How to Read a Home Repair Estimate (and Spot a Bad One)

The parts of an estimate

• Scope: what work is being done, room by room, in plain language.
• Labor: the crew time to perform that scope.
• Materials: either specified by product or carried as an allowance.
• Allowances: a placeholder dollar amount for a material you have not picked yet.
• Exclusions: what is explicitly not included — read this section first.
• Payment schedule: when money is due and what triggers each payment.

Allowances are where budgets slip

An estimate with a $2,000 tile allowance and one with a $6,000 tile allowance are not comparable, even if the totals look close. Ask what each allowance assumes per square foot, then price the tile you actually want.

Change orders should be boring

Hidden damage happens — rot behind a shower, no blocking in a wall, a surprise junction box. A good contractor stops, shows you, prices the fix in writing, and gets your approval before continuing. Verbal change orders discovered on the final invoice are a red flag.

Questions to ask before you sign

• What is excluded from this number?
• Are haul-off, cleanup, and paint touch-up included?
• What happens if the job runs long — who absorbs that?
• Is there a warranty on labor, and for how long?
• Who is my point of contact day to day?