All Tools
Every calculator, checklist and letter template on Renter Upgrades, grouped by topic. Type a word to narrow the list.
Upgrades
Peel and Stick Wallpaper Calculator
Enter your wall and roll size to see how many rolls of peel-and-stick wallpaper to buy, with pattern matching and trim included.Open the calculatorPeel and Stick Tile Calculator
Enter your backsplash or floor size and pick a product to see how many sheets, packs or boxes of peel-and-stick tile to buy.Open the calculatorVinyl Plank Flooring Calculator
Pick your plank and enter the room's size to see how many boxes to buy, how many rows fit across the room and how wide the last one is, with the gap and stagger the makers ask for.Open the calculatorRug Size Calculator
Pick a room, sofa, bed or dining table and get the standard rug size that fits, using the spacing guidelines rug makers recommend.Open the calculatorCommand Strip Calculator
Enter your item's weight and size to see which adhesive strip size to use and how many pairs, based on the manufacturer's published ratings.Open the calculatorGallery Wall Layout Generator
Enter your frame sizes and where the wall goes to get a balanced gallery wall layout: the total size, the space between frames and where each frame goes, measured from the floor.Open the calculatorTV Size & Viewing Distance Calculator
Enter the distance from your seat to the screen to see which sizes Samsung's rules point to (2 times the size to 1.2 times, a 40° field of view), or check a size for its width, its fit and the height to hang it (42 in to the center, SANUS's seated eye level).Open the calculatorCurtain Size Calculator
Enter your window and ceiling measurements to get the panel width, number of panels, ready-made length and rod length, plus how high to hang the rod.Open the calculatorLumens Calculator
Pick the room and enter its size to see how many lumens it needs, how many bulbs that takes in plug-in lamps, and how much light to aim at a desk, a counter or a book.Open the calculatorPendant Light Height Calculator
Pick where the pendant hangs and enter your ceiling and fixture to see how high its bottom should be, the cord or chain that leaves, how to space pendants over an island, and the cord a plug-in swag pendant needs.Open the calculatorCabinet Hardware Size & Placement Calculator
Measure the screw holes already in your cabinets to get the pull size that fits them, check it against the makers' size guides, or find where new knobs and pulls go on each door and drawer.Open the calculatorKitchen Island & Cart Clearance Calculator
Enter the open floor in your kitchen and the island or cart you have in mind to see whether it leaves room to cook, walk past and sit, and the largest top that fits.Open the calculatorDining Table Size Calculator
Enter the open floor where the table goes to see the largest rectangular, round or square table that leaves NKBA's room behind every chair, how many it seats at 24 in a place, and which of the makers' common sizes fit. Or check a table you have your eye on.Open the calculatorTowel Bar & Toilet Paper Holder Height Calculator
Pick what you're hanging and the towel or robe it holds to see the lowest height that keeps it off the floor or vanity, the reach range for someone in a wheelchair, and where the toilet paper holder goes.Open the calculatorSmall Bathroom Layout Calculator
Enter the room, the fixtures along the long wall and the door to see whether the layout meets the 21 in and 15 in code minimums and NKBA's roomier 30 in and 18 in, drawn in plan, with the floor left for a shelf or cabinet.Open the calculatorWindow AC BTU Calculator
Enter your room size, how sunny it is and how many people use it to see how many BTUs your window air conditioner needs and which common size to buy.Open the calculatorPortable AC BTU Calculator
Enter your room size, sun and household to see the SACC rating a portable air conditioner needs, the number on the box that tells you how much it really cools.Open the calculatorSpace Heater Size Calculator
Enter your room's size and a few details about the building to see how many watts of heat it needs, whether one plug-in heater is enough and what it costs to run.Open the calculatorDehumidifier Size Calculator
Enter your room size and how damp it feels to see what dehumidifier capacity to buy, based on ENERGY STAR's sizing chart. You can also convert an older pint rating to today's labels.Open the calculatorAir Purifier Size Calculator
Enter your room's size and ceiling height to see the minimum smoke CADR an air purifier needs, for everyday use or wildfire smoke, or check a purifier you already have in mind.Open the calculatorRenter Upgrade Cost Calculator
Enter what an upgrade costs, how long you'll stay and what you'll keep when you move to see its real cost per month, with the deposit risk spelled out.Open the calculatorWill My Couch Fit Through the Door?
