor Tiles: Preparation, Showers, Paint and Cleaning
Check the floor system, wet-area suitability and care instructions before laying, painting or cleaning floor tiles.
Read guideRoof Cost per m² in South Africa: Compare Quotes
Compare roof costs using the same measured area, material specification and installation scope, with VAT and allowances made clear.
Read guideRoof Replacement and Thatch Conversion Costs
Plan replacement roof quotes, thatch-to-tile conversions and specialist asbestos work without overlooking structure, access and disposal.
Read guidePaint Coverage: Dulux, Plascon and Primer Data
Compare exact product coverage and coat requirements rather than using one spreading rate for an entire paint brand.
Read guidePaint Area for Roofs, Fences, Pipes and Steel
Use the actual treated surface and coating specification before calculating litres for exterior and shaped surfaces.
Read guideCeiling Board Sizes and Sheet Quantities
Measure ceiling faces, select exact sheet dimensions and compare Rhino, Nutec and supplier quotes on the same scope.
Read guidePVC Ceiling Panels: Rows and Effective Cover
Use installed cover width, run direction and suitable stock length to estimate PVC ceiling rows and whole purchase packs.
Read guideHow to Calculate Roof Pitch in Degrees
Convert measured rise and horizontal run into degrees, percentage slope and rise-per-12 notation without confusing the units.
Read guideRoof Area, Pitch Limits and Solar Planning
Correct horizontal roof area once and check the exact covering and solar design instead of assuming one universal roof angle.
Read guideFloor Screed: Area, Thickness and Volume
Convert measured floor area and average depth to installed screed volume, then use the correct material and quotation basis.
Read guideSelf-Levelling Screed Bags and Consumption
Use the exact levelling product consumption, bag size and permitted thickness before rounding a purchase to whole bags or packs.
Read guideRebar Weight per Metre: Formula and Diameters
Use nominal diameter and density or a confirmed kg/m rate to estimate reinforcing-bar mass without confusing length, bar labels and strength.
Read guideRebar Weight Schedules for Slabs and Excel
Add specified bar lines, separate allowances from scheduled mass and export a checkable CSV quantity snapshot.
Read guideRoofing Sheet Quantities: Effective Cover and End Laps
Calculate whole roofing-sheet columns and stock courses using effective cover, actual slope run and only the end laps between sheets.
Read guideRoofing Sheet Prices and Specifications in South Africa
Compare South African roofing sheet quotes by length, cover, material and billing basis, including 6 m IBR and 12 feet sheets.
Read guideHow to Calculate Excavation Volume with Slope
Calculate rectangular pit and trench excavation using bottom dimensions, H:1V slopes and the prismoidal formula, with a worked example.
Read guideSoil Excavation: Bank Volume, Loose Volume and Truck Loads
Separate in-ground excavation from loose soil, apply an entered swell factor and compare volume and payload limits for indicative haulage loads.
Read guideGutter and Downpipe Quantities, Joints and Fittings
Plan gutter and downpipe stock lengths by separate runs, distinguish spare material from installed joints and prepare a compatible fittings schedule.
Read guideGutter and Downpipe Sizing, Replacement Costs and Care
Understand roof drainage sizing inputs, compare gutter and downpipe replacement quotes and separate cleaning, repairs and installation scope.
Read guideHow Many Boxes of Laminate Flooring Do I Need?
Measure rooms, apply a chosen allowance and round to whole laminate boxes using product coverage, with a separate underlay-roll example.
Read guideLaminate Flooring Prices, Installation and Care in South Africa
Compare laminate quotes by box and m², check underlay and substrate requirements, and understand product-specific water resistance and cleaning care.
Read guideDecking Board Quantities: Width, Gaps and Stock Lengths
Count decking rows and whole stock boards for clear rectangular zones, allowing for actual width, specified gaps, trimming and a chosen spare allowance.
Read guideComposite Decking Boards: Sizes, Spacing, Clips and Screws
Compare composite and timber decking specifications, product-specific gaps and fixing schedules without assuming universal board sizes or support spacing.
Read guideFence Posts, Panels, Gates and Shared Endpoints
Split fence runs at gates and corners, avoid duplicate endpoint posts and estimate panel quantities from the specified system layout.
Read guideFence Materials: Chain Link, Pickets, Prices and Intended Use
Estimate mesh rolls and pickets, compare current fencing quotes, and check the purpose and specification before choosing a fence material.
Read guideRetaining Wall Block Quantities: Courses, Circles and Caps
Estimate straight and circular retaining wall body courses, distinguish buried units and caps, and round allowances to full purchasing packs.
Read guideRetaining Wall Blocks: Selection, Installation and Drainage
Check retaining block specifications, compare complete quotes and understand why site design, drainage and assessment matter beyond the unit count.
Read guideSkirting Board Metres, Stock Lengths and Cut Lists
Measure room perimeters and openings, distinguish a total-length budget from individual cuts, and allocate pieces using stock length, end trims and kerf.
Read guideSkirting Boards: Materials, Joints, Fitting and Care
Compare pine, MDF and PVC skirting; check mitres, scribing, wall fixing, movement gaps, water damage, covers and curved-profile requirements.
Read guideCeiling Insulation Quantities, Rolls, Packs and Prices
Measure ceiling areas, check actual roll or pack coverage and calculate whole purchasing units, specified layers and quote-based installation costs.
Read guideCeiling Insulation Types, Thickness and R-Value in South Africa
Distinguish material and assembly R-values, compare exact product specifications and check thermal, fire, moisture and installation requirements.
Read guideWater Tank Capacity Formulas: Litres, m³ and Round Tanks
Calculate tank volume in litres and m³ using internal dimensions, rectangular and round shapes, and the horizontal-cylinder partial-fill formula.
Read guideWater Tank Usable Capacity, Levels and Storage in South Africa
Understand freeboard, draw-off levels and accessible water storage. Separate tank capacity from rainwater yield and entered daily water demand.
Read guideRainwater Harvesting Formula, Roof Area and First Flush
Understand rainwater collection assumptions, tank storage and entered demand before planning a rooftop rainwater harvesting system in South Africa.
Read guideRainwater Harvesting Tanks, Storage and Demand in South Africa
Understand rainwater collection assumptions, tank storage and entered demand before planning a rooftop rainwater harvesting system in South Africa.
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