Make every contractor price the same scope
A total price is only comparable when every contractor is pricing the same work. Prepare one written scope covering demolition, protection, labour, materials, waste, making good and finishing. If one quote includes these items and another does not, the cheaper total may simply be incomplete.
- List every room and work item
- State who supplies visible products
- Record what must be protected and removed
- Ask for exclusions in writing
Separate fixed prices from allowances
Provisional sums and prime-cost allowances are placeholders, not guaranteed final prices. Check which figures can change, what assumptions sit behind them and whether VAT is included. A quote with realistic allowances is usually safer than an artificially low quote built around optimistic estimates.
- Identify every provisional sum
- Check quantities and product allowances
- Confirm whether labour is included
- Confirm VAT and disposal costs
Check the sequence and payment stages
Payments should follow visible progress and agreed milestones, not vague dates. The quote should explain the expected order of work, likely lead times and when each stage becomes payable. Avoid paying most of the contract value before equivalent work or materials have been delivered.
- Match payments to completed stages
- Clarify deposits for special-order items
- Keep a written record of changes
- Agree how defects and snagging are handled
Look beyond the headline price
Clarity, communication, insurance, references and a realistic programme all have value. A strong quote reduces ambiguity before work begins. If important details are missing, ask questions and request a revised written quotation rather than relying on verbal promises.