Hi Sue This is the hardest part of the building process. Trying to compare quotes is a bit of a nightmare and I understand your frustrations. I am a builder and we design & build custom homes for our clients and the advice that we provide our clients is to ensure that

1 - The quote is a fixed price quote - Is this a preliminary quote from the builder - is this price still subject to x,y,z eg is it still subject to engineering, soil tests etc. You may chose based on a cheaper price and then find that this builder has only provided preliminary pricing based off their standard pricing (which may be a different soil type to yours). You want to have a final quote that is specific to your block of land, your final design, your inclusions & engineering

2 - Has the builder provided a quote detailing specific inclusions eg does the quote list a specific make/model of oven or does the quote just have a P.C (prime cost) amount? If it is a P.C amount is the amount allowed a realistic amount for that item eg floor tiles at $25 sqm (can you actually buy tiles for that price). Unfortunately some builders low ball these items and then you find you have to spend more to get the items you want. The unsuspecting client (in good faith) believes that the builder has allowed enough for the items only to find everything costs more upping your costs. I have seen quotes where builder has specified toilets at $100 per one (you being the client think that is the price of a toilet - but if you search on Bunnings site there is only 4 toilets under $100 and 3 out of the 4 have PVC cisterns not made of china (are you happy to settle for that?)

3 - You need to think about making the best long-term decision for yourself. You need to think about will you be happy with the decision you make today in 5 years time when you are siting in your home, will you be wishing you didn't go for the cheapest price because you didn't get the quality you thought you would, or you are glad you took the time to assess all aspects of your your project and make sure that you decision is based on get x,y,z from the builder that helped you avoid a,b,c.

- Price is not always the best way to make a decision on such a big-ticket item you also need to consider your relationship with the builders as well, do they (all-day, everyday) build the style & quality of home your are going to build? Do the have a good reputation (can you you chat to a previous client - look at their home) and do you feel comfortable & have you built trust with the builder (as it is a long & more often than not a stressful project) they need to be a trusted advisor to you and help you make the best decision for you and your circumstance throughout the whole project. Make sure that the builder takes the time to walk you through their quote so you can ask them questions about different aspect you may be concerned about (or did they just email the quote to you and your trying to blindly judge which one is the best for you?) They should be focusing on what you need and what you need to get out of the project not just them getting another job!

As far as the best way to compare apples with apples - I do not think there is an answer for that as every builder presents and quotes their jobs differently. Maybe making a spreadsheet table with each item and ticking against each item either included or not. But watch out for the sneaky things like - flyscreens on windows. Ok the client goes oh they have included flyscreens (but see the word on windows - there is no mention of sliding doors) these are the typical little details that at first glance you see one thing but it means something else.

I hope that make sense and helps you to some extend with making your decision. Ange

thanks Ange, I think that if it was listed by costs per category the spreadsheet is a fantastic idea I could compare same for same ..thanks for this wonderful information its really helped me

HAPPY EASTER

Thanks sue

Thanks Brian unfortunately I see many a client make a wrong decision! Usually based of the cheapest price (which ends up not the cheapest - in more ways then one ).

It's a deep issue. For starters, the "free quote" factor has ruined the construction industry (for consumers) and keeps pushing up building costs. The most accurate way to get something priced is to pay for it to be done professionally by a QS. The last time I tendered a project was about a decade ago, when the lowest price builder was selected, and by the time the project was completed it cost more than what the highest tender bid......madness! From that point on I handpicked the builder to each job rather than enter into bidding wars. A better way to go IMO is to interview some builders and make a choice based on trust (in their work/manner etc) which you can obtain from references and examples, and then work through the pricing directly with the option who you feel you will have the most solid working relationship with. There are always variables and options in building, and from experience farming out a set of drawings/docs and selecting an option based on numbers alone does not yield the best results for the project,

Best of luck Sue

Cheers PD :)

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