Invite three painters over, and you'll often get three proposals that seem to describe three different projects — because they do. When homeowners don't hand bidders a specification, every contractor quotes their own assumptions: one includes an extra finish coat, another skips the primer, a third quotes a different grade of paint. The results are nearly impossible to compare.
The fix: one description, every bidder
You can avoid the confusion by giving all bidders the same project description. It doesn't need to be a formal document — even a consistent verbal walkthrough works, as long as every contractor hears the same scope:
- The surface preparation you expect, step by step
- Whether primer is included, and where
- The number of finish coats
- The color scheme and how many colors
- The paint brand and line to be used
Handle suggestions the right way
Good contractors will sometimes suggest improvements — an upgraded coating, an extra prep step. Welcome the advice, but keep the comparison clean: ask for the base scope priced as specified, with alternates priced separately as add-ons. That way, you can weigh each idea on its merits instead of losing track of what each number includes.
Comparing proposals built on the same specification turns bid day from apples-to-oranges guesswork into an honest decision about workmanship, materials, and trust.
Ready for a written scope of your own?