Home / Contractor Bid Review

Contractor bid review: see the real total

The cheapest material quote isn't always the cheapest once you add back what it left out. I put your quotes side by side, price every gap, and show you the real total before the deposit goes out.

What you get

  • Every quote entered as written in a bid comparison workbook
  • Each scope line marked Included, Excluded or Unclear, by trade
  • My own local cost estimate on every excluded or unclear building-material item
  • Terms compared: deposit, payment, price hold, lead time, delivery, drawing revisions
  • Adjusted total and rank for each quote, a 1-page summary, and written questions for each vendor
  • A quantity spot-check against your plans on the biggest line of each quote

How to compare contractor bids

Put every quote on the same scope first. Check sheathing, hardware, headers, beams "by others," delivery, and the deposit and price hold. A quote that's $1,500 lower and leaves out $5,000 of materials isn't lower. A bid review does that work for you, line by line. Any building-material quotes work: lumber or framing packages, concrete, roofing, siding, windows and more. I don't contact vendors or negotiate for you; you send the questions.

Have quotes?

Bid Review

  • Up to 3 quotes$450
  • 4 quotes$550

5 business days from approved, complete files. One free update if a vendor revises within 14 days and the plans haven't changed.

Just want a quick read? The written Quote Check is $150 for up to 3 quotes, credited toward a Bid Review within 7 days.

Start an Order

Five lines from a sample review

Made-up exampleVendor AVendor BVendor C
Quoted price$38,400$41,200$36,900
Wall sheathingIncludedIncluded+$3,100
Structural hardware+$1,850Included+$1,850
Glulam and LVL beamsIncludedIncluded+$2,200
Adjusted total (with headers, delivery)$41,600$41,800$44,050
Made-up vendors and numbers. The cheapest quote (C) ends up the most expensive. Excluded-item costs are my local estimates.

Send the plans. No charge until I approve your files.

Start an Order

Start an OrderNo charge until approved