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Contractor Quote Comparison

Home & Construction

Compare builder quotes on scope, not just price, and see which is genuinely best value.

Runs entirely in your browser — nothing is uploaded

The cheapest quote is frequently the one that excludes the most, and the exclusions are rarely on the front page. Comparing on the headline number rewards whoever left the most out. This normalises each quote against the scope it actually covers — and the gap between "cheapest" and "best value" is usually the whole finding.

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Features

  • Up to four quotes side by side.
  • Twelve-point scope checklist per quote, with what each one excludes listed.
  • Price per square foot, and a scope-adjusted price per square foot.
  • Flags any quote more than 25% below the average.
  • Says plainly when the cheapest quote is not the best value.
  • Runs entirely in your browser — nothing is uploaded.

How to use the Contractor Quote Comparison

  1. 1Enter the built-up area so every quote can be compared per square foot.
  2. 2Add each contractor with their quoted amount.
  3. 3Tick what each quote actually covers.
  4. 4Read the scope-adjusted comparison, not just the totals.

Frequently asked questions

How should I compare contractor quotes?

On scope first, price second. Work out what each quote covers, price the gaps in the cheaper one, and only then compare. A quote 15% lower that excludes electrical, plumbing and painting is not cheaper — you will buy that work anyway, usually at retail rather than at a contractor rate.

What does a scope-adjusted price mean?

The quoted amount divided by the proportion of the checklist it covers — roughly what the quote would come to if it covered everything. It is a normalisation rather than a substitute for pricing the gaps properly, but it exposes a quote that looks cheap only because it is narrow.

Should I be suspicious of the lowest quote?

Of one far below the others, yes. More than 25% under the average is occasionally genuine efficiency and far more often missing scope, understated quantities, or a rate that will be revised once work is underway and you are committed. Ask for the itemised bill of quantities — a contractor confident in their number will produce one.

What should every quote state?

Whether material and labour are both included; whether steel and cement are contractor-supplied or client-supplied; whether formwork, electrical, plumbing, flooring, painting, doors and waterproofing are in; whether GST is included in the figure; and what defects liability period is offered. Those twelve points explain most of the difference between two quotes.

What does this comparison not tell me?

Quality of work, reliability, financial stability, whether the timeline is realistic, and whether the contractor has built anything like yours before. Those decide how the project actually goes, far more than the price does — visit finished sites and talk to previous clients.