Get bids that can actually be compared
Before you collect estimates, write a short, specific description of the work and give the same one to every contractor. If each bidder scopes the job differently, you are comparing different projects. The more precise your request, the more comparable — and honest — the responses.
What a complete estimate should spell out
- Scope of work: exactly what will and will not be done, in plain language.
- Materials: brand, model, grade, and quantity — not just “materials.” Better materials cost more for a reason.
- Labor: what the labor line covers, and roughly how many people and days.
- Permits: whether permits are required, who pulls them, and whether their cost is included.
- Timeline: a start window, a rough duration, and what happens if it slips.
- Payment schedule: deposit and progress payments tied to milestones — not a large sum up front.
- Warranty: what is warranted (labor vs. materials), for how long, and by whom.
- Change orders: how changes and surprises are priced and approved in writing before work proceeds.
- Exclusions: what is explicitly not included (that is where “cheap” bids hide their true cost).
- Cleanup and disposal: haul-away, dumpster, and who is responsible for the mess.
When one bid is dramatically lower, the difference is usually in this list — thinner materials, an excluded step, a permit left to you, or a warranty that barely exists. Find the difference before you decide it is a bargain.
Verify the basics — and mind the jurisdiction
Licensing, permitting, and insurance requirements vary by state, by locality, and by trade — a task that needs a licensed specialist in one place may not in another. Rather than assume, confirm what your project requires with your state or local licensing and building authority, and ask each contractor for proof of the licensing and insurance that applies to them.
- Ask for current license (where the work requires one) and proof of liability and, where applicable, workers’-compensation insurance.
- Confirm who is responsible if a worker is injured or the work damages your property.
- Get everything that matters in writing — verbal promises do not survive a dispute.
This is general guidance, not legal advice. Requirements differ by jurisdiction; your local authority is the source of truth.
Line them up side by side
- Normalize scope: adjust each bid to the same defined work so you are comparing the same project.
- Separate price from value: note materials grade, warranty, and timeline next to each number.
- Read the exclusions and payment schedule as carefully as the total.
- Weigh reputation and communication — responsiveness now predicts responsiveness during the job.
- Then, and only then, compare the totals.
Warning signs
- A large deposit or full payment demanded up front, or pressure to pay in cash only.
- A vague one-line estimate with no scope, materials, or exclusions.
- High-pressure, “today only” discounts and reluctance to put things in writing.
- No verifiable license or insurance where the work requires it, or dodging when you ask.
- A price so far below the others that something has to be missing — find out what.
The best estimate is not the cheapest or the most expensive — it is the clearest. A contractor who explains what you are paying for, and puts it in writing, is telling you how the whole job will go.