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Comparing Written Bids Fairly

By riverside custom countertops corner

Two bids for the same kitchen can look wildly different and still describe the same job, or look nearly identical while describing quite different jobs. Comparing them fairly means translating each into a common checklist so that you are weighing like with like. The work takes an evening and a pen, and it is the single best way to avoid choosing based on the largest number or the friendliest handshake. The method below works for three bids or five.

Start by making a template

Create a simple table, on paper or a spreadsheet, with one column per contractor and one row per item. The rows should cover material and product name, slab or color, thickness, edge profile, number of seams, sink cutouts, cooktop cutout, faucet holes, backsplash, demolition and disposal, plumbing disconnect and reconnect, wall repair, sealing, schedule, payment terms, warranty and anything else that appears in any bid. Fill in each cell from the paper, not from memory. Where a bid is silent, write silent. The blanks tell the story.

Check that the materials match

Different names can refer to the same product, and the same name can refer to different grades. If one bid names a specific line and another says granite, they are not equivalent. Ask for the product name and a sample or slab number from every contractor. For natural stone, ask whether the bid is for a particular slab you saw or for a category. Prices for stone depend on the slab, so a bid for an unspecified material is only a rough estimate. Without agreement on the material, no comparison of totals is meaningful.

Look at what is included

• Is removal of the old tops included, and is disposal?
• Who reconnects the plumbing, and is that person licensed for the work?
• Is a backsplash included, and to what height?
• Are the cutouts for sinks and cooktops included, and does the bid cover undermount finishing?
• Are wall patching and paint included, or will gaps remain behind the old counter?
• Is sealing and cleanup included?

A lower bid that excludes demolition, plumbing and wall repair may end up costing more than a higher one that includes them. Homeowners in older Casa Blanca and Wood Streets houses should pay special attention to wall repair, because removing old counters can leave visible damage.

Compare the assumptions

Every bid rests on assumptions about the site: that the cabinets are level, that the walls are straight, that access is easy and that no hidden damage lurks. A careful contractor states those assumptions and explains what happens if they prove wrong. A bid with no assumptions is not necessarily simpler. It may be incomplete. If one contractor noted a stair and a long carry on a hillside property in Canyon Crest while another said nothing, ask the second how they plan to handle access. The answer indicates whether the bid will hold when reality arrives.

Compare the schedules

Look at the start window, the fabrication time and the installation duration. A short schedule is attractive, but ask what supports it: material in stock, an open calendar, an extra crew. A longer schedule from a busy and well regarded shop may be perfectly reasonable. What you want is consistency between the promise and the explanation. See the guide on project schedules for how each stage typically unfolds.

Compare the paperwork

Verify each contractor's license, classification, insurance and bond, and compare payment terms. A bid asking for a very large deposit up front should raise questions, as should one that offers a discount for cash. Check the warranty for duration, coverage, exclusions and the claims process, and compare whether the warranty comes in writing. A firm that stands behind its work in writing is giving you something of value, even if it does not appear in the total.

Weigh the intangible factors

Numbers do not capture everything. Consider how each contractor communicated during the estimate. Did they respond promptly? Did they listen? Were their explanations clear? Did they notice details about your home that others missed? Did references speak well of them? Consider the quality of their sample work and their willingness to show finished projects. These are the factors that predict the experience of working with them. A tidy, communicative contractor can save hours of worry, which is worth considering when two totals are close.

Be careful with the lowest bid

The lowest bid is sometimes the best, particularly when a contractor has low overhead or an open schedule. It is also sometimes the result of missing scope, thin materials, unlicensed labor or an intention to recover the difference through change orders. If one bid sits well below the others, ask about the gap politely and in writing. A good reason will be clear. A vague reason is a reason for caution. The guide on change orders explains how low bids can grow during a project.

Ask for revisions, not just prices

Once you have a preferred contractor, ask for a revised bid that incorporates anything you want clarified. If another contractor included something yours left out, ask whether it can be added. Most professionals are willing to adjust a bid for clarity. Be honest about your process, and avoid playing bids against each other in a way that sours relationships. A respectful negotiation often yields a better written scope and a better working relationship.

When the table is filled in, differences stand out and the right choice usually becomes clearer. If it does not, you have at least identified the questions to ask next, and asking them before signing is far easier than discovering the answers during construction.

A final sanity check

Before choosing, read each bid once more as if you had to carry out the work yourself. Could you tell exactly what is being delivered and installed? Could you tell what is not? If a bid leaves you guessing, the gap will probably surface later as a disagreement. Then picture the first week of the project with each contractor. Who would you be comfortable calling with a question? Whose messages would you expect to be answered the same day?

Finally, give the decision a night. Compare your gut feeling with the table. When the two agree, you can sign with confidence. When they do not, find out why, because either the table is missing something that matters to you or your impression is picking up a detail worth putting into words and asking about.