All you need to do is submit two formal quotes from other companies. Our Estimator will review and compare the scope. This is also helpful as it points out if lesser quality materials are priced out or items that are missing which are obvious to us but not to a homeowner.

APPLES TO APPLES

Because of our commitment to our customers, we keep our prices as competitive as we possibly can, and our rates are typically among the best in town. However, if we’re outbid for a renovation, it’s our pleasure to try to match the price on the same scope of work.

CONSIDER THESE POINTS WHEN COMPARING QUOTES

1. Price – Correctly priced bids should fall within 10-15% of each other.
2. Materials – Prices and quality vary greatly by brand ie is contractor A pricing for the same brand of siding and windows as contractor B?
3. Detailed scope – Are all fees included and listed? Permits, dumpster, police details, crane fees, temp toilets etc. And all the background items that can add up such as gutters, down spouts, walk
   doors, roof vents, deadbolt locks, overhead doors, skylights, framed openings or insulation? These items may be listed as an alternate or an option and may not be included in some base bids.
4. References – Ask for customer references and check out their online presence with the Better Business Bureau for claims as well as Angie’s List, Google Reviews etc. Most good builders will have a live website of all the portfolio of work. And hiring local builders will allow you to visit some of their completed projects for up close inspections of the quality and craftsmanship where possible.
5. Insurance – Get a copy of both Workers Comp and Liability. This is very important. You can also call the insurance company to verify. Never hire a GC without insurance because if damage occurs or someone gets hurt the responsibility falls to you and your own insurance policy.

TWO MAIN RED FLAGS…

1. VERY LOW QUOTE
   “good work isn’t always cheap and cheap work isn’t always good”
   A low quote can be very tempting but fixing something that was poorly built can be just as costly as starting from scratch. If there is a big price jump to the next lowest quote you should certainly proceed with caution.
2. LACK OF DETAIL
   All too often the “cheaper” price ends up increasing after the project starts to include items you assumed were included in the original quote. An Abacus proposal is clearly broken down. We even have a section listing what is NOT included so both Abacus and the homeowner are on the same page as far as Scope of work and Costs involved. CLICK HERE for an example of a typical Abacus scope breakdown from one of our past customers.

While we may not win every bid, we guarantee you that our estimates will be complete and accurate.

No deliberate omissions or cutting corners to be the lowest bidder.