Two kitchen quotes can describe different jobs even when they refer to the same room.
The total only becomes comparable when scope, quantities, products, assumptions and exclusions are aligned.
Start with the documents issued
A builder pricing measured drawings and a written specification has more information than one pricing a short brief. Consumer Affairs Victoria recommends comparing quotes for the same plans and specifications.
Demolition and making-good
Check protection, service isolation, waste, removal, plaster repair, floor preparation, painting and temporary arrangements. A supply-only cabinet price may exclude most of these works without being dishonest; it is simply answering a smaller question.
Cabinetry specification
Compare substrate, door finish, edges, hardware, drawers, pantry internals, end panels, fillers, installation and appliance panels. Similar renderings can conceal materially different construction.
Benchtops and splashbacks
Record the exact product, thickness, edge, joins, cut-outs, support, templating, delivery and installation. Allowances based on square metres alone may miss fabrication details.
Trade and service work
Plumbing, electrical work, gas, ventilation and appliance installation vary with the proposed layout and existing home. Confirm circuits, power points, water, drainage, rangehood ducting and required certificates.
Site conditions and access
Older walls, floors and services may need rectification. Stairs, parking, occupied rooms and limited delivery access affect protection and handling. Separate inspected conditions from genuine concealed risks.
Allowances and provisional sums
Ask what each allowance includes, which quantity and quality it assumes, and how differences are calculated. Consumer Affairs Victoria warns that prime-cost items and provisional sums can cause disputes when products and work are not fully specified.
Management and coordination
A quote may or may not include design coordination, procurement, site supervision, scheduling, quality checks, communication and handover. These tasks are real work and should be visible rather than implied.
Comparison table
Issue the same documents.
List every inclusion and exclusion.
Replace vague allowances with selections where possible.
Check quantities, model numbers and construction details.
Identify work by others and who coordinates it.
Compare programme, payments, variations and handover.
Where Bluestone fits
Bluestone prices complete kitchen renovation scopes rather than cabinet supply alone. Read what a complete kitchen renovation includes.
