About Plain House Manual

Plain House Manual is a set of free planning tools and printable records for running a home or rental in the United States. It covers what you own, what size it takes, when it is due and how much to buy.

How pages are made

• Each page starts from a calculation or a record. The formula is written out in words, with a worked example you can check by hand.
• Any number from outside the formula, such as a coverage rate or a standard size, comes from a published source. The page names the source and the date we checked it. If we can't find a source, the field stays empty and the page says so.
• Every calculator has test cases that must pass before a release goes out.
• Each tool links to a printable record, so the answer ends up on paper next to the receipts.

What we don't do

We don't diagnose faults or tell you whether something is safe. We don't give gas, structural, roofing or chemical instructions, and we don't rank or recommend products. The tools measure, record and schedule.

Who publishes it

Plain House Manual is published under its own name. There are no sponsored pages. If we add affiliate links later, each one will be marked and disclosed on the page where it appears.

Mistakes and questions

See the corrections page to report an error, or write to hello@plainhousemanual.com.