Before you hire

How to compare contractor quotes.

The lowest number isn’t automatically the best one, and the highest isn’t automatically the safest. Comparing quotes well means looking past the bottom line to what’s actually in each one.

Why more than one quote matters

A single quote tells you what one contractor thinks, not what the project should cost. Getting a few gives you a real range, surfaces differences in scope you might not have thought to ask about, and makes it much harder for any one contractor to quietly pad the number.

What to actually compare

• What’s included, not just the total. Two quotes with the same bottom line can cover very different scopes — permits, appliances, haul-away, and finish quality all swing the number without showing up in a single total figure.
• What could change the price. A contractor who can name likely cost drivers upfront (hidden plumbing, structural surprises) has actually thought the project through. One who can’t has either not looked closely or isn’t being upfront.
• License and insurance, every time. Price comparisons mean nothing if one of the contractors isn’t actually licensed and insured to do the work.
• The payment schedule. California caps a contractor’s deposit at $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less. A quote asking for more upfront is a red flag regardless of how good the number looks otherwise.
• Timeline realism. A quote with no mention of likely delays, on a multi-week project, is either inexperienced or optimistic in a way that will cost you later.

How many quotes is enough

Two gives you a comparison. Three or more gives you an actual pattern — you start to see what’s normal for your project and what’s an outlier, in either direction. Beyond four or five, more quotes rarely add much new information, mostly just more time spent.

See our questions to ask a contractor for what to ask each one directly.