Before you sign
How to Compare Remodeling Bids, Line by Line
How to compare remodeling bids: make every contractor price the same written scope, then compare the allowances, exclusions, schedule and payment terms, not just the totals. The FTC advises getting multiple estimates and not simply choosing the cheapest. When one bid sits far from the rest, ask for an explanation before you decide.
What should every remodeling bid contain?
Every remodeling bid should contain, in the FTC’s words (retrieved October 22, 2026), “a description of the work to be done, materials, completion date, and the price.”
Add the allowances, the exclusions and the payment schedule, and you have what you need to compare. A bid that is one number on a page cannot be compared with anything.
Which documents should you gather?
- Your own scope of work, the one every bidder priced.
- Each written bid, with its date and how long the price holds.
- Each bidder’s license or registration number and insurance certificate.
- Their sample contract, so you can read the change-order and payment terms.
How do you line the bids up?
Lining bids up means comparing the same rows in each one:
| Compare | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Scope | Same rooms, same work. Anything added or dropped is noted. |
| Allowances | Small allowances make a bid look cheap and come back as overruns. |
| Exclusions | Permits, disposal, patching and painting are common gaps. |
| Schedule | Start date, duration and what counts as a delay. |
| Payments | Tied to finished stages, with a deposit your state allows. Check it with the deposit limit checker. |
| Changes | How change orders are priced. |
Who should you contact before you choose?
Before you choose, check each bidder with the state board that issued its license, using the license lookup directory, and confirm insurance with the carrier named on the certificate. Ask your building department whether the job needs a permit and who should pull it (see permits and approvals).
What are the next steps?
The next steps are to ask the outlier to explain its price, get revised bids on any scope that drifted, and read the contract of the bidder you prefer before you sign. Remodeling contracts lists what it should say.
Not sure your bids match? Plan Your Remodel: describe the project, and a person at HyreRemodel reads it and replies.