We’re soliciting bids for a kitchen remodel. What should I expect to be included in the bid?
What you should expect in your bid are overall details of the work that needs to be done. Let’s take the kitchen remodel, for example. The contractor needs to list the material, labor/time, and what is expected to be performed in the job. You would not expect the bid to tell you step by step of the work performed, nor the tools needed! The contract should be general and cover all aspects of work performed. Make sure both you and the contractor discuss clearly if you have any questions.
Your bid should include the type of material and details of the cabinets, allowance for counter top, type of sink and hardware, and detail information about your appliances.
Everything you discussed should be included. This quote is part of the contract that protects you and the contractor should anything not go as planned. A real quote should be in the form of a contract. It should outline who is responsible for what. Now an estimate is different, but if it comes down to hiring you want the quote/contract to be as detailed as possible. If they are supplying fixtures and cabinets you want them specified in writing with as much detail as is required. If you are providing certain materials on your own that should also be specified as well as when you will have them at the job site. It should explain payment terms like when payments are due and how much work should be completed in order to draw them. You also need a mechanism for changes. If you want to alter the plan midway, there needs to be a way for the contract to be amended to show the new request and outline the new costs. It shouldn’t leave anything left to chance.
Itemized costs for materials, labor costs, demo, disposal and installation
Contractors come from various schools on how detailed their quote should be. My question is how detailed do you want it? The more detail the quote the better you can compare multiple bids. Also, you will be able to tell if the contractor included pricing for all parts of your project.
Craig
Your contractor should break down the quantities and unit prices for you.