A free tool, for any decorator’s quote
Is this quote
telling you enough?
Sit with the quote and tick what it actually says. The checker scores it for completeness and tells you which questions to ask before you compare it with another.
Built from the list we write our own quotes against. Use it on ours too.
Check a quote
Tick what
the quote actually says.
Read the quote with this open. Tick only what is written down, not what you assume or were told verbally.
Tick what you can see in the quote. If very little applies, that is the finding.
This checks whether a quote is complete, not whether it is good value. A complete quote from someone whose work you have not seen still needs a reference or a visit to something they finished two years ago.
Asked across the kitchen table
About
comparing quotes.
- Why does one quote come in so much cheaper?
- Almost always because preparation or coats have been reduced. One coat of emulsion instead of two, no undercoat, no washing down. The finish looks the same on the day it is finished. The difference shows up in year two. Compare the preparation paragraph, not the total.
- Is it rude to ask a decorator these questions?
- No. A good decorator will be glad you have, because it means you will understand why their quote is what it is. Anyone who bristles at being asked how many coats is telling you something.
- Should the paint be included in the quote?
- Either is fine as long as it is clear. Decorators often get trade prices and can supply paint cheaper than you can, but some clients prefer to buy their own. The problem is only when neither side has said.
- Does this checker favour your own quotes?
- It is the list we build our quotes from, so ours should score well. But it is a list of things that any decent decorator would put in writing, and we would rather you had a complete quote from someone else than a vague one from anyone.
Want one to compare
Ask us for a quote
that ticks every box.
Our quotes list each room, each surface, the preparation, the coats and the paint. If we find something unexpected, we stop and price it before touching it. Then you can run it through this checker and see.
Plain words about what good work costs, in every letter.