Services
Send the same brief to each contractor
Describe the desired result, known access restrictions and available drawings or photographs. List the parts you expect the contractor to handle and the parts assigned to others. Mark unknowns explicitly. If one contractor has different information, ask for a revised comparison before treating the prices as equivalent.
Follow the material from ground to destination
Ask who excavates, loads, hauls and receives the material. Confirm whether imported material, handling and final grading are included. “Excavation included” does not answer every material question. Request an explanation of assumptions affecting disposal and any investigation needed before a destination can be confirmed.
Compare interfaces and reinstatement
Identify protection of existing surfaces, temporary access, coordination with other trades and restoration. A proposal that stops at excavation may leave substantial work for someone else. Ask what records or inspections the project team requires at handover and who arranges them.
Discuss uncertainty before mobilisation
Ask how changed conditions, additional quantities or delays are identified and communicated. Request a clear description of approval and pricing arrangements rather than assuming a quoted total covers every unknown. This article is a scope-comparison aid; the agreement itself should reflect the project and professional advice where needed.
Make a short comparison sheet
Use columns for task, included work, exclusions, assumptions and clarification needed. Record each bidder’s answer beside the same task. Resolve the important gaps before choosing. The result should be a readable account of what each contractor proposes, not simply a ranking from lowest to highest number.