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Check your contractor quote before you sign.
Walk through what a contractor quote should clearly spell out — scope, materials, warranty, permits, payment terms, cleanup and more — tailored to your kind of project.
- Project-specificCore + trade checks
- Missing ≠ unclearFour answers, not a tick
- Questions readyCopy or message
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Quote check
SampleComposite deck rebuild
$18,300
- Scope of workIncluded
- Removal and disposalIncluded
- WarrantyMissing
- Permit responsibilityNot sure
Scout · Warranty isn’t mentioned. Worth asking before you sign.
Learn to read an estimate
One line, or a quote you can hold someone to.
Both of these could be for the same deck at the same price. Only one tells you what you’re actually getting.
Before
Estimate
Deck rebuild ........ $18,300
No size, materials, permit, warranty or payment terms. Everything else is whatever was said on site.
After a scope check
- Deck size
- 16 × 20 ft, about 3 ft high
- Removal
- Old deck and footings removed and hauled away
- Footings
- 12 helical piles
- Framing
- 2×10 joists at 12 in on centre, joist tape
- Decking
- Named composite line, colour and hidden fasteners
- Railings
- Aluminum, 36 in high, 42 linear ft
- Permit
- Contractor applies, pays and books inspections
- Warranty
- 5-year workmanship; manufacturer warranties separate
- Cleanup
- Site cleaned daily; debris removed at the end
- Payments
- Deposit, then milestones tied to inspections
Verbal promises don’t travel
If a detail matters — a product, a date, a warranty — get it written into the quote or contract. What’s said on site is easy to remember differently later.
A quote isn’t the whole contract
An estimate may not hold every term that belongs in the signed contract. This checklist helps you spot what to clarify before signing — it doesn’t replace a contract review.
A clear quote ≠ a good contractor
A detailed quote is useful. It doesn’t prove workmanship, reliability, licensing, insurance or character — check those separately, and you decide who to hire.
Common questions
What should a contractor quote include?
Short answers to what homeowners ask most. The checklist above goes into each in more detail for your project.
Should a contractor quote include a warranty?
It’s worth having the workmanship warranty in writing — how long it lasts and what it covers — with manufacturer warranties noted separately. If it’s only mentioned out loud, ask for it to be added.
Should materials be listed on the quote?
Yes, ideally by brand, product line and colour rather than a category like “composite decking”. Named products make quotes comparable and stop a substitute being used for the same price.
Who is responsible for permits?
It varies by project and location, and either side can apply. What matters is that the quote says who applies, who pays and who books inspections — even if the answer is that no permit is needed.
What should payment terms look like?
There’s no single right deposit; it depends on the project, region and materials. Look for the deposit amount and each later payment written down, ideally tied to stages of the work.
Should cleanup and disposal be written down?
Yes. Removal of old material and final cleanup take time and disposal fees, so it should be clear whether they’re in the price.
What if something was only promised verbally?
Ask for it to be added to the written quote or contract before you sign. Use the “Copy questions” or message tools on this page to ask in writing.
Have the quote in front of you?
Let ScopeGrade read the quote for you.
The AI Quote Scanner checks the written estimate against the same kinds of scope and terms, plus price context where we have data — and if you’ve done this checklist, it lines up what you noticed with what it found.
Checklist Questions Scan Compare
This checklist is informational and doesn’t replace legal, engineering, building-code or other professional advice. It never rates a contractor or tells you who to hire.