Is a Very Cheap Quote a Bad Sign?
Not on its own. A low price is a question to ask, not a verdict. Compare like with like first, then ask the builder how their figure works.
The short answer
Not by itself. A low price is a question to ask, not a verdict.
A very cheap quote isn't automatically a bad sign, but it is a reason to check exactly what you're being quoted for. Big gaps between quotes usually come from differences in scope, materials or what's been left out, rather than one builder being dramatically more efficient than the rest. Once you've compared like with like, a quote that is still much lower deserves a direct, polite question: how does this price work?
Sometimes there's a perfectly good answer. Sometimes there isn't, and you'll learn a lot from how the builder responds.
Reading the gap
Why one quote can sit well below the others
Both columns are common. The point of checking is to work out which one you're looking at.
Reasons that can be perfectly fair
- Lower overheads, such as no office or showroom
- A quiet spell and a wish to fill the diary
- Working locally, with less travel time
- A simpler method that still does the job properly
- Pricing only what was seen, honestly and tightly
Reasons to look more closely
- Items left out that other quotes included
- Cheaper materials than the others specified
- VAT excluded where others include it
- A low headline figure with extras likely later
- Pressure to decide quickly or pay in cash
Before you judge the price
Compare like with like first
Lay the quotes side by side and check the same things on each. Is the described work the same? Are materials named, and are they equivalent? Who provides access equipment such as scaffolding, and is it priced? Is removing waste included? Does the figure include VAT? Are there provisional sums for anything uncertain, and how big are they? What warranty does each builder give, and for how long?
Very often the cheap quote turns out to be quoting for less, and the gap closes once the missing items are added back. Our guide on how to compare quotes fairly gives a simple way to line them up, and why the cheapest quote can cost more explains where the difference tends to reappear.
It also helps to have more than two quotes to compare, so one unusually high or low figure doesn't distort your view. See how many quotes should I get? for a sensible number.
Questions to ask
What to put to the builder with the lowest price
Ask these in a friendly way. A builder who has priced carefully will be glad to explain.
What exactly does this include?
Ask them to confirm, in writing, the parts you've noticed other quotes list: access, waste, making good, and any preparatory work.
Which materials are you using?
Names or specifications, not just "quality materials". This is where like-for-like comparisons most often fall apart.
What could make the price go up?
An honest builder will tell you where the risks are. If the answer is "nothing" on a job with obvious unknowns, ask again.
Are you insured, and what warranty do you give?
Ask to see their public liability insurance and get the warranty terms in writing. Our answer on checking a builder's insurance shows what to look at.
Listen to the answer
The builder's reaction tells you as much as the figure
A builder who has priced a job carefully can usually explain it in a sentence or two. They might tell you they have a gap in their diary next month, that they're based nearby, or that they've quoted a repair where another firm quoted a full replacement. Those are all reasonable answers, and the last one is worth understanding properly, because it may mean the two quotes aren't for the same job at all.
Be more cautious if the questions make the builder vague or defensive, if the price changes as soon as you ask about it, or if the explanation relies on you deciding today. A fair price holds up to a few days' thought. So does a builder who is confident in it.
Whatever the answer, ask for the confirmed scope in writing. It turns a conversation into something you can compare and rely on.
Don't reject a quote just because it's the lowest. If the scope matches, the builder answers clearly and their details check out, it may simply be good value. The aim is to understand the price, not to pay more for the sake of feeling safe.
Where Mortaro fits
A clear price, set out in full
When we coordinate a job, the contractor from our network prices it at trade rates after the site visit, and we prepare that as a written quotation naming them and setting out what's included. Waste removal on completion is part of it, and the quotation stays valid for 30 days, so you have time to compare it properly against anything else you've been offered.
We won't claim to be the cheapest, and we don't try to be. The aim is a price comparable to going to a contractor directly, with the coordination included. The named contractor carries out the work. How our quotations work has the detail.
Straight answers
Questions about low quotes
Should I just accept the cheapest quote?
Only once you're sure it covers the same work to the same standard. Our answer to should I accept the cheapest quote? goes through the checks.
Can I show one builder another builder's quote?
You can, though some builders would rather not see a competitor's figures. It is usually more useful to ask each builder to confirm what their own quote includes, so you can compare them yourself.
What if extras appear once the work has started?
Agree in writing how changes will be priced before anything extra is done. Our answer on whether a builder can change the price after quoting explains the usual position.
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.