How Many Quotes Should I Get?
Three is the usual rule of thumb. When two is enough, when it is worth going further, and how to make sure the quotes you get can be compared.
The short answer
Usually three. Comparable ones matter more than many.
Three quotes is the usual rule of thumb, and for most domestic building work it is a sensible one. It is enough to see a realistic price range and to compare how different builders would approach the job, without spending weeks arranging site visits. For a small repair, two can be plenty. For a large project, three detailed quotes that can genuinely be compared are worth more than five vague ones.
The number matters less than the quality. This page covers when to get fewer or more, and how to make sure the quotes you collect are actually comparable.
Why three
What each extra quote tells you
One quote tells you a price, with nothing to measure it against. Two tell you whether that price is in the right area, and whether the builders see the job the same way. Three usually show you the range, and make an outlier easy to spot: the quote that is much cheaper or much dearer than the others, or that proposes different work.
Beyond three, the returns fall quickly. Each quote means a site visit, a conversation and a document to read. Builders also put real time into pricing, so a homeowner asking six or seven firms for a small job will often get fewer replies and less effort.
If your quotes are wildly different, that is information too. It usually means the builders have understood the job differently, which is worth resolving before you choose. See is a very cheap quote a bad sign?
Making them comparable
How to get quotes you can compare
Give everyone the same brief
Write down what you want done, any preferences on materials, and your timing. Give the same notes to each builder so they are pricing the same job.
Ask the same questions
What is included, what isn't, how long it will take, when they could start, what warranty they give. Our list of questions to ask at a site visit helps.
Get every quote in writing
Itemised where possible, showing whether VAT is included, and noting items such as access equipment and waste removal.
Compare the work, not only the total
Line up what each quote includes. The lowest total is often the one that leaves something out. Our guide to comparing quotes fairly walks through it.
Adjusting the number
When fewer or more makes sense
Urgent repairs
If water is coming through the ceiling, a temporary fix from one reputable builder may be right, with time to compare quotes for the permanent repair afterwards.
A builder you already trust
If you have used a builder before and been happy, one quote plus a sense check against a second can be enough.
Large or complex projects
On an extension or a major refurbishment, three is still a good number, but allow more time for each, and consider drawings or a written specification so everyone prices the same thing.
Tell builders you are getting other quotes. It is normal and expected. And when you have decided, let the others know. They have put time into pricing your job, and a short message keeps the door open if you need them later.
Choosing between them
Once your quotes are in
Read each quote in full before looking at the totals. Note what each includes and leaves out, how long each builder expects the job to take, when they could start, and what warranty they offer. Then look at the prices. A quote that seems expensive can turn out to include things the others have left as extras.
If something is unclear, ask. A builder who explains their quote patiently is usually the same builder who explains things patiently during the job. A builder who is irritated by questions at the quoting stage rarely becomes easier later.
Price is one factor. How each builder communicated, how thoroughly they looked at the job, and what past customers said about them are just as important, and together they are usually a better guide than the difference between two similar totals. If nothing separates them, it is reasonable to go with the builder you found easiest to deal with.
If you use Mortaro
One contractor appointed, one clear quotation
When you come to us, we appoint one contractor from our network for your job, arrange the site visit and send you a written quotation that names them. It is free, with no obligation, and valid for 30 days, so you have time to compare it with any other quotes you are getting.
Your contractor prices at trade rates, so the quotation is comparable to going to a contractor directly, with the coordination included. How the quotation is put together is on how quotations work.
Straight answers
Questions about getting quotes
Is it rude to get several quotes?
No. Builders expect it. Being clear that you are comparing, and giving everyone the same brief, is the fair way to do it.
Should I pay for a quote?
For most domestic work, quotes are free. For larger projects where a builder has to do detailed design or measurement, some charge, and they should tell you before the visit. The longer guide, how many quotes to get, covers this.
What if every quote is higher than I expected?
That usually tells you more about the job than about the builders. Ask one or two of them to explain where the cost sits. You may be able to change the scope, the materials or the timing, and get a revised quote on that basis.
Start here
Tell us about the work you have in mind
We will confirm we cover your postcode, arrange a site visit with a contractor from our network and send you a written quotation. No charge, no obligation.