Quantity surveyor quotes: how to compare them without missing anything
When you collect quantity surveyor quotes from several offices, it is easy to look only at the bottom line. But two quotes at the same price can cover completely different work, and a cheap quote can be cheap simply because chapters are missing from it. This is how to compare them properly, step by step.
Why quantity surveyor quotes are hard to compare
The words ‘bill of quantities’ sound like one thing, but many decisions stand behind them: which chapters are included, whether the consultants' BOQs are integrated, how many update rounds there are, and what happens when the design changes. Every quantity surveyor answers these questions differently, and does not always write the answer in the quote.
So the first step is not to compare prices but to bring all the quotes to the same basis. That is exactly what a bill of quantities does for contractors: it lets you compare line by line. Here you do the same thing, only for the quotes of whoever prepares the bill.
Comparison table: what to check in each quote
Copy the table and add a column for each quote. Every cell left empty is a question you send back to the bidder.
| What you compare | The question that needs a written answer | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Chapters and phases | Which chapters are included: structural frame, masonry and envelope, finishes, external works? | A chapter missing from the bill will not be priced in the contractors' bids |
| Consultants' BOQs | Are electrical, HVAC, plumbing and fire protection integrated into the bill? | Without them, a large part of the cost stays outside the comparison |
| Cost estimate | Is there a cost estimate, or only quantities? | A cost estimate is a separate service and is not always included |
| Approaching contractors | Who distributes the bill, follows up and collects the bids? | This is separate work: you can order it or do it yourself |
| Update rounds | How many rounds are included for each deliverable? | Comments almost always arrive after delivery |
| Design changes | How is a new version of the drawings priced? | A change in the middle of the work is usually priced separately |
| Deliverable format | Excel in a structure that can be sent to contractors as it is? | A bill that has to be re-edited before it goes out costs time |
| Source of the quantities | Does every quantity have a source: a drawing, a sheet or a model? | Without a source a number cannot be checked or explained |
| Payment terms | How is the payment split across the stages? | Payment by stages ties the payment to the deliverable |
| What is required from you | What material do you need to prepare to get started? | Most of the time on a project goes into waiting for complete material |
What is usually not included and costs extra
Some services sound like part of the bill of quantities, but they are separate work. It is worth knowing in advance whether they are in the quote:
- Cost estimate: an assessment of cost based on stated assumptions. It is not automatically included in the bill of quantities.
- Inclusion of the consultants' BOQs, as they are and without any change to their content, in a single set of tender documents. In my practice this is about ₪3,000 excluding VAT.
- Approaching contractors: distributing the bill, following up and collecting the bids. In my practice ₪2,000 to ₪5,000 excluding VAT, depending on the length of the list.
- Changes after work has started: in my practice from ₪2,000 excluding VAT. Work by the hour, such as consulting and checks, is ₪450 per hour excluding VAT.
These figures are for illustration only, excluding VAT, and the price for each project is set in a separate written quote. More sample prices and a calculator by project size are on the page how much a quantity surveyor costs. In my work as a quantity surveyor for construction projects I write these items into the quote explicitly, so that it is clear what is included. All the services are listed on the page quantity surveying services.
The cheap quote versus the complete quote
Take two quotes. The first covers the structural frame and finishes; the second also covers external works, the consultants' BOQs and an update round. The first is cheaper on paper. But if the missing chapters are added later, at an extra price, the difference disappears. And if they are never added, the contractors will price a partial bill, and their bids will not be comparable.
So it is worth asking all the bidders to price the same scope, from the same list. If someone offers a different scope, that is perfectly fine, as long as they write it down explicitly.
Send all the bidders the same material and the same list of questions, and ask for answers in the same order. That way the differences between the quotes stand out instead of being lost in different wording. There is a ready list of questions in the guide to choosing a quantity surveyor.
What a professional quantity surveyor adds here. When you compare quantity surveyors, it is worth asking how they handle gaps too. For example, what happens when the aluminium schedule does not match the drawings, or when the interior design drawings have not arrived yet. A quantity surveyor who comes from the field, an engineer or a registered building technician who worked on site, like Yaakov Avital, records every such gap as a question or as a visible assumption, and does not leave it between the lines. More on a professional bill of quantities.
When you compare quotes, ask each bidder what their quantity takeoff includes: whether there is a calculation sheet for every line, whether there is a list of open questions, and whether the quantity takeoff is checked against the specification.
Frequently asked questions
How many quotes should you ask for?
Usually two or three are enough. More than that is hard to compare seriously, and fewer does not give a picture.
Should quantity surveyor quotes be compared by price per m²?
Price per m² is a rough tool. On a large or repetitive project the price per m² goes down, and on a small project it is higher. It is better to compare scope against scope.
What should you do if the quotes differ a lot in price?
Fill in the comparison table and ask each bidder to explain what their quote does not include. Check first whether the gap comes from a different scope, before concluding that it is a different price for the same work.
Can quantity surveyors work from a Revit model?
Yes, when there is an orderly model. Ask how many files there are for each discipline, and what will be done with parts that do not exist in the model. When there is only DWG or PDF, the takeoff is done from the drawings, and this is stated in the document.
Have a project? Tell me briefly what the project is and what already exists. When the project is a good fit, I usually reply with focused questions and a written quote.
Contact me for a quote* Created with AI for marketing, for illustration only. Not reviewed by Yaakov Avital and not professional advice. Every project must be checked on its own by a professional quantity surveyor and an engineer.