Start with the same description of the job
A total tells you little when one contractor prices installation alone and another includes preparation, moving materials and finishing tasks. Write a short job description and send the same version to every business you approach.
Include the location, rooms or furniture, approximate dimensions, existing products and the result you want. Add photographs and known constraints: occupied rooms, no lift, narrow access or an unassessed subfloor. Mark your measurements as provisional if the contractor still needs to verify them.
Germany’s Verbraucherzentrale recommends recording the scope, work date and payment agreement in writing where possible. Keep subsequent amendments with the quote.
Use the same comparison table for every quote
Copy these points into your notes and add one column per contractor. Mark unspecified items as ‘unresolved’. An item that is not mentioned cannot be assumed to be included or free for comparison purposes.
| Item | What should be clear | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Job and quantity | Rooms, area, item count and intended result | Which measurements are verified and which are assumptions? |
| Preparation | Clearing space, protection, removal and subfloor checks | What do I need to do before you arrive? |
| Materials and accessories | Product, specification, quantity and who purchases it | Are fixings, underlay, skirting and profiles covered? |
| Pricing basis | Lump sum, unit prices or actual time and materials | Which quantities or hours may change? |
| Other costs | Travel, delivery, carrying and disposal where relevant | Which extra charges could apply to this property? |
| Amount payable | Customer’s final amount and VAT treatment | Is this the final amount for the stated scope? |
| Timing and conditions | Start, duration, material availability and access | What must be completed before work begins? |
| Changes and payment | Handling additional work, payment stages and contact person | How will we agree extra costs before additional work? |
Distinguish an offer, an estimate and time-based pricing
Ask which pricing arrangement the business is proposing. Under section 145 of the German Civil Code (BGB), a contractual offer is generally binding unless that binding effect is excluded. The heading ‘Angebot’ does not by itself establish a fixed total: read unit prices, estimated quantities, reservations and the validity period as well.
A ‘Kostenvoranschlag’ is not automatically a guaranteed final sum. If a non-guaranteed estimate forms the basis of the contract and a substantial overrun is expected, section 649 BGB requires the contractor to notify the customer without delay. That provision does not set a universal percentage threshold.
For work charged by time and materials, compare the agreed hourly rates, time records and separately charged items. For a lump sum, check the precise work, quantities and conditions covered. Agree changes to the commissioned work separately.
Example: two quotes for replacing a floor
Imagine that you want a new floor in a living room. Quote A covers laying flooring supplied by you. Quote B also includes removing and taking away the old covering, fitting new skirting and installing a transition profile. Both may refer to the same room area while describing different jobs.
Ask both contractors to quote for the same intended scope. Ask whether they have already assessed subfloor preparation or need to inspect and price it separately. You can then see which outcome each price covers. This example deliberately uses no invented price figures.
Check material specifications and exclusions
‘Materials included’ may be too vague for a useful comparison. Note the proposed product and specification. If an alternative is offered, ask how it changes the build-up, delivery date or care requirements. When buying materials yourself, clarify who checks suitability and completeness before work starts.
Look for terms such as ‘bauseits’ (to be provided on the customer or site side), ‘nach Aufwand’ (charged by actual effort) and ‘nicht enthalten’ (excluded). Ask what preparation these terms require from you. For kitchen assembly, for example, establish whether only cabinets are included and who undertakes electrical or water connections. Confirm necessary authorisations and qualifications with the specialist business concerned.
Agree how to handle additional work and timing
Choose a reachable contact person and a way to raise questions. If further work becomes apparent on site, ask for a description, the proposed price or calculation basis and the effect on the schedule. Record the agreement you then reach with the contractor in writing.
When several businesses are involved, plan handovers too: when the room will be clear, when materials arrive and when the next contractor can start. A proposed start date is of limited use while essential preparation or delivery is unresolved.
Six questions before choosing a contractor
Send unresolved questions to each business in one message. A clear response can be more useful for your decision than another blanket discount.
- Do all quotes cover the same rooms, quantities and work stages?
- Which items are included, excluded or still awaiting assessment?
- What pricing basis applies and which assumptions could change the amount?
- Which products will be used and who purchases missing accessories?
- Are access, preparation, the start date and duration coordinated?
- Who is my contractual partner and handles questions about the work and invoice?
HandMen’s role
HandMen handles marketing and refers enquiries to independent businesses. A specific provider is named before your data is passed on. You discuss and agree its quote directly with that provider; the contract, work, invoice and payment are also handled directly between you and the commissioned business.
You can send HandMen the location, photographs and a short job description to request a search for a suitable independent provider. This checklist then helps you discuss the quote you receive. HandMen does not make its own commitment to carry out the work or set its price.
