Free Contractor Bid Comparison Worksheet
Use this free contractor bid comparison worksheet to compare three written quotes side by side. Print it or save it as a PDF from your browser; no signup is needed.
A lower total can hide a different scope. Give each bidder the same plans and project description, then record what is included, excluded, or still unknown. This worksheet helps you prepare questions; it does not rate or endorse a contractor.
Before you ask for quotes
Give every contractor the same starting point
Planning an ADU? Make a short project brief you can copy into a message. It includes questions about work that can get left out of a quote.
Your answers stay on this page. We do not save or send them to contractors or Angi. Copy your brief before leaving. Please leave out addresses and contact details.
Your message to contractors
Review and edit after copying. This is a request for information, not a construction contract, cost estimate or permit assessment.
Need another quote? The Angi option below lets you continue on Angi to describe your project. This brief is not sent automatically, and ADU availability is not verified.
Already have quotes? Compare your entered costs →
Compare the Same Job
- Verify each business. Follow our license verification guide and record when you checked CSLB.
- Ask for itemized written bids. Separate fixed prices from allowances and estimates. An allowance is not necessarily the final cost.
- Resolve blanks before choosing. Ask for written clarification rather than assuming missing work is included.
Use the worksheet: print this page or choose Save as PDF in your browser's print menu, then fill it in. No email or account is needed. The printed version contains only the worksheet.
Your Three-Bid Comparison
Project: __________________________ Plans / scope version: __________________
Date: __________________________ Location: ______________________________
On a small screen, swipe across the table to see all three bids.
| Compare | Bid A | Bid B | Bid C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business / license number | |||
| CSLB checked on / concerns | |||
| Total / fixed or estimated | |||
| Scope / quantities / materials | |||
| Allowances / unit prices | |||
| Design / engineering / permits | |||
| Site work / utilities / disposal | |||
| Exclusions / owner responsibilities | |||
| Deposit / payment milestones | |||
| Timing / inspection responsibilities | |||
| Change-order process / warranty | |||
| References / unresolved questions |
Ask bidders to confirm missing items in writing. A blank cell does not mean included or free. ContractorLicenseCA.com · September 19, 2026 · Comparison aid, not a contract.
Already have written quotes?
Compare the costs you can confirm
Enter each quoted total, then adjust only for work needed to match the same scope. Use written amounts from the bidder. Leave a quote blank if you do not have it yet.
- Excluded work: add a confirmed cost only if it is outside the quoted total.
- Allowance difference: enter the replacement cost minus the allowance already in the quote. For a $5,000 allowance replaced by $7,000 of work, enter $2,000, not $7,000. A lower replacement cost is a negative adjustment.
- Do not enter the same cost in both adjustments. If scope or costs remain unclear, keep the unknown-cost box checked.
Check what each quote includes
Use this optional checklist to spot differences before comparing prices. Mark what the written proposal says, not what you expect it to cover.
This checklist does not add dollar amounts. Put confirmed excluded costs and allowance differences in the fields above, once only. Leave a quote's column alone if you have no quoted total for it.
| Work or responsibility | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C |
|---|
This adds your figures; it does not estimate missing costs or assess contractor quality. An unknown amount is not zero. Your entries are not saved or sent to Angi.
Example: Why the Lowest Number May Not Be Cheapest
Suppose Bid A is $30,000 but excludes $4,000 of work already included in Bid B's $33,000 total. Once the scope matches, A is $34,000. This is an illustrative comparison, not a California market-price estimate. Unknown costs should stay marked unknown until the bidder confirms them.
Comparing upfront payments? The California contractor deposit calculator checks the ordinary home-improvement limit. Review its exceptions alongside each bidder's written payment schedule.
For an ADU or Garage Conversion
Use our California ADU contractor hiring guide for a project-specific question list.
Ask separately about design, engineering, surveys or soil studies, utility connections and upgrades, site access, foundation work, and agency fees. Confirm who handles permits and inspections, and whether the bid uses approved plans or preliminary assumptions. A detached ADU and a garage conversion can involve very different work; compare bids for the same project.
Use your local planning department and the California HCD ADU handbook to check requirements for your property. A contractor's license alone does not establish ADU experience or guarantee permit approval.
Planning a home project?
Find local pros. Continue on Angi to describe your project and request quotes.
Created September 19, 2026. Worksheet developed for this site. CSLB recommends comparing bids using the same plans and specifications: finding the right contractor.