Give each contractor the same starting point
Create a bid-document list with drawing dates, specifications and written updates. Record the scope and revision used by each proposal.
- Separate preliminary estimates from contract-ready bids.
- Confirm site work and utility responsibilities.
- List owner purchases and work by others.
Put differences beside each other
Use a comparison sheet for the major work packages. An allowance is a budget amount for an item not fully selected; an exclusion is work left out of the proposal.
- Compare allowances and their adjustment method.
- Identify omitted items, qualifications and unresolved quantities.
- Ask about supervision, schedule assumptions and long-lead purchases.
Close the important gaps in writing
Send written questions and keep the answers with the proposal. Ask for a revised total when a clarification changes scope.
- Record whether an answer changes price or timing.
- Check that revised bids use the same information.
- Review the agreed scope before it becomes part of the contract.
What to check next
- Prepare a common document list.
- Compare included and excluded work.
- Reconcile allowances and owner purchases.
- Retain written clarifications.
Choose your next step
Find contractors with relevant new-home experience, or talk with us about where your project stands.
Official resources
Check with the agency responsible for your property. City and County resources below apply within their respective jurisdictions.
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