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Contractor Comparison

One spec, sent out, and an honest comparison of what comes back

$400

One written specification of your project goes out to several contractors, so that every one of them is pricing the same job. Their bids come back to you in a single report, side by side, with what each one includes, what each one leaves out, and where they genuinely disagree. We do not choose for you, and no contractor pays us anything.

A flat fee covering the specification, the outreach and the report. It does not change with how the bids come back, or with whether you hire anyone at all.

The consultation fee you already paid comes off this price.

Who this is for

  • The scope is settled and what you need now is prices that can be compared like for like.
  • You are holding three quotes that describe three different jobs and cannot be read against each other.
  • You do not want to run the tendering yourself, and you do not want a lead-generation site doing it in exchange for a cut.

Who this is not for

If one of these describes you, do not buy this. It is cheaper for you and it is the reason this section is on the page.

  • The project is not defined yet. An unclear specification produces unclear bids, and we would be charging you for the confusion.
  • You want us to pick the contractor, hire them or manage them. We report; you decide, and your agreement is with them.
  • You only want the cheapest number found. The report shows the cheapest bid and also shows what it leaves out, which is usually the point.
  • You need work to start immediately. Contractors reply when they reply, and peak season is peak season.

How it works

  1. Step 1

    We write one specification

    Built from the consultation, the quote or the design, depending on what you already have. Same scope, same assumptions, same questions for everybody.

  2. Step 2

    It goes out unchanged

    The same document to each contractor. Nobody is told what anyone else bid, and nobody is on the list because they paid to be.

  3. Step 3

    You get the comparison

    Every bid in one table: included, excluded, assumed, and where the differences actually come from. In plain language, with the reasoning shown, so you can disagree with it.

What is not included

  • Hiring, contracting, scheduling or supervising anyone.
  • A guaranteed number of responses. We cannot make a contractor bid on your job.
  • Any warranty on the work itself. The warranty is whatever your contractor puts in writing.
  • A ranking dressed up as a recommendation. We show what came back and what it means.

Where this sits

This is the last rung, and it only works when everything above it is settled. Sending out a vague scope produces bids that cannot be compared, which is the problem you came here to solve.

  • Consultation

    $150

    Comes first, and decides whether this service is worth buying at all.

  • Quote Service

    $300

    Its line items are what make several bids answer the same question.

  • Design Service

    from $500

    The cleanest possible specification to send out, because nothing is left open.

What we cannot tell you yet

  • The written standard a contractor must meet to be on our list is not published yet. Until it is, read "vetted" as our judgement rather than as a certification.
  • The list is still being built and does not cover every project type. If yours is not covered, we will tell you that instead of taking the fee.

How you get it

Arranged after a consultation, and only once the scope is fixed.

Start with a consultation

A consultation is $150, and that fee comes off this service if the verdict says you need it. Often it says you do not.

If you already have a complete written scope, you can ask for this directly. If it turns out not to be complete, we will say so rather than send it out and charge you for the answers. Ask for it directly.