Most decorating quotes look similar at a glance, but the detail behind each line often differs more than the totals suggest. Reading past the headline figure to what is actually being promised — and what has been left out — is the difference between a quote that matches your expectations and one that generates extras once work begins.
Check whether rooms and areas are named specifically or described generally as 'as discussed'. A quote that lists each room, ceiling, wall and item of joinery separately is far easier to hold a contractor to than one describing the job in a single sentence.
Look for what standard of preparation is actually named. 'Prepare as necessary' without further detail leaves too much open to interpretation — a proper quote should indicate the expected extent of filling, sanding and priming for the condition you have shown the contractor.
Confirm whether the price includes materials, and if so, whether a specific product range is named or left to the contractor's discretion. Where you have a strong preference on brand or finish, this needs to be agreed before the quote is accepted, not assumed afterwards.
The most useful part of a good quote is often what it explicitly excludes — access equipment, furniture removal, disposal of old materials — because these are the items most likely to become disputed extras if left unstated. A quote with no exclusions listed at all is worth questioning rather than trusting at face value.
Ask the contractor to describe what they expect that to involve for your specific surfaces, and get their answer added to the written quote before accepting it.
No, clearly stated exclusions are a good sign — they show the contractor has thought about the scope rather than a vague quote that has simply left gaps unmentioned.
For jobs of any size, yes — even a short domestic quote benefits from naming rooms, prep standard and materials so it can be properly compared or referred back to.
Send us a quote you have received and we will point out anything worth clarifying before you sign it.
A good quote tells you what is included, what is excluded and what standard to expect — read for all three.
Speak to a Hampshire commercial decorating contractor that turns up, communicates clearly and delivers a finish that lasts.
