How to Compare Renovation Quotes Without Getting Burned
If you've collected two or three renovation quotes and one is thousands cheaper, you already know how quickly the confusion sets in. The rooms are the same size. The tiles look similar enough. So why is one number so much smaller?
The answer usually isn't that one builder is more generous. It's that the two quotes aren't actually pricing the same job.
What a builder is really doing on that first visit
Before a single number gets written down, a good builder is reading your home. Where the pipes probably run. Whether the tiles hide a subfloor problem. How old the wiring looks behind that power point. This is the site read, and it happens in the first five minutes, long before the quote lands in your inbox.
A rushed quote skips this step. It guesses. And a guess that's wrong in your favour today usually turns into an extra cost once the walls come off.
Why two quotes for the same room can look nothing alike
Line up each quote by trade, not by total. Ask yourself:
- Is plumbing, tiling, waterproofing and electrical broken out separately, or lumped into one figure?
- Are the inclusions and exclusions written down, or implied?
- Are the allowances for tiles and fixtures realistic, or so low you'd blow past them the moment you pick anything you actually like?
- Are the timeframes and payment terms spelled out, or left vague?
A quote that answers all four in writing is telling you something. A quote that answers none of them is asking you to trust a number with nothing behind it.
The questions worth asking before you sign anything
Ask every builder the same three questions, and write down the answers:
- What's not included in this price?
- What happens if something unexpected turns up once the walls are open?
- What's the payment schedule, and when does the first payment happen?
If a builder can't answer these clearly and calmly, that's worth noticing. A tradesperson who knows their trade can explain their own quote without getting defensive about it.
What we do differently
Every quote we write breaks down each trade separately, with inclusions, exclusions, optional extras, timeframes and terms laid out in plain English. You see exactly where every dollar goes before you commit to anything.
That's not a sales line. It's what a five-minute site read and years of doing this properly actually looks like on paper.
If you're holding two or three quotes right now and can't work out why they're so different, bring them to us. We'll walk you through what to look for, at no cost and no pressure.
