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7 min read

What a fair builder's quote looks like

Line items, provisional sums, contingency and payment stages: how to compare quotes without getting caught out.

Portrait of Priya Nair, office & estimating

Priya Nair

Office & estimating

A builder's quote, calculator and mugs on a kitchen table during a survey

A good quote lists the work line by line, not just a total. You should be able to see what the kitchen costs, what the steelwork costs and what is included in each.

Provisional sums are allowances for things that can’t be priced until the walls are opened, like structural repairs. A fair quote keeps them small and explains each one.

Ask how payments are staged. We take a small deposit, then stage payments as work is done, never far ahead of it.

Finally, check what isn’t included: design fees, planning, building control, skips, scaffolding, decorating. The cheapest quote is often the one that left the most out.

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