Build one scope sheet
Give every bidder the same room measurements, plans, finish expectations and list of work. Record what stays, what is removed and what must be protected.
Normalize products and allowances
Compare named products where possible. For undecided items, put the allowance amount beside each quote and adjust the comparison so all bidders are measured against the same selection budget.
Mark every exclusion
Permits, design, demolition, disposal, protection, cleanup, tax and restoration work can sit outside a headline total. An exclusion is not necessarily bad, but it must be visible.
Compare change-order rules
Ask how changes are documented, priced and approved. Unit prices for predictable unknowns — such as roof deck replacement or subfloor levelling — reduce ambiguity.
Review payment and schedule language
Connect payments to defined milestones or delivered materials. Confirm start assumptions, access hours, cleanup, completion criteria and warranty documents in writing.
Use the calculator as a reasonableness check
A planning range can flag a quote that needs explanation, but it cannot prove a contractor is too expensive or too cheap. Scope and site conditions remain decisive.
Dollar examples are rounded outputs from Home Cost Canada’s editorial planning model, not observed contractor quotes or official government price lists. Review the assumptions and limitations before using them.
Read the full methodology →Turn this example into your planning range.
Planning information only. Confirm scope, permits, site conditions, tax and final pricing with qualified local professionals.