How to compare contractor bids line by line

Three quotes for “the same job” can be thousands of dollars apart. Usually they aren't quoting the same job. Here's how to line them up.

1. Make every bidder quote the same scope

Write the job down once — what, where, how big, what finish you expect, and anything you already know (the faucet is already bought, the wall has old paint, the attic is tight). Send the same description to everyone. When a bid comes back, check it against that description, not against the other bids.

2. Break every bid into the same lines

Ask each bidder to separate their price into:

• Labor — and roughly how many hours or days.
• Materials — included or not, and what brand/grade.
• Prep and cleanup — surface prep, protection, haul-away, disposal fees.
• Permits and inspections — who pulls them and whether the fee is included.
• Anything excluded — the quiet line that explains most of the big gaps.

A bidder who won't itemize at all is telling you something too.

3. Compare the terms, not just the total

• Warranty — how long, and on labor, parts, or both.
• Start date and duration — the cheapest bid may not start for six weeks.
• Payment schedule — a deposit for materials is common; paying the full amount before work starts is a risk.
• Change orders — how extra work is priced once the job is underway.
• License and insurance — for work that requires them in your state, ask to see both.

4. Sanity-check against a public range

A price range built from local wage data won't price your exact job, but it tells you whether a bid is in the normal zone or an outlier worth a question. For the San Jose area, see how much a handyman costs in San Jose (2026).

5. Ask about the outliers

If one bid is far lower, ask what it leaves out. If one is far higher, ask what it includes that the others don't — sometimes it's the only one quoting the job properly. A short, specific question usually gets a clear answer.

A one-glance checklist

• Same written scope sent to every bidder
• Labor, materials, prep/cleanup, permits split out
• Exclusions listed
• Warranty, start date, duration
• Deposit and payment schedule
• License / insurance where required
• Final price and scope in writing before work starts

Disclosure: this guide is published by HANDeMANbid. Our app is built around this idea — homeowners post one written job, pros bid on the same facts (price, materials included or not, warranty, earliest start), and the bids appear side by side. It's free and we take no commission. The checklist above works with any quotes, however you collect them.