Published 16 October 2026
Two repair quotations can describe the same survey finding yet cover very different work. Before deciding that one contractor is expensive or another is a bargain, check what each has actually allowed for. The total is useful only when you understand the job behind it.
This guide focuses on comparing quotations after you have received them. For an earlier explanation of indicative budgets, see our survey repair-cost guide. Buyers in Greater Manchester and nearby Cheshire can use the checks below to organise their questions without treating an online average as a price for their own house.
Give every contractor the same starting point
Create one short enquiry pack containing the relevant survey sections, available photographs and a list of the repairs you want priced. Keep the complete report available for context. Explain whether you are seeking a quotation for defined work or help establishing what work is necessary.
If one contractor has visited and another has only seen a photograph, record that difference. Ask each to state the basis of their proposal. A price prepared with limited information may contain assumptions that a site visit would change.
Match the work, not just the headline
Take one reported concern at a time. For a guttering enquiry, for example, ask whether the proposal covers a particular leaking section, a whole elevation or a complete replacement. These are different scopes, even if all three documents say “guttering works”.
Make a comparison sheet with a column for each contractor. Record the location, extent of work, proposed materials and finish. Mark anything unclear as a question rather than filling in the answer yourself.
Avoid treating a more detailed document as automatically better value. Detail helps you compare; it does not establish whether the proposed repair is appropriate.
Check the practical costs around the repair
A repair involves more than the visible replacement item. Ask which surrounding tasks are included and which would be charged separately. Depending on the job, useful questions include:
- What access equipment has been allowed for?
- Who protects nearby surfaces and clears the working area?
- Does the price include removing waste?
- Will disturbed finishes be made good, and to what standard?
- Are investigation, testing or design fees separate?
These are prompts, not a specification for your property. For a terrace with restricted rear access in Stockport, note that restriction in the enquiry rather than assuming every contractor has priced it. Ask them to explain how it affects their proposal.
Identify allowances and exclusions
Highlight words such as “allowance”, “provisional”, “subject to inspection” and “excluded”. Ask what information would turn each uncertain item into a defined piece of work. Keep an unresolved allowance visibly separate from an agreed price.
An excluded item has not disappeared from your project budget. Record who will assess or price it next. Where one contractor includes a task and another excludes it, ask for clarification before comparing their totals.
Keep optional improvements separate too. Upgrading a finish because you prefer it should remain distinguishable from the repair requested.
Confirm the commercial details in writing
Citizens Advice recommends obtaining written quotations from at least three traders where possible. Its England guidance distinguishes a quotation for an agreed price from an estimate, which is an approximate figure. Ask which you have received.
Check the total, VAT treatment, price expiry date and circumstances in which additional charges could arise. Discuss proposed timing and payment arrangements before accepting. A clear written record helps both parties understand the agreement; seek advice about any contract wording you do not understand.
Keep the comparison usable
Save the original documents with their dates, then add clarifications as separate notes. When a contractor revises a quotation, ask which earlier version it replaces. This avoids comparing an old scope against a new price.
Casa’s UK-wide Survey Cost Review can help explain indicative repair allowances from an existing report. It includes no site visit and does not replace a contractor’s quotation or verify concealed conditions. For visible concerns locally, explore our visual home inspections or request a home inspection so Casa can confirm the proposed scope and fee.
The aim is a comparison you can explain: what each price covers, what remains uncertain and which questions still need an answer.
Source
Quotation guidance checked on 16 October 2026 against Citizens Advice, “Before you get work done on your home” (England): https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/
