Understanding and comparing building work quotes in French-speaking Switzerland

Receiving several quotes is not enough: you also need to know how to read them and set them side by side. Two documents covering the same project may describe different work, different materials or different responsibilities. This guide explains what a quote should detail, how to compare quotes on an equal scope and where the differences hide.

What a building work quote should detail in French-speaking Switzerland

A good quote reads like a description of the project, not like an isolated amount. The more precise it is, the better it protects you and the company alike. Here is what to look for:

• The description of the work: what will be removed, installed, replaced or repaired, and in what order when that matters.
• The quantities: surfaces, lengths, number of items. Without quantities, two offers cannot be compared.
• The materials: type, range or reference, and not just “tiles” or “paint”.
• The labour: what is charged for the work itself, separated from supplies where possible.
• VAT: clearly stated, with a note of whether amounts are shown with or without VAT.
• The timing: start date, expected duration or execution period.
• The payment terms: any deposit, due dates, balance.
• The validity period: until when the offer commits the company to its terms.

A quote that omits several of these points is not necessarily a bad one, but it raises questions before any signature. Note them down and ask for written answers: a clarification given over the phone is quickly forgotten.

Estimate or fixed-price quote: two different logics

This distinction changes the way you read the amount.

The estimate

It gives an estimation based on quantities and assumptions. The final total may differ from the stated figure if the real quantities differ or if something unexpected turns up. It suits projects with an element of the unknown, for example behind a partition or under an old covering. Check how differences will be handled: prior agreement before any overrun, or a final account based on the real quantities.

The fixed-price quote

It sets one price for a described set of work. It reassures you about the budget, but only within the limits of the written scope. Anything that is not listed may be charged as an extra. Hence the importance of reading the list of what is included, and what is not.

Do not compare an estimate and a fixed-price quote on the final amount alone: the first may change, the second is bounded by its description. Ask the company what could cause each of the two to vary.

Comparing on an equal scope: the method

An honest comparison means bringing the offers back to a common basis. Go step by step.

1. Set your own specification. Before approaching companies, write down what you want: rooms concerned, level of finish, items to keep, access or scheduling constraints. Give the same text to each company.
2. Arrange site visits. A visit before pricing produces offers based on the same observations. It also lets the company ask questions you would not have anticipated.
3. Build an item-by-item table. The work in rows, the companies in columns. An empty cell flags an item missing from an offer.
4. Align the materials. One and the same item can cover very different ranges. Note the reference or the quality stated.
5. Spot the exclusions. Waste removal, floor protection, making good, connections, final cleaning: these lines are frequently forgotten or charged separately.
6. Compare the terms. Timing, validity, deposit, payment and handover arrangements matter as much as the price.

This method may seem tedious, but it avoids the classic trap: choosing the cheapest offer because it prices only part of the project.

What is not included: the lines that make the difference

A lower quote may simply be a shorter quote. Before drawing any conclusion, look for what each document leaves out. Depending on the project, this may include:

• the removal and disposal of existing fittings;
• the preparation of surfaces (levelling, filling, sanding);
• work by other trades that the company assumes someone else will carry out;
• supplies that you are expected to buy yourself;
• finishes and making good after the work;
• any administrative procedures, for which responsibility is not always specified.

Ask the question directly: “What is not in this price?” A serious company answers plainly, and you can ask for the answer to be added to the quote.

Deposits and the payment schedule

A deposit generally serves to cover an order of materials or to reserve a slot in the schedule. It is not unusual, but it must be in writing: amount or share of the total, due date and what you get in return. The balance is usually paid after the work is finished.

A few simple habits:

• pay nothing without a signed quote and clear payment terms;
• be wary of a request for full payment before the project starts;
• keep a record of every payment;
• check that the payment schedule follows the real progress of the work.

If you have doubts about a clause, have it explained and put the answer in writing.

Common mistakes when comparing quotes

• Looking only at the total amount. It says nothing about the scope, the materials or the exclusions.
• Comparing offers drawn up without a visit. Each one then rests on different assumptions.
• Changing the specification along the way. If you alter your request after receiving the first offers, ask all the companies to reprice.
• Accepting a verbal quote. Without a document, nothing proves what was agreed.
• Neglecting the validity period. An expired offer may be revised.
• Signing without reading the general terms and conditions attached or mentioned on the back.

Project examples: what changes when reading the quote

Depending on the type of work, the points to watch shift.

Apartment renovation

The project often involves several trades. Check who coordinates, who removes the waste and how the tasks are divided. To frame your request better, see the page on apartment renovation. In a co-owned or rented property, also find out what approvals are needed before starting the work, from the managing agent, the owner or the building administration.

Bathroom

There are many items and they depend heavily on the choice of materials and fittings: sanitaryware, coverings, waterproofing, ventilation. A quote that does not specify these elements cannot be compared. See the page on bathroom renovation to prepare your wish list.

Kitchen

The quote may group the supply of units, fitting, connections and appliances, or separate these parts. Make sure you know who supplies what and who fits what. The kitchen renovation page details the points to anticipate.

What makes the cost of a project vary

Without going into figures, bear in mind the factors that explain why two quotes differ:

• the real extent of the work and the surface concerned;
• the condition of the existing structure, which determines the preparation;
• the choice of materials and the level of finish;
• access (floor, lift, parking);
• the number of trades to coordinate;
• the execution period and scheduling constraints;
• unexpected findings when a wall or floor is opened up.

Only a quote drawn up after a visit reflects these parameters for your situation. This is why no price can be seriously stated without examining your project.

When to call on a professional to analyse a quote

You can perfectly well compare simple quotes yourself. An outside opinion becomes useful when:

• the project affects the structure, the electrical installations, water or gas;
• several quotes describe very different methods;
• technical terms escape you;
• the project requires a permit: check with your commune or the competent cantonal department, as the rules vary from one canton and commune to another.

An architect, a renovation adviser or a trusted tradesperson can review the offers and point out omissions. It is better to pay for an opinion before signing than to discover the gaps in the middle of the project.

Getting comparable quotes through sos-travaux.ch

The site is a neutral matchmaking service: you describe your work online, your request is passed on to tradespeople and companies in the region, who contact you to prepare a free, no-obligation quote. The more precise your description (rooms, surfaces, preferred materials, access constraints), the closer the offers you receive will be to one another and the easier to compare.

Ready to describe your project? You can request a quote in a few minutes, then apply the method above to the replies you receive. Keep your comparison table handy: it will help you ask the right questions during visits and choose on clear criteria rather than on the amount alone.