Three prices for the same project are useful only when they describe the same work. A clear written brief lets you compare scope, materials, assumptions and timing before you compare totals. Use this checklist for kitchens, bathrooms, extensions and other home improvements.
1. Send every trader the same brief
Describe the outcome you want, the rooms affected, the property constraints and the finish you expect. Include photos and measured sketches where possible. Ask each trader to identify what is assumed and what still needs investigation. A site visit can reveal access, structure or service issues that a short message cannot.
- State whether the work is a repair, like-for-like replacement or change of layout.
- List the products or performance requirements that must be priced consistently.
- Name the areas that must be protected and the finish expected at handover.
- Set a date for questions so each bidder can clarify the same uncertainties.
2. Separate price from scope
Compare quotes line by line. A lower total may leave out preparation, disposal, electrical work, making good, decorating or testing. Create a simple comparison table with columns for each trader and rows for the work packages. Mark every line included, excluded or unclear; do not treat an empty cell as an included item.
Ask whether the price is a quote for specified work or an estimate that may change. Citizens Advice guidance on building work recommends written quotes and checking what they cover before agreeing to a job. Rules and consumer guidance can differ across the UK, so check the advice for your nation.
3. Check allowances and choices
An allowance is a placeholder for a product or service that has not been selected. It can make an initial total look precise while leaving your final cost uncertain. Ask what each allowance covers, whether labour is included and what happens if your choice costs more or less. Do not compare a quote with generous allowances against one with minimal allowances as if their totals were equivalent.
- Record the make, model or performance specification of major products.
- Ask who orders, checks and stores delivered items.
- Check whether VAT, delivery and waste removal are included.
- Confirm the process for approving substitutions if an item is unavailable.
4. Understand the sequence and timetable
Ask for a realistic start window, expected duration and key dependencies. A kitchen may depend on design sign-off, cabinet lead times, electrical and plumbing first fix, worktop templating and final commissioning. A useful programme shows when you must make decisions, not just when the contractor expects to finish.
Ask who coordinates specialist trades and whether other jobs will run at the same time. Confirm site access, working hours, parking, skips and how the property will be kept secure and usable during the work.
5. Check the trader and the paperwork
Ask for relevant experience, recent comparable work and insurance appropriate to the project. For regulated work, check the competence and certification route required for the specific job. A written agreement should identify the parties, the scope, the specification, start and completion arrangements, payment milestones, variations, defects and handover documents. Keep copies of drawings, quotes and agreed changes together.
Citizens Advice recommends checking insurance and using a written contract before building work begins. Its home improvement checklist is a helpful second review of your paperwork.
6. Plan payments and changes
Match payments to clear stages or delivered work where practical, and agree what evidence is needed for each payment. Avoid leaving the variation process vague. If a hidden issue appears, ask for a written description of the change, its cost and its effect on the programme before authorising it. Keep a running log of decisions and revised totals.
Use the free project budget planner to add each line item and a contingency. The result is a planning figure, not a substitute for a measured quote.
7. Decide on value, not the lowest number
Once the scope is aligned, compare communication, availability, clarity of exclusions, realistic programme and confidence in the proposed method. A detailed quote that exposes uncertainties can be more useful than an apparently cheap one that leaves them unresolved.
Before accepting, ask yourself: could someone unfamiliar with the conversations understand exactly what is to be built and what is outside the price? If not, clarify the documents first. Our renovation planning checklist helps you turn the agreed quote into a workable project plan.