Anyone who asks several contractors for a price almost always ends up in the same situation: two or three quotes lie on the table, structured differently and in different levels of detail — and the easiest thing to compare is the total. Yet the total is the least telling number in the whole document.
1. Did they price the same thing?
The first and most important question is whether the two quotes price the same technical scope. If one contractor has included the complete building services, finishes and landscaping, while the other has priced only the structure and the roof, the two figures cannot be compared — only written next to each other.
That is why the best basis for a tender is a construction-level design and an itemised specification. The more precise the starting point, the fewer assumptions the contractor has to make — and the fewer surprises later on.
2. What is NOT included?
The value of a quote is often decided by what is missing from it. These items are the ones that typically slip out quietly:
- Utility connections and on-plot service runs.
- Earthworks and soil replacement, if the geotechnical survey turns out unfavourable.
- Landscaping, fencing, paving.
- Site set-up, containers, waste removal, construction power and water.
- Interior doors, finishes, sanitaryware — often included only as a "provisional sum".
Tip: ask both contractors to list the excluded items in writing. If someone cannot give a clear answer to that, it is information in itself.
3. The schedule and the payment plan
A serious quote comes with a schedule: when work starts, when the structure is weathertight, when the technical handover takes place. Just as important is that interim invoices are tied to actual progress, not to calendar dates. If a quote asks for a large advance at the start, it is worth asking what it is for — with a prefabricated CLT structure, for example, a payment when production is ordered can be justified, but you should see it itemised.
4. Who is accountable, and who is your contact?
The whole point of general contracting is that a single contractual party is accountable for the entire build. Check whether the quote actually commits to that, or whether certain trades are included "under a separate contract with the client". Also ask who your permanent point of contact will be, how often you will be updated, and how weekly progress is documented.
5. Warranty and handover
- How long is the warranty period, and which parts of the building does it cover?
- Is there a retention held back after handover, and when is it released?
- What does the handover documentation include (as-built drawings, equipment manuals, declarations)?
The cheapest quote is rarely the cheapest build
When there is a significant price gap between two quotes, it almost always lies in the technical scope, the excluded items or the way risks are handled. A balanced, itemised quote may look more expensive — but at the final account it is often the one that proves more predictable.
If you would like us to review another contractor's quote alongside ours and show you the differences item by item, get in touch — for us this is a natural part of the design and preparation phase.
