Why are my contractor bids so different?

Almost always because they are not quoting the same scope of work. One bid includes demolition, ceiling paint, material supply or haul off that another leaves out. The totals look comparable and the jobs are not. Comparing scope line by line is the only way to see it.

Should I take the lowest contractor bid?

Not on the number alone. A low bid usually means something has been left out: a surface, a stage of prep, the materials, or the cleanup. Find out what is missing before you decide, because the gap turns into a change order once the work has started.

How do I compare contractor bids apples to apples?

Line the scopes up rather than the totals. For each bid, list what is included, what is excluded, what is offered as an option, and what is never mentioned. Anything that appears in one bid and not another is either a real difference in the job or a question to ask.

What should a contractor bid include?

A description of the work by area or stage, what is excluded, materials and who supplies them, a payment schedule, a rough timeline, and how extra work gets priced if something is found once the job opens up. Many residential bids are a single lump number, which is normal.

Does a contractor have to honor work that was on my plans but not in the bid?

Generally no. The bid is the agreement, not the plans. If a bid does not name something, it is not in the price, and a contractor is not obliged to absorb it later. Read each bid against the scope you want before you accept it.

Do I need to know construction to compare bids?

No. The comparison is written in plain wording, and the questions are written for the work being quoted.

Can I use it with only one bid?

Yes, and that is much of the point. A single bid is read on its own: what it covers, what it leaves open as an option, what it excludes, and what to ask the contractor. Two or more bids are compared against each other as well.

Can I compare a whole remodel, not just one trade?

Yes. Anything from a single trade to a whole kitchen or bathroom remodel, as long as every bid in the comparison is quoting the same job.

Sub bids, sorted out

Send me the bid.
We'll show you what you're getting.

Every sub writes a bid differently. Send them and get one format you can read and compare, line by line.

For remodels, builds, and repairs. Residential or commercial.

or drop them here, one or all at once

One to four bids. PDF, photo or screenshot. From $9.99 a week.

Don't have bids yet?Just one bid?See a sample comparison

Built by a general contractor. We build houses in the Midwest, and it is still run against our own bids every week.

Interior painting3 bids

Three bids, written three different ways, on the same rows.

What each one says	Ridgeline	Vance	Miller
Prep: masking, floor cover	Included	Not mentioned	Included
Repairs: caulk, holes, nail pops	Minor patching only	Included	Included
Ceilings	Included	Excluded	Included
Paint included	Not mentioned	Sherwin ProMar	You supply
Cleanup, haul off	Included	Included	Not mentioned
Total as written	$9,850	$7,400	$8,900

Your bids are

$2,450 apart

Same scope out. Three different scopes back.

Ask Ridgeline

Is the paint included, and if so, what brand are you quoting?

Ask Vance

Is masking and covering the floors included?

What would it cost to add the ceilings?

Ask Miller

Who hauls off the trash at the end?

Built forbuildersinvestorsproperty managersflipperslandlordsowner buildersbusiness ownershomeowners

What it shows you

Four things you can only see once every bid is on the same rows.

The same work, side by side

What each sub charges for the same line, once they are on the same row.

Options, extras, and add ons

In the bid, not in the number. It surfaces as a change order once you are underway.

Who buys the materials

A labor only bid looks cheaper until you are buying the materials.

The fine print

Payment schedule, exclusions, and the rate you will be charged for extras.

How it works

Send

One to four bids, any format.

See it sorted

Every bid on the same rows. Anything left out is flagged.

Ask

Questions for each sub, before you price the job.

Works on any trade. Open any bid to check every line we read.

paintingplumbingelectricalhvacroofingflooringconcretekitchen remodelbath remodelnew buildor your own

Pricing

Cancel any time. Your work stays saved.

Every line from all your bids on the same rows, what each one covers, what none of them cover, and the questions to send each sub.

The one thing nobody caught always costs more than this does.

One job if you are pricing one thing right now. A plan if you buy work regularly.

One job

$49 once

One job, no subscription, nothing to cancel.

One thing to price, and no interest in a subscription.

One comparison, up to 4 bids in it
No card kept, no renewal
90 days to add a late bid or tick questions off

Buy One job

Pricing more than one trade? Homeowner is $9.99 a week and gives you 3 comparisons every week, for as long as the job runs.

Plans, for buying work regularly

Homeowner

$9.99 a week

One renovation, for as long as it takes.

3 comparisons a week
Up to 4 bids in each
Stop the week you are done

One login

One renovation, one address.

Start with Homeowner

Stop any week. No year to commit to.

Most pick this

Pro

$39 a month

For anyone buying work every month.

30 comparisons a month
As many projects as you like
Your contractor list, built as you go

One login

You buy work most months.

Start with Pro

or $390 a year

Business

$99 a month

For a team running several properties.

100 comparisons a month
3 people on the account
Shared projects and contractor list

3 logins

More than one person needs to see it.

Start with Business

or $990 a year

Team

$249 a month

For a builder pricing every trade on every job.

No monthly limit
10 people on the account
Priority support, and we answer questionnaires

10 logins

You price every trade on every job.

Start with Team

or $2490 a year

We built this for our own jobs and we still run every bid through it. If it does not do that for you, cancel and it stops.

Straight answers

Why are my bids so far apart?

Usually because they do not include the same work.

Should I just take the lowest one?

Not on the number alone. A low bid usually leaves something out.

Do I need to know the trade?

No. You get plain wording and questions written for the work being quoted.

How big a job can it handle?

Anything from a single trade to a whole remodel, as long as every bid is quoting the same job.

What if another bid arrives later?

Add it to the same comparison. It is not counted as a new one.

The bids are in different places. Do I need them all together?

No. Add them one at a time, from wherever each one is. You can come back and add another later, and it will not count as a new comparison.

Can I upload just one bid?

Yes. One bid gets read on its own: what it covers, what it leaves open, and what to ask. Two or more get compared against each other as well.

What if a bid is one number with no breakdown?

Normal. We compare what each covers, not how it is priced.

Will it tell me if a price is too high?

No. It shows what each price covers so you can ask about the difference.

What if it reads a bid wrong?

An AI does the reading, so it can. Every line sits next to the bid, and you can fix it.

Level the bids before you price the job.

You will catch most of it yourself. It is the one line nobody noticed that turns into a change order after you have given the owner a number.

Send me the bid

From $9.99 a week. Stop any time.