I have two quotes for the same room renovation and they are close enough in total price that I cannot simply pick the cheaper one.
Quote A is basically a single total with about five lines of description: prep, flooring, paint, trim, cleanup. Quote B separates labor, main materials, disposal, protection of adjacent rooms, minor wall repair and a few explicit exclusions. It also says what happens if more damaged subfloor is found after the old flooring comes up.
The detailed quote is slightly more expensive, but I am more comfortable with it because I can see what is actually included. The cheaper quote may be perfectly fine; I just cannot tell whether things like paint materials, trim repair and hauling debris are included or assumed to be extra.
I do not expect a contractor to predict every hidden problem in an older house. I mainly want both bids describing roughly the same job before I compare the totals.
My plan is to send both contractors the same short scope and ask them to confirm:
- who supplies finish materials,
- what prep/repair is included,
- cleanup and disposal,
- whether permits are relevant,
- how change orders are priced,
- payment schedule.
I am not trying to turn a small renovation into a legal document. I just want fewer surprises.
For people who have compared very differently formatted quotes, what else was worth getting clarified before choosing?
I also plan to ask about start timing and how long the room will actually be unusable. One quote says “about a week” and the other says nothing. That matters because this is not an empty property; we will be living around the work.