Owner decision worksheet · Reviewed 25 October 2026
The smallest total on a quotation is not necessarily the smallest cost for the same outcome. A useful comparison begins by aligning scope, quantities and responsibility. This article provides an original comparison method. Its numbers are fictional arithmetic examples, not price estimates or advice about which contractor to hire.
Build one comparison sheet
Use one row per deliverable, not one row per contractor’s heading. A bidder may put waste hauling under logistics while another places it under demolition. Those headings can conceal differences. Compare the deliverable itself and ask for written clarification where it is missing.
| Deliverable | Offer A | Offer B | Unresolved question |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defined removal scope | Included / excluded / allowance | Included / excluded / allowance | Same drawing revision? |
| Protection and access | Named responsibility | Named responsibility | Shared areas covered? |
| Debris handling | Destination and evidence | Destination and evidence | Who keeps receipts? |
| Required professional and agency work | Named scope boundary | Named scope boundary | Who coordinates it? |
| Completion and handover | Acceptance criteria | Acceptance criteria | What constitutes completion? |
Normalize only confirmed differences
Suppose fictional Offer A is 18,000 units and excludes a separately confirmed 2,000-unit protection package. Offer B is 19,500 units and includes that same package. On that single assumption, the comparable amounts are 20,000 and 19,500. This does not prove B is better. It reveals that comparing the headline totals alone would have reversed the cost comparison.
If protection has not been priced, enter “unknown,” not zero. Keep an unresolved-cost column separate from the comparable total. An offer with many unpriced exclusions should stay unresolved until the bidder answers them. A contingency is an owner’s planning reserve; it is not evidence that an excluded service has been bought.
Ask how change will be documented
Request the trigger, evidence and approval process for variations. A useful change record contains a description, reason, cost effect, schedule effect and approving person. Ask whether day rates, disposal assumptions or quantity limits can change the final price. Record the answers alongside the offer rather than in a separate email chain that will be forgotten.
Check identity before relying on credentials
Match the exact business or individual named on the offer to the relevant official records. NYC’s BIS information includes a license search, but a search result does not establish that a particular firm is suitable for your project, insured for every activity or entitled to undertake every proposed scope. Ask the project professional what credentials and evidence apply, then verify the actual documents.
Keep the original quotes unchanged. Your comparison is a separate analysis, with dated clarifications attached. When scope changes, revise the comparison rather than overwriting the historical result.
Primary reference: NYC311: Buildings Information System and license search. Comparison structure and arithmetic examples are original editorial material.