Enter your sofa's measurements and your door, hallway or elevator to see whether it fits, and which way to carry it.Open the calculator
Rent & Money
How Much Rent Can I Afford?
Enter your pay before taxes and the utilities you'll pay to see the most rent that keeps housing within 30% of your income, what landlords' income rules allow, and how that compares with what renters in your state pay.Open the calculator40x Rent Calculator
Enter the rent and your yearly income to see whether you meet the 40x rule, how much you'd need, and what a guarantor would need. Or work out the most rent your income qualifies for.Open the calculatorNet Effective Rent Calculator
Enter the gross rent, the lease length and the free time on offer to see the net effective rent, what you pay over the whole lease and what the concession is worth.Open the calculatorApartment Utilities Cost Calculator
Pick your state, the apartment's size and its heat to see what renters typically pay for electricity and gas, then add water, trash and internet for a monthly total.Open the calculatorRenters Insurance Calculator
Enter what your things would cost to buy new, by category, to see how much personal property coverage to look for, plus loss of use, liability, the lower limits on jewelry and cash, and what renters in your state pay.Open the calculatorRent vs Buy Calculator
Enter the rent, the home and the rate (this week's 30-year average, 7.32%, to start) to follow both choices year by year, as what you'd have at the end of your stay, and see the year buying would pull ahead.Open the calculatorRent Split Calculator
Enter the rent and each bedroom's size to split rent fairly between roommates, with shared space split equally and extras for features you agree on.Open the calculatorRent Split Calculator by Income
Enter each person's income and your rent to split housing costs in proportion to what you earn, so everyone pays the same share of their income.Open the calculatorRent Increase Calculator
Compare your current and new rent, add a percentage to it, or project yearly increases to see what a rent increase really costs you.Open the calculatorProrated Rent Calculator
Enter your rent and move date to see what you owe for a partial month, worked out the three common ways leases prorate rent.Open the calculatorBreak Lease Cost Calculator
Enter your rent, the months left and what your lease says to compare what leaving early could cost: paying a fee, paying rent until the unit is re-rented, or paying the rest of the lease.Open the calculatorSecurity Deposit Calculator
Pick your state and enter your move-out date, rent and deposit to see the date your landlord must return the deposit by, whether it was within the legal limit, and what your state's law says.Open the calculatorMoving Cost Calculator
Enter your quotes for a truck, movers or a moving container to see which move costs less, with the truck's gas and the costs every move has. No email or sign-up needed.Open the calculator
Templates
Move-In Checklist for Tenants
Pick your rooms, check each item and note any damage to make a move-in checklist you and your landlord can sign. Download the PDF or print it.Make the checklistLetter to Landlord Asking Permission to Paint
Fill in the rooms, colors and your plan to write a clear request to paint, with a spot for your landlord to sign their approval. Copy it or download a PDF.Write the letterRepair Request Letter to Landlord
Pick the problem, describe it and add your dates to write a clear, dated repair request. Copy the letter or download a PDF, and keep a copy for your records.Write the letterLetter to Landlord About a Rent Increase
Enter the rent now and the new rent, then what you'd like to pay and why. The generator works out the increase and writes a polite counteroffer you can copy or download as a PDF.Write the letterLetter to Landlord Explaining Late Rent
Enter the rent that's late, why and when you can pay, all at once or in two parts. The generator writes a short, polite letter you can copy or download as a PDF.Write the letter30-Day Notice Letter to Landlord
Enter your last day and a few details to write a clear notice that you're moving out. The generator shows how many days of notice it gives. Copy it or download a PDF.Write the letterLetter to Landlord to Break a Lease Early
Pick why you're leaving and your last day to write a clear letter asking to end your lease early, or a notice under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act with the date your lease ends. Copy it or download a PDF.Write the letterMove-Out Checklist for Tenants
Pick your rooms to get a move-out checklist with the paperwork, cleaning and photos that help protect your deposit. Check off tasks as you go, then print it or download the PDF.Make the checklistLetter to Landlord Asking for Your Deposit Back
Fill in your deposit, what you got back and the deductions you disagree with to write a clear, dated request for your money. Copy it or download a PDF.Write the letter