What to Do Before Accepting a Building Quote
The checks worth making before you say yes: the work, the price, the payment terms, who is doing the job and what happens if things change.
The short answer
Before accepting a building quote, check that it describes the work you want, at a price you understand, from a company you have checked, on terms you can live with. An hour spent now is the best-value hour of the whole project.
Accepting a quote is the point at which a price becomes an agreement. Before that point, every question is easy to ask and every change is simple to make. Afterwards, the same conversations can be harder.
None of the checks below needs specialist knowledge. They need the quote, a quiet half hour, and a willingness to ask about anything you do not fully understand. A good contractor will welcome the questions, because a customer who understands the quote is a customer who is less likely to be surprised later.
This guide sets out what to check, what to ask, and how to accept properly once you are happy. It is part of our guide to building quotes and payments.
The checklist
Eight checks before you say yes
Work through these with the quote in front of you.
Read the scope line by line
Does it describe the work you asked for, in enough detail that you could tell whether it had been done? Our guide to what a building quote should include sets out the detail to expect.
Check what is included and what is not
Scaffolding, waste removal, making good and materials are common gaps. If something is not mentioned, ask whether it is included.
Look for allowances and estimates within the quote
A provisional sum is an allowance for work that cannot yet be priced exactly. Ask how it will be confirmed. Provisional sums explained covers them.
Check the price and the VAT
Is the price fixed? Does it include VAT, or is VAT added on top?
Read the payment terms
How much is due upfront, what triggers each payment and when the balance falls due. Our guide to payment schedules explains what a clear set of terms looks like.
Check who is doing the work
The quote should name the company carrying out the work. That is the company your contract will be with.
Check the warranty
How long it lasts, what it covers, who provides it and when it starts.
Check the validity and timing
How long the price is valid for, and when the work could start.
Comparing
Compare like with like
If you have more than one quote, line them up against the same scope before you compare prices. Two quotes that look far apart are often pricing different work: one includes scaffolding and one does not, one uses a different material, one allows for making good and the other leaves it to you.
Be cautious about choosing on price alone. A quote that is far below the others may have left something out, or may be relying on extras later. It may also be perfectly sound. The only way to know is to ask what explains the difference. Our guides to comparing building quotes and why the cheapest quote can cost more go into this in detail.
Check whether each document is actually a quote. An estimate is a best guess and can change. A quote is a price for the described work. Estimate vs quote explains the difference and why it matters.
Worth asking
Questions that get useful answers
Ask them before you accept, and keep the answers in writing.
Who exactly will do the work?
The company named in the quote, and whether they will be on site themselves or bringing in others for parts of the job.
What is not included?
Asking the question the other way round often brings out items that would otherwise have been assumed.
What if something unexpected turns up?
For example, rotten timbers under old roof tiles. How will it be priced and agreed before the extra work goes ahead?
When can you start, and how long will it take?
An expected start date and duration, and what might affect them, such as weather or material lead times.
Who do I contact during the work?
A name and a number, and how quickly you can expect a reply when the team is on site.
What warranty do you give, and from when?
The length, what it covers, and whether it runs from completion. Get the terms in writing.
Checking the company
Know who you are contracting with
The quote tells you what you are buying. It is just as important to be comfortable with who you are buying it from. At a minimum, check that the company carries public liability insurance, look at genuine reviews and references, and, for a limited company, check its details on Companies House.
Our hub on choosing a contractor covers each of these in depth, starting with how to vet a builder. The checks take a little time, and they are much easier to do before you accept than after.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a trader must carry out a service with reasonable care and skill. Where a contract is agreed at your home or at a distance, such as by email, the Consumer Contracts Regulations generally give you a period to cancel, and if you ask for work to start within that period you may have to pay for work already done. Some work also needs planning permission, building regulations approval or a party wall notice, so ask who will arrange anything your job needs. Citizens Advice, GOV.UK and the Planning Portal all publish guidance. This is general information, not legal advice.
Reading the signs
Ready to accept, or worth another question
Most quotes sit comfortably on the left. If yours has items on the right, that is a prompt to ask, not necessarily a reason to walk away.
Signs a quote is ready to accept
- It names the company doing the work
- The scope is specific and itemised
- Inclusions and exclusions are clear
- Payment terms are set out in writing
- The warranty terms are stated
- It says how long the price is valid
Worth asking more first
- The description is vague or a single line
- A large payment is due before any work starts
- You are pressed to decide on the spot
- Payment is cash only
- There are no written terms
- You cannot tell who will carry out the work
Money upfront
Understanding the deposit before you pay it
Most larger building jobs ask for a deposit on acceptance, and that is a normal part of how contractors plan their work. It secures a start date and often pays for materials that have to be ordered in advance.
Before you pay it, check three things in the quote: the amount, what it is for, and how it counts towards the total price. A deposit should be part of the price, not an extra on top, and the rest of the payment terms should make clear what is due after it.
Check too who the deposit is paid to. It should be the company named as carrying out the work, or a company clearly set out in the paperwork as receiving payment on their behalf. Our guide to building deposits covers what a reasonable deposit looks like and what to ask.
Pay the deposit by a method that leaves a record, and keep the confirmation with the accepted quote. It is the first entry in your project file.
Saying yes
How to accept properly
Accept in writing. An email confirming that you accept the quote, with its reference and date, is enough in many cases. If there are written terms or a contract to sign, read them first, so you know exactly what you are agreeing to.
Confirm anything agreed since the quote. If you have negotiated a change, asked for something extra or agreed a different start date, put it in the acceptance so the record is complete. If you want to discuss the price itself, our answer on negotiating a building quote explains how to go about it fairly.
Check the payment details. Before you pay a deposit, confirm the bank details through a number you already trust, not one given in an email.
Start your project file. Save the accepted quote, the terms and your acceptance together. Every invoice, change and receipt that follows will hang off them.
Working with Mortaro
What a Mortaro quotation gives you before you commit
Mortaro coordinates domestic building projects. After the site visit, your contractor prices the work and we prepare it as a clear written quotation that names them as the appointed main contractor. It sets out the work, the price, the payment terms and your contractor's warranty terms. It is free, carries no obligation and is valid for 30 days.
Your contractor, an independent company from our network, carries out the work, holds the insurance and provides the workmanship warranty, a minimum of 12 months across our network. Your construction contract is with them. Before being introduced to anyone, every contractor in the network is checked for public liability insurance, reviews and references, the warranties they provide, trade experience and prior work history, and their ability to meet our standards.
If you go ahead, a 25% deposit secures the works and the balance is due on completion, by bank transfer. Any question about your quotation comes to us. How quotations work and our contractor network explain both in full.
Straight answers
Questions before accepting a quote
How long do I have to accept a building quote?
As long as the quote says it is valid for. If it does not say, ask, because material and labour costs change and a contractor may need to re-price an older quote.
Can I ask for changes before accepting?
Yes, and it is the best time to do it. Ask for a revised quote that reflects the change, so the version you accept matches the work you want.
Should I accept a quote by phone?
It is better to accept in writing, even if you have agreed by phone first. A short email referring to the quote by its reference and date gives you both a clear record.
What if I change my mind after accepting?
It depends on your contract and how it was agreed, and cancellation rights may apply in some cases. Check your terms and, if in doubt, Citizens Advice guidance. This is general information, not legal advice.
Do I need to accept straight away to keep the price?
Not usually, as long as you accept within the validity period stated on the quote. If you are being pressed to decide on the spot, it is reasonable to take the time you need to read the quote properly.
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.