Turn renovation quotations into a decision you can explain
Guidance reviewed 13 September 2026 · Planning information for homeowners in England
When several builders have priced the project, the next step is to understand their differences. Keep your brief and drawing revision fixed while you compare. This guide focuses on the tender decision; the existing London contractor guide and North London contractor guide cover finding and assessing a shortlist.
Give each bidder the same starting information
Prepare a document index showing the scope, drawing revisions, specifications, known investigations and access restrictions. Identify client-supplied items and decisions still to be made. Log questions and issue relevant clarifications consistently, so one bidder is not pricing information the others have never seen.
FMB recommends comparable written tender information and a written contract. Use that as a starting discipline, then choose an appointment and contract suitable for the complexity and design responsibilities of this project.
Separate price differences from scope differences
| Difference | Ask for a written answer |
|---|---|
| Missing item | Is it excluded, covered elsewhere or not understood? Ask for its scope and price basis. |
| Provisional allowance | What does it cover, what remains uncertain and how will the final amount be agreed? |
| Programme qualification | What decisions, approvals, deliveries or access arrangements must happen first? |
| Design responsibility | Who resolves the detail and who carries the appointment for that design? |
| Product substitution | What changes in appearance, installation, compatibility, maintenance or warranty? |
| Payment trigger | What evidence establishes the contractual payment milestone? |
Check the team you would actually appoint
Ask who will manage the site, who deals with design questions and how specialist work is appointed. Check references for comparable work and ask the referee about communication, changes and completion as well as the finished appearance.
Verify any claimed registration, membership or insurance against current evidence for the named business. Keep the evidence date and relevant scope. A logo in a quotation does not describe what protection applies to your project.
Record why the selected tender is suitable
Keep a short decision note: the scope revision, outstanding qualifications, agreed clarifications, chosen team and reasons for selection. Resolve conflicting documents with the contract adviser before signature. Make the instruction route, change procedure, inspection points and defects process easy to find.
If a bid cannot be understood after clarification, leave that issue open rather than assigning it a reassuring score. Ask for the missing information or reconsider the scope. A comparison tool helps organise judgment; it does not guarantee a successful appointment.
Take the next step with a planning template
Open the editable HTML worksheets, print them or download a copy. No enquiry is needed to use them.