Three contractors, three numbers, and no obvious way to compare them. Usually the spread isn't because one is greedy and one is a bargain — it's because they're quoting different projects. Here's how to line them up.

What a real quote spells out

• Scope, room by room — demo, framing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, insulation, drywall, paint, flooring, cabinets, counters, tile, fixtures, trim, and cleanup. If a trade isn't listed, ask whether it's included or excluded.
• Allowances with dollar figures — the budget assumed for things you haven't picked yet (tile, lighting, faucets, cabinet hardware, the vanity). "Tile allowance: $9/sq ft installed" is useful. "Tile: TBD" is not.
• What's owner-supplied vs contractor-supplied.
• The schedule — start window, rough duration, and what could move it.
• Payment terms — deposit, then draws tied to milestones, with a retainer held to the end.
• How change orders work — priced and signed before the work happens.
• Warranty — one year on workmanship is typical; longer on some systems.

Where the spread usually hides

Match the allowances first. If quote A budgets $6,000 for cabinets and quote B budgets $18,000, quote A isn't cheaper — it's a different kitchen. Do the same for counters, tile, lighting and flooring. Then check who's carrying the unknowns: does the quote mention rot, knob-and-tube, an out-of-level floor, asbestos tile? A bid that pretends the walls hold no surprises will grow once they're open.

Fixed price, cost-plus, or T&M

• Fixed price — one number for a defined scope. Easiest to compare; change orders adjust it.
• Cost-plus — actual costs plus a fixed fee or percentage. Transparent, but the final number is a moving target.
• Time & materials — hourly plus materials. Fine for small or unpredictable work, risky for a whole kitchen.

Questions that even the field

"Walk me through your allowances — are they realistic for what I want?" · "What's not in this number?" · "What have you found behind the walls in houses like mine?" · "Who's on site daily?" · "Show me a change order from a recent job."

The design-build advantage here

When the same team designs and builds, the plan and the price are developed together — so the quote is for the kitchen you actually drew, allowances are set against real selections, and there's no gap between "what the designer drew" and "what the builder priced." See design-build vs. hiring separately and how our process works.