How to compare remodeling bids

Updated November 20264-minute read

Line the bids up side by side so you can tell what each one actually includes.

Three quote sheets laid side by side on an oak table, edges lined up (concept rendering)

The short version

Give every contractor the same starting point, then compare the bids on the same rows. Treat each blank row as a question to ask. In one survey of 2025 projects, 37% of renovating homeowners were over the budget they set.¹

Three printed bid sheets side by side with a hand about to mark one (concept rendering)

Six steps

1. Give every contractor the same starting point.

Same photos, same wish list, same choices you have already made. Then the bids are easy to compare.

2. Put the bids side by side.

One row each for scope, materials, who does the work, what is left out, how changes work and what you sign before work starts.

3. Read the scope line by line.

Each bid should say what happens in each part of the home. If one says only "remodel", ask for detail.

Ask for a free walk-through →

4. Check the materials by name.

A cabinet line, a counter material and a fixture model can be compared. "Allowance" and "standard" can't.

5. Find what is left out.

Appliances, permits, cleanup and repairs found behind walls are the usual gaps.

6. Ask how changes work.

Get every change in writing, with a price you approve first.

Warning signs in a bid

In the bidWhat to ask
A scope with one line Ask for it broken out room by room and item by item.
"Allowance" with no number or list Ask what it covers and what happens when it runs out.
No mention of permits Ask who pulls them, and what the bid assumes.
No word on what's behind the walls Ask what happens if the crew finds something.
Pressure to sign today Ask for time to compare.

A couple and a contractor looking at an open kitchen wall and a plan sheet (concept rendering)

Questions about comparing bids

Planning a kitchen? Read our guide to choosing a kitchen or whole-home remodel. Planning a pool? Read our guide to pool resurfacing or a remodel.

How many bids should I get?

Many people get three. Enough to see how they differ, but not so many that you can't read each one.

Why do bids differ so much?

Each counts different things as included. Put them on the same rows before you compare totals.

Should I just pick the lowest bid?

Only after they list the same things. A low bid with blank rows can cost more.

What if I already have a bid?

Use the six steps above. Mark each blank as a question and ask the contractor to fill it in.

A homeowner on the phone at the kitchen table with three printed bids in front of them (concept rendering)

Start with a walk-through

Call (737) 405-5777, or tell us what you are planning. The walk-through is free: we walk the home and yard with you, then give you a written plan.

Sources

Houzz Research, 2026 U.S. Houzz & Home Study: Renovation Trends (April 22, 2026), renovating homeowners on Houzz, 2025 projects. www.houzz.com