Why Contractor Quotes Don’t Match

Start with the work being offered

Compare repair areas, materials, preparation, quantities, demolition, protection, and restoration. “Repair the exterior” and “replace the damaged section” are not enough to establish that two vendors mean the same work.

Make the interfaces visible

Look for the work each proposal assumes somebody else will do: drainage correction, electrical power, access-control connections, or finish restoration. A necessary task can be missing from every price, or included in more than one. Record it as a question until the vendors clarify it.

Separate base scope, allowances, and alternates

List each allowance and the assumption behind it. Ask which base work an alternate replaces. Keep owner-furnished items and required professional or approval responsibilities in the comparison rather than treating them as footnotes.

Compare sequence as well as duration

A quoted duration may assume that investigation, design, access, selections, and another trade’s work are already complete. Ask each vendor what must happen first and what owner decisions are needed before the clock starts.

Return specific questions before deciding

Build a short table: included work, exclusions, assumptions, owner tasks, and unanswered questions for each offer. Send the gaps back to the relevant vendors for written clarification. Use qualified professionals for technical, design, legal, or licensed-work questions.

See the fictional facility review for the format, or use the 15-point proposal checklist.