Two estimates for the same room can describe different projects. One may include removal, preparation and disposal; another may price installation only. Comparing the totals without reconciling the scope leaves the important differences hidden until the job has begun.
Put the estimates side by side and compare the work, quantities, products, exclusions and assumptions. Ask for differences to be resolved in writing.
Give every contractor the same brief
Send the same photographs, room measurements, project address and list of work to everyone pricing the project. State what will stay and what will be removed. If you have not selected a product, say so; a contractor cannot price your final choice from a broad description like ‘good-quality tile’.
Separate essential work from optional improvements. If one estimate includes a new vanity and another assumes the existing vanity stays, the price difference tells you little about the cost of the same work.
Compare the details that change the total
Look for the extent of preparation, who supplies materials and whether quantities are measured or estimated. Ask how delivery, protection, cleanup and disposal are handled. A low material allowance can make a proposal look lower without reducing the eventual scope.
| Estimate item | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Preparation | What removal, patching and substrate work is included? |
| Materials | Which product, quantity and supply allowance is priced? |
| Access | Are parking, loading, stairs or elevator arrangements accounted for? |
| Exclusions | Which tasks would need a separate approval? |
| Total | Are taxes and agreed discounts shown clearly? |
| Schedule | What approvals and deliveries must happen before starting? |
Read allowances as decisions still to be made
An allowance can be useful when a finish has not been selected, provided the estimate explains what it covers. Ask whether it includes only the product or also delivery, installation materials and related labour. Confirm how choosing a different product changes the price.
Avoid filling gaps with assumptions. If a line says ‘paint bedroom’, clarify ceilings, walls, trim, doors, closets and preparation. A detailed answer may change the figure, but it also makes the commitment easier to understand.
Agree on the change process
Choose one person who can approve changes and ask for each change to state the added or removed work, price effect and schedule effect. Keep that approval with the original estimate. A photograph helps explain a hidden condition, but it does not replace a clear description of the proposed response.
Before accepting, check the client name, project address, document number and date. Keep the version you approved. When the invoice arrives, it should be possible to follow the path from the accepted scope through approved changes to the final amount.
Your planning checklist
- Use one brief for every estimate.
- Compare quantities, products and preparation.
- Clarify allowances and exclusions.
- Confirm tax, schedule assumptions and approval steps.
- Keep the accepted version and all approved changes.
