Every commercial owner has seen it: three quotes come in for the same scope, and the spread is $60,000. It is tempting to assume the low number is a better deal. In our experience, the low number is almost always the most expensive one — you just do not find out until month three.
What a real commercial quote looks like
A quote you can trust names the work in specifics, not categories. It should include:
- Scope by trade, not by lump sum. "Electrical: $32,000" tells you nothing. "Electrical: rough-in, panel upgrade to 200A, 14 new circuits, LED retrofit for existing fixtures, ESA inspection" tells you what you are paying for.
- Named allowances for anything the drawings do not fully specify — flooring, fixtures, finishes. If an allowance is not called out, the contractor is either eating that risk (unlikely) or planning to change-order it back.
- Exclusions in writing. The exclusions list is often more important than the inclusions list. If a quote has none, ask why.
- A schedule tied to the price. Every commercial job has a duration cost. If the price does not name a completion window, the number is incomplete.
The three tricks to watch for
1. The vanishing allowance. A quote lists "flooring allowance: $8/sqft" without saying what that covers — material only, or material and install? At the end of the job, you owe the labour on top.
2. The "as required" line. Anything priced "as required" means the contractor decides later how much of it you need. Ask for a fixed quantity or a not-to-exceed cap.
3. The soft startup date. A quote that says "starts within 4–6 weeks of contract" without a firm mobilization date usually means the crew is booked on another job and you are the buffer.
Our position
We give commercial clients one number, one schedule, one point of contact. If something changes, you hear about it the day it changes — not at the invoice. That is the only way we know how to run a job we can stand behind.