The difference between two quotations for the same job is rarely the price. It is what the price includes. Here is how to read them.
Items must be quantified
A quotation with a line reading «bathroom refurbishment, lump sum, € X» cannot be checked. A useful quotation states, for every activity, the quantity (square metres, linear metres, number of units) and the unit price. Only then can you compare two offers and see where the difference comes from.
Exclusions matter as much as inclusions
Every offer excludes something: building permits, disposal of hazardous materials, builder’s work in connection with services, scaffolding, connections. If the exclusions are not written down, they will reappear as extras. Asking for them in writing before signing is the simplest way to avoid surprises.
Unknowns are managed, not hidden
In refurbishment a share of surprises is unavoidable: you only find out what is behind a wall when you open it. The point is not to promise it will not happen, but to agree in advance how it will be handled when it does — who decides, with what documentation and at what unit price.
Programme and liquidated damages
A completion date with no contractual consequence is an intention. Stating the duration of the works, the grounds on which they may be suspended and, where it makes sense, a rate of liquidated damages, makes the programme something both parties take seriously.