Should I always get three quotes for building work?
Yes. For any building project over a couple of thousand pounds, getting at least three quotes is widely considered best practice. Three quotes give you enough data points to identify a realistic price range, spot outliers, and compare not just cost but scope and professionalism.
For smaller jobs under a thousand pounds -- a new door, fence repair, minor plastering -- two quotes may be sufficient, provided both tradespeople have visited the site and are quoting for the same scope of work.
How to compare quotes properly
Price alone is a poor comparison. The real value of multiple quotes is seeing what each contractor has included:
- Scope: Does the quote cover skip hire, scaffolding, building control fees, making good, and decoration?
- Specification: Are materials specified by brand, thickness, or finish -- or is it just "supply and fit kitchen"?
- Timeline: Has the builder given an estimated start date and duration?
- Payment terms: Are stage payments linked to milestones?
- Exclusions: What is explicitly not included?
A quote that is dramatically cheaper than the others should raise questions, not excitement. A very low price often means corners will be cut, materials will be downgraded, or the builder has underestimated the job and will come back for extras later.
What this means for a quote
An itemised quote that breaks the work into sections makes like-for-like comparison straightforward. It also builds customer confidence. TailoredQuote generates quotes with that level of breakdown so contractors can present a professional, detailed scope of works and customers can see exactly what they are paying for.