BeforeQuote
Already have a contractor bid?

Contractor Quote Check

Enter the bid total, choose the project, and mark what is written into the quote. BeforeQuote will show whether the number needs more questions before you say yes.

Check the bid before you hire

This is a first-pass sanity check for homeowners in North American metro areas. Use the matching calculator after this if the scope or result needs a tighter range.

Auto-saves in this browserBid totals, payment terms, and checked assumptions stay on this device unless you copy, email, or submit a checklist request.
United States averageUse the Location control in the header for city-level pricing.
Written details included in the quote
Project-specific details included
Price-change assumptions written

Mark only what the quote already says in writing, especially items that can become change orders later.

Contractor basics documented

Only check a basic when the contractor has written proof you can keep with the final quote.

What counts as documented contractor proof?
License / registration

Counts as proof: A license or registration number, issuing authority, trade category, and business name that match the contractor or company bidding the work.

Weak signal: A verbal "we are licensed" answer, a number without the issuing authority, or a license that belongs to an unrelated business.

Insurance certificate

Counts as proof: A current certificate of insurance naming the insured business, coverage type, policy dates, and any building or property-manager requirements.

Weak signal: A badge on a website, an expired certificate, or a generic statement that insurance exists without coverage dates or business name.

Written scope

Counts as proof: A written quote or proposal that names the rooms, surfaces, fixtures, materials, allowances, prep/demo, cleanup, exclusions, and assumptions.

Weak signal: A single total with "labor and materials" only, or a text message that does not say what is included or excluded.

Payment schedule

Counts as proof: Deposit amount, payment milestones, final payment trigger, accepted methods, and what must be complete before each payment.

Weak signal: "Pay as we go," "most upfront," or a large deposit request without milestones, completion criteria, or refund/cancellation terms.

Change-order process

Counts as proof: A written rule that extra work requires homeowner approval before work starts, with pricing method, documentation, and who can approve it.

Weak signal: Verbal approval, after-the-fact billing, or "we will figure it out onsite" without unit rates or written approval steps.

Warranty terms

Counts as proof: Written labor warranty length, material warranty handling, exclusions, callback process, and whether warranty transfers if the home is sold.

Weak signal: "We stand behind our work" without duration, exclusions, response process, or distinction between labor and material warranty.

Permit responsibility

Counts as proof: A written permit decision, who pulls the permit, who pays fees, inspection responsibility, schedule impact, and final closeout documents.

Weak signal: "No permit needed" without project-specific reasoning, or assuming the homeowner handles permits without saying so in the bid.

Start date / duration

Counts as proof: Written start window, expected duration, crew days/hours, access needs, cleanup plan, delay terms, and punch-list or closeout expectations.

Weak signal: "We can start soon" or "about a week" without start window, daily access requirements, delay handling, or completion criteria.

Ready when you add a bidAdd the contractor total
Planning rangeChoose a project and enter a bid.Typical scope will appear here.

BeforeQuote compares the bid to a city-aware planning range and checks whether the written quote has enough detail to compare safely.

Evidence quality: add bid details

The planning range is a benchmark, not a live contractor quote. Add the contractor total and written assumptions before judging whether the price is fair.

  • planning anchor BeforeQuote shows a city-aware range, not a guaranteed market price.
  • missing evidence Contractor scope, payment terms, and project assumptions still need to be written down.
How estimates work
Compare readiness--/100
Add the bid total first

BeforeQuote will score whether this bid has enough price, scope, and contractor detail to compare against other written quotes.

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Price range

Enter the contractor total.

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Written quote

Mark which quote details are written down.

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Project scope

Confirm the project-specific assumptions.

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Contractor basics

Confirm license, insurance, payment, warranty, and schedule basics.

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Payment risk

Check deposit, payment structure, and change-order rules.

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Price-change assumptions

Check allowances, access, hidden conditions, cleanup, and closeout.

Next best action

Enter the bid total, then use the missing items below to ask cleaner follow-up questions.

Assumption ledgerCheck what can change the price
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BeforeQuote will separate written assumptions from price-change risks so the quote can become comparable before you reply.

Written assumptions
    Price-change risks
      Revision asks
        Signing gateDo not sign yet
        --/100

        BeforeQuote will show what must be written down before this quote is safe to compare or sign.

        Top blockers
          Ask next
            Before signing

              One local file with the result summary, proof standards, follow-up questions, reply, and signing checklist.

              Generated locally in your browser. Copying or downloading this packet does not upload bid details, contractor names, amounts, or generated messages.

              Run full calculatorCompare bidsBuild quote brief

              What this tool is for

              Use this page when a contractor sends a number but the quote still feels hard to compare. A bid can look expensive because the scope is complete, or it can look cheap because labor, materials, warranty, permit, disposal, or exclusions are not written down yet.

              How to read the result

              • Inside the planning range means the number is plausible, but the scope still needs written assumptions.
              • Below the range is not automatically good. It often means the quote may be missing prep, materials, disposal, permits, or warranty.
              • Above the range is not automatically bad. Ask which line items, site conditions, finish choices, or access issues explain the gap.
              • For condos and apartments, building approval, elevator booking, insurance certificates, common-area protection, and work hours can change the real price.
              This tool is a first-pass check, not a contractor inspection. For a tighter range, open the matching calculator and enter the actual scope.