Plan your project with Estiquote
How to compare builder quotes
Start with the work included, then compare the price. A cheaper headline total may cover a different specification or leave costs for you to arrange separately.
Give each builder the same brief
List the rooms or areas affected, the work you want, the drawings being priced and the finish you expect. Give each builder the same version. If the design changes, ask everyone to update their quote against the new version before comparing totals.
Citizens Advice recommends seeking at least three written quotes. Its home improvement guidance for England also covers checking traders and agreeing work in writing; the page links to advice for other UK nations.
A free builder quote comparison worksheet
Copy this table into your project notes, or use your browser’s Print option to save this guide as a PDF. There is no sign-up. Write “not confirmed” wherever a quote is silent: a blank is not a zero.
| Check | Builder A | Builder B | Builder C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Builder, quote date and reference | ________ | ________ | ________ |
| Drawing / specification version | ________ | ________ | ________ |
| Total and currency | ________ | ________ | ________ |
| Tax included, excluded or not confirmed | ________ | ________ | ________ |
| Work and materials included | ________ | ________ | ________ |
| Items you must supply or pay separately | ________ | ________ | ________ |
| Allowances and provisional sums | ________ | ________ | ________ |
| Fixtures and finish specification | ________ | ________ | ________ |
| Site setup, access and waste removal | ________ | ________ | ________ |
| Start window, duration and lead times | ________ | ________ | ________ |
| Payment stages and quote validity | ________ | ________ | ________ |
| Questions still awaiting a written answer | ________ | ________ | ________ |
Worked example: the cheaper quote can become dearer
These figures are invented to explain comparison, not typical building prices. Assume the same scope and tax basis for both builders.
- Builder A quotes £62,000 but excludes flooring and decorating. Written prices for those missing items add £7,000.
- Builder B quotes £67,000 and includes the same flooring and decorating.
- The comparable totals are therefore £69,000 and £67,000. Builder B’s original headline was higher, but its comparable total is £2,000 lower.
Only add an excluded item when you have a credible price for it. If you cannot price it yet, keep the uncertainty visible. This calculation does not establish either builder’s workmanship, reliability or suitability.
Ask what is fixed and what is an allowance
An allowance may be a placeholder for something not fully selected or defined. Ask what quantity, product and installation work it covers, and how the final price will be agreed. A low kitchen allowance and a fully specified kitchen are different offers even if both appear under “kitchen”.
Check that tax is treated consistently. Do not automatically add the same percentage to every quote: ask the builder to confirm the applicable treatment. GOV.UK explains VAT for building work, including exceptions.
Questions you can send back
“Please confirm which drawings and specification your price covers, what I need to supply separately, and which items are allowances rather than agreed prices. Please also confirm the tax treatment, payment stages, quote expiry and how changes will be priced.”
Use an estimate as a question, not a verdict
A quote outside an early planning range deserves investigation, but it is not proof of overcharging or an error. A site visit, structural design or higher specification may explain the difference. Equally, a quote within a guide range can still omit important work.
The current Estiquote Trade plan lets you enter written quote totals and see them against your estimate. It does not automatically read quote documents, check every exclusion or recommend a builder. Use the worksheet above for those scope checks.