Quote review
We read your quote line by line and provide a written report: what is included, what is not, what is missing, what is abnormally expensive or abnormally cheap, and the precise questions to ask the contractor.
Private clients
You do not need to be an expert to avoid being taken advantage of.
Building or renovating means signing technical documents you do not master, facing professionals who do. We restore the balance.
Our services
Second technical opinion
A doubt about a proposed solution, a sizing calculation, a material. We give a reasoned opinion, with no stake in the works.
Defect assessment
Cracks, water ingress, settlement, poor workmanship. Technical findings, cause investigation, and a report usable in a discussion with the contractor or their insurer.
Site support
Visits at key stages, checks on what is actually being carried out, verification of progress statements and assistance at acceptance.
The quote, decoded
The eight most common pitfalls, annotated on a sample quote.
Scroll through: each annotation points to the line of the quote where the pitfall lies. This quote is a reconstructed example — the wording, however, is real and appears everywhere.
Quote no. 2026-041 — House renovation
Document reconstructed for illustrative purposes
| Item | Quantity / condition | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Site installation | lump sum | €1,850.00 |
| Excavation works | 120 m³ × €18.50/m³ | €2,220.00 |
| Removal of surplus soil | for the record | €0.00 |
| Foundation masonry | lump sum, no bill of quantities attached | €12,400.00 |
| Window frames and exterior joinery | as per drawing | €18,700.00 |
| Screed and tiling | 85 m² × €64.00/m² | €5,440.00 |
| Completion time | to be agreed during the works | — |
| Deposit on order | 40% of the total amount | €16,244.00 |
| Guarantee | as per our general terms and conditions | — |
| Price revision | applicable indexation formula | — |
| Excluding VAT, connections and waste removal | footnotes | — |
The “for the record” item
« Removal of surplus soil — for the record »
Priced at zero today, invoiced later. The item exists, the work will have to be done — but its price commits to nothing. Insist on an amount, even an estimated one.
The lump sum without a bill of quantities
« Foundation masonry — lump sum, no bill of quantities attached »
Without detailed quantities, it is impossible to check what you are paying for, to compare with another tender, or to discuss an extra. An honest lump sum comes with its bill of quantities.
The exclusions in the footnotes
« Excluding VAT, connections and waste removal — footnotes »
Waste removal, connections, VAT: exclusions can amount to 20% of the real price. The cheapest quote is often the one that excludes the most.
Price revision
« Price revision — applicable indexation formula »
An indexation formula can shift the total between signing and invoicing. It must be written down, capped, and you must know what it could cost.
The deadline without a date
« Completion time — to be agreed during the works »
“To be agreed” means a project with no contractual deadline. Without a date and a late-penalty clause, you have no leverage.
Unbalanced deposits
« Deposit on order — 40% of the total amount »
Too much paid too soon: if the contractor disappears or falls behind, the money is ahead of the work. Payments should follow actual progress.
The unspecified guarantee
« Guarantee — as per our general terms and conditions »
Guarantee on what, for how long, starting when? “As per general terms and conditions” is not an answer — it is a reference to a document nobody reads.
The “as per drawing” with no drawing attached
« Window frames and exterior joinery — as per drawing »
If the drawing is not attached and signed, the item rests on a document that does not yet exist. On the day of a dispute, there is no reference.
We do not sell any works, we do not work for any contractor, and we take no commission. Our only client is the one who pays us: you.