Contractor Bid Sanity Checker
Wondering if your contractor quote is fair, suspiciously cheap, or an overpriced walk-away price? Enter your project scope, state, and quote total below to compare against independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS) trade wages and RSMeans material indices.
Contractor Quote Parameters
Enter the trade, your state, scope size, and the total dollar amount quoted by your contractor. Share direct assessment links on Reddit or with family.
Bid is +20% above regional median
Quotes in this tier are common in affluent metro suburbs, historic district retrofits, peak building season (May–September), or with established firms carrying dedicated project managers, showroom overhead, and company warranties.
Negotiation Leverage: You can typically negotiate 5–10% off by asking for off-peak scheduling, cash deposit discounts, or obtaining 2 additional competitive bids.
Where Your Money Goes in Ohio
Typical contractor cost distribution based on $13,171 fair market baseline.
Roofing (Architectural Shingles) Scope Audit
Check each item that is explicitly written in your contractor's proposal. Omitted items create high risk for expensive change orders.
Ask Reddit Homeowners & Tradespeople
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How Our Independent Bid Sanity Check Works
Labor costs vary drastically across the country. We apply official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) hourly rates tailored to each of the 50 states and D.C., adjusted with a 1.49× to 2.31× contractor burden multiplier covering FICA, workers’ comp, and commercial insurance.
Unlike lead-generation directories that blend inflated contractor estimates, our material costs remain tied to national wholesale and retail building material indices without arbitrary regional markups, reflecting true jobsite delivery and fastener allowances.
We will never ask for your phone number, email address, or zip code to sell to high-pressure contractor phone banks. Our valuation calculations execute directly in your browser with complete transparency.
Complementary Decision Tools & Detailed Trade Checklists
Frequently Asked Questions on Contractor Quotes
How do I know if my contractor quote is overpriced or fair? ↓
A fair contractor quote reflects local trade wages (Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data), national retail material costs plus 10–15% delivery and waste allowances, municipal building permits, and a sustainable 15–25% contractor gross operating margin. If a bid exceeds the regional median by more than 30%, it is typically a "walk-away quote" from an overbooked contractor or inflated by sales commission. Bids within ±10% of our regional baseline represent competitive, code-compliant market pricing.
What are the most dangerous red flags in a contractor quote? ↓
The top five contractor bid red flags are: 1) Demanding more than 10%–15% upfront cash deposit before materials are on-site; 2) Lump-sum single-line descriptions without itemized materials or teardown scope; 3) Verbal promises to "save you money" by skipping city building permits; 4) Absence of current Certificate of Insurance (COI) showing both General Liability and Workers’ Compensation; and 5) Refusal to sign unconditional mechanics lien waivers upon progress payments.
What is a reasonable deposit percentage before contractor work begins? ↓
Standard residential practice is 10% to 15% upon contract execution (capped at $1,000 in California by state law). The remaining balance should follow milestone-based progress billing: 30% upon physical delivery and verification of primary materials at your jobsite, 30% upon rough inspection/framing approval, and the final 25%–30% held as retainage until the final municipal inspection passes, punch-list items are 100% complete, and all lien releases are executed.
What is a mechanics lien waiver and why must I request one? ↓
A mechanics lien waiver is a legally binding document in which a contractor, subcontractor, or material supplier certifies they have received payment and forfeit their right to place a financial lien on your real estate title. If you pay your general contractor in full but they fail to pay their lumber yard or roofing distributor, that supplier can legally place a mechanics lien against your home, forcing you into double payment or foreclosure.
How should I negotiate if a bid comes back in the "High Metro" or "Overpriced" tier? ↓
Never negotiate by simply asking for an arbitrary dollar reduction, as contractors often counter by quietly substituting lower-grade materials. Instead: 1) Request an itemized cost breakout separating labor, materials, and equipment; 2) Ask if scheduling during their off-peak shoulder season (e.g. late autumn/winter for roofing or deck framing) provides a labor discount; 3) Offer flexible completion windows; and 4) Collect two additional written quotes using our standardized trade checklists to establish competitive leverage.
Why is a bid that is "too cheap" actually a dangerous financial risk? ↓
Quotes more than 25% below regional fair market value frequently indicate unlicensed operators, absence of required workers’ compensation insurance (which exposes you as the property owner to catastrophic slip-and-fall injury liability), skipped moisture barriers, or deliberate bait-and-switch lowballing where aggressive change orders are issued once your roof is stripped or walls are opened.