Contractor Quote Comparison Audit: Scope, Exclusions and Red Flags
Compare quotes line by line, not just by total.
Added October 15, 2026. Written with AI assistance and checked for clarity and placeholders; not reviewed by a lawyer, accountant, clinician or other professional. How these prompts are made
The Open buttons send the prompt text as currently shown below to that site only when you click. Fill in the placeholders first.
[VERIFY] is an editorial flag, not a blank to fill. Wherever the prompt shows [VERIFY], check that item against a reliable source before you use it (what [VERIFY] means).
Audit these contractor quotes. Quote 1: [QUOTE_ONE]. Quote 2: [QUOTE_TWO]. Quote 3, if any: [QUOTE_THREE]. The scope I asked for: [MY_SCOPE].
Create a table with each scope item in rows and each quote in columns showing included, excluded, price, or not mentioned. Highlight items missing from one quote, vague allowances ('materials as required'), provisional sums, different quality levels, VAT or tax treatment, start and finish dates, payment schedules, warranty, insurance and licence statements. Recalculate totals with the arithmetic and show the like-for-like total after adding the missing items at the other quotes' prices. List ten questions to ask each contractor and five red flags (large upfront payment, no written contract, pressure to decide today, cash-only discount, no references).
Do not recommend a contractor. Mark licence and insurance checks as [VERIFY].
Add the first five questions to ask each contractor (start date, who does the work, what is excluded, how changes are priced, how long the guarantee is and what it covers) and a rule to ask each contractor to confirm the scope in writing with any updated price.
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See an example result (fictional data)
Item | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C Strip and replaster | 1,850 | 1,600 | not mentioned Paint, two coats | 900 | 1,150 | 780 Skip hire | included | excluded | included Total as quoted | 2,750 | 2,750 | 780 Like-for-like (add replastering at 1,725 average and skip at 220 for C; skip for B): A 2,750; B 2,970; C 2,725. The totals look equal for A and B but differ when exclusions are added; C omitted the largest task.
Illustrative only, made-up data. Your results will differ and must be reviewed.