How to compare builder quotes

If three quotes look wildly different, the most likely explanation is that they are not pricing the same project. Comparing totals first is the fastest route to a costly surprise.

Compare scope before price

Lay the quotes side by side and mark what each one includes. Anything present in one and absent in another is a difference in scope, not a saving.

Structural steel, foundations and groundworks
Scaffolding, skips, welfare and site protection
Windows, doors, finishes and sanitaryware
Making good, decoration and external works

Read the exclusions and assumptions

Exclusions are where risk quietly moves to you. Assumptions about ground conditions, existing structure or access can change the price once work starts.

Compare terms, not just numbers

Payment schedule, programme, contract type, insurance and how variations will be priced all matter as much as the headline figure.