Builder quote check

Check a builder's quote before you accept it

You have a quote in your inbox and no easy way to tell whether it covers the whole job. Work through what a complete UK builder quote should contain, the items that most often go missing, and what to ask before you sign or pay a deposit.

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At a glance

What this helps with: Reading a single builder quote properly, spotting gaps in the scope and knowing which questions to ask before you commit.
Best for: UK homeowners holding one or two quotes for an extension, renovation, patio, driveway, kitchen or bathroom.
What you get: • What a complete quote should contain
• The items most often left out
• How VAT and provisional sums change the real total
• Questions to send back to your builder
• A simple what-to-do-next sequence
Important disclaimer: The Builder's Brief UK provides practical homeowner guidance only. It is not legal, financial, architectural, structural engineering, planning or building-control advice. Always use suitably qualified professionals where required.

What a good builder quote should contain

A quote is a description of the job as much as a price. If the description is thin, the price cannot be relied on.

A written scope describing each stage of the work, not a single line and a total
Whether the price includes VAT, and the trading name the quote is issued under
Materials and specification, including who supplies what
Named exclusions so you know what falls to you
Provisional sums or allowances flagged clearly as estimates
A payment schedule tied to stages of work rather than dates alone
Expected start window and rough duration
Skips, welfare, scaffolding, access and making good

Items that most often go missing

These rarely appear as savings. They usually reappear later as extras once the work is under way.

Muck-away, skips and waste disposal on groundworks-heavy jobs
Scaffolding, temporary support and access equipment
Structural steel, lintels and connection details
Drainage alterations and manhole work
Electrical and heating alterations beyond the immediate area
Decoration, flooring and making good to existing rooms
Kitchen, bathroom, tiling and sanitaryware supply where labour only is priced
Building control fees, testing and certification

VAT, provisional sums and exclusions

Three details change what you actually pay. Confirm all three in writing before accepting a quote.

VAT: a quote that excludes VAT is not comparable with one that includes it. Ask which applies.
Provisional sums: an allowance for work that has not been fully specified. It will be adjusted up or down once decided.
Exclusions: items deliberately outside the price. They still have to be paid for by somebody.
Ask for a revised written quote once these are settled, rather than relying on verbal reassurance.

Signals worth a second conversation

None of these prove anything is wrong. Each is a reason to ask more before money moves.

A single-line price for a multi-stage job
A large deposit requested before any work or materials
Pressure to decide within hours
No written scope, no VAT position, no trading details
Payments requested ahead of the stage being reached

What to do next

1. Read the scope before the price
List every stage you expect and mark whether the quote describes it. Gaps matter more than the headline figure.
2. Write down your questions
Keep them factual and specific: VAT position, provisional sums, exclusions, payment stages, start window.
3. Ask for the quote in writing again
Once answers come back, request an updated written quote so the agreed scope and the price match.
4. Only then compare on price
A price is only meaningful once you know what it includes. Compare like for like across builders.

Next step

Printable scoring sheets and red-flag review — £9.99

Check your quote with the Quote Checker Pack

Download the free Builder Quote Checklist

Common questions

Can you tell me if my builder's price is fair?

No. Nobody can judge a price fairly without seeing the property, the drawings and the specification. What this microsite does is help you check whether the quote describes the whole job, so the price you are comparing is meaningful.

What should be included in a builder's quote in the UK?

A written scope of work stage by stage, the VAT position, materials and specification, named exclusions, any provisional sums, a stage-linked payment schedule and an expected start window and duration.

Is a quote the same as an estimate?

In everyday use builders often use the words loosely. What matters is how firm the figure is and what could change it, so ask directly which parts are fixed and which are allowances.

Should I pay a deposit before work starts?

Deposits for ordered materials are common and reasonable. Large upfront payments with nothing delivered are worth questioning, and payments should generally follow stages of completed work.

Is this legal advice?

No. The Builder's Brief UK provides practical homeowner guidance only. It is not legal, financial, architectural, structural engineering, planning or building-control advice.

Also useful

The Builder's Brief UK provides practical homeowner guidance only. It is not legal, financial, architectural, structural engineering, planning or building-control advice. Always use suitably qualified professionals where required.