What a builder's quote should include

On building work, the argument is almost never about the number at the bottom. It is about what that number was supposed to cover. A good quote removes the ambiguity before anyone starts.

The checklist

1. The trading name, address and contact details of the business, and its company number if it is a limited company.
2. A written scope describing each element of work in order, not a single line saying 'build extension'.
3. Explicit exclusions — decoration, flooring, kitchen supply and fit, landscaping, making good to existing rooms.
4. Who supplies materials, and a provisional sum for anything not yet chosen such as tiles, sanitaryware or worktops.
5. Scaffolding, skips, waste removal, temporary protection and site welfare — priced or clearly excluded.
6. Building control fees, structural calculations and any party wall costs, with responsibility named.
7. A programme with a realistic start date and duration in weeks.
8. A stage payment schedule tied to visible milestones, plus any retention.
9. How variations are priced and confirmed, in writing, before they are carried out.
10. Guarantees on workmanship, plus manufacturer warranties on products, with durations.
11. Whether the price is fixed, and what would make it change.
12. VAT — shown separately, or a statement that the business is not VAT registered.

Provisional sums and prime cost items

A provisional sum is an allowance for work that cannot be priced accurately yet. It is legitimate, but each one is a place where the final figure can move. Ask what the allowance assumes, and get the real price confirmed before that element starts.

Warning signs

• A single-page quote with one total and no breakdown.
• A large cash deposit requested before any materials are ordered.
• Pressure to decide today because the price is 'only good this week'.
• No written exclusions at all — everything is 'we'll sort it as we go'.
• Bank details in a different name from the business you are hiring.

Quote or estimate?

A quote is a fixed price for a defined scope. An estimate is an informed guess that can move. Both are legitimate on building work, but you need to know which you have been given — ask for the word to be written on the document.