Skip to the tool
Coastal SD Pros

Quote gap analyzer

The quote gap analyzer works down one written bid. It shows what the bid never put in writing. Then it hands you the questions to send back.

  1. Mark what the bid states
  2. See the gaps
  3. Copy the questions to send

JavaScript is off, so the tool cannot shorten the list for you or build a copy-ready block. Nothing is hidden. Every line of the checklist and every question are printed in full below, in order. Work down the page. Copy the questions under the lines your bid does not cover.

One bid at a time

Adds the lines that only matter for that kind of job. 7 types are covered so far.

You can skip this. Call it anything — a company name, or just Bid A. It only heads your question list.

The tool searches your pasted text for a fixed list of words. It reports only the words it does not find. A word being there proves nothing — permit can sit in a sentence that pushes the permit onto you. A missing word is just a fast place to start reading. Nothing is uploaded. The text stays in this browser tab.

Words searched for: permit, haul, dispos, debris, protect, patch, model, allowance, subcontract, change order, warranty, insurance, man-hour, cleanup

Lines that apply to any written bid

Mark what the paper says, not what you were told on the doorstep. Every line starts at not stated. A bid states nothing until it states it in writing.

A contractor who asks you to pull the permit yourself is stepping away from the code duty. CSLB says the contract needs written direction on who will get the permits. CSLB home improvement contract guidance · checked Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Who applies for the permits on this job, who pays the fees, and will you be the contractor of record on the permit? Please put that in the written bid.

Dump fees, bins, and hauling are the classic silent miss. The work has to happen, and it can be billed on top later. Homeowner research corpus, 04-quote-gap-analysis · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Does this total include debris haul-off and every disposal or dump fee, or are those billed on top? Please state it as a line item.

Some companies price floor covers, furniture moves, and the final clean. Others just assume them. The bid should say which. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

What protection goes down on floors and finishes, who moves furniture and contents out of the work area, and is the final site cleaning inside this price?

On any job that opens a wall or ceiling, closing it back up is real money. It is often outside the quoted scope. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

If you open a wall or ceiling, does this bid cover patching, sanding and painting each opening back to the finish it has now? If not, who does that work and when?

Taking the old thing out, every layer of it, is its own cost. Putting the new thing in is another. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Does this price include removing and hauling away the old equipment or material, including every layer that has to come out?

Without exact brands and models, two bids are two prices for two different jobs. Exact models also stop "plastic guts" — a brand name outside, cheap parts inside. Homeowner research corpus, 04-quote-gap-analysis · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Please send a written spec sheet with the exact brand, model number, and finish of every material and every piece of equipment in this bid.

A single lump sum with no line items is the shape a bid takes when scope was left out. It is a "back of the napkin" quote in print. Homeowner research corpus, 04-quote-gap-analysis · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Please break this bid into line items by phase or by trade, with labor and materials shown separately, instead of one lump sum.

Crews with manufacturer training cost more than general labor. A bid that never names its subs never answers "who exactly will be working in my house." Homeowner research corpus, 04-quote-gap-analysis · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Which parts of this job go to subcontractors, and what are their company names? What proof of manufacturer training do they hold for the products being installed?

A low bid can be made back later through change orders, once the walls are open. That is how a budget can "spiral out of control." CSLB says a change order is written and signed by both sides before the change. CSLB home improvement contract guidance · checked Jul 25 2026

Question to send

How does a change get priced and approved once work has started? I want every change order in writing and signed by both of us before the work changes.

An allowance is a placeholder, not a price. If allowances are not split out, you cannot see which parts of the bid are still open. Homeowner research corpus, 04-quote-gap-analysis · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Please list the material allowances apart from the fixed prices. I want to see which items are still open, and what happens if I pick something different.

Asking for hours and crew size turns a bare labor number into something you can talk about. Homeowner research corpus, 04-quote-gap-analysis · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

How many total man-hours does this bid assume, how many people will be on site, and how many working days do you expect it to take?

A "half upfront" ask is a red flag. A big deposit should be tied to named high-cost materials, ordered right away. California limits home-improvement down payments. This tool does not restate the figure, because the current rule belongs to CSLB, not to us — read the rule on the CSLB page . CSLB home improvement contract guidance · checked Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Please explain the deposit in writing: which high-cost materials it pays for, and the date they are ordered. Please also show the payment schedule tied to work completed.

These are two warranties from two different parties. A bid that says warranty included has told you neither. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

What is the written warranty on your installation labor? What is the separate manufacturer warranty on the materials? Please state the length of each and what voids them.

Ask for the certificate of insurance and the license number as registered. Then open the public record yourself. Do not take a screenshot as proof. Homeowner research corpus, 04-quote-gap-analysis · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Please send a current certificate of insurance. Please also send the license number exactly as it is registered, so I can open the public record myself.

Workers' compensation is not general liability insurance. This line says nothing about whether this business carries general liability cover.

Lines that only apply to certain projects

Pick a project type above and this list narrows to that job. With JavaScript off, all 7 are printed below.

HVAC system replacement

Sizing by rule of thumb, with no load calculation, is how a system ends up wrong for the house. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Did you run a Manual J load calculation to size this system, and can you send me the written result it produced?

Duct repair or replacement is a common cost that sits just outside a quoted equipment swap. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Was the existing ductwork inspected, what did you find, and is any duct repair or replacement inside this price or outside it?

Without model numbers, you cannot tell if two bids quote the same class of equipment. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Please list the exact model number and the efficiency rating of every piece of equipment in this bid. Include the indoor and outdoor units.

Roof replacement

Tear-off and the disposal of every existing layer is the part a thin roofing bid leaves for later. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

How many existing roofing layers do you expect to remove, and is the tear-off and disposal of all of them inside this price?

These parts raise a bid and stretch the life of the roof. That is exactly why a cheaper bid may not list them. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Are flashing, pipe jacks, drip edge, underlayment and ventilation listed as separate line items in this bid? Please list them line by line.

Install new roof is not a specification. Brand and grade decide both the price and the warranty. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Which roofing product brand and grade is this bid based on, and what proof of manufacturer training does the installing crew hold for it?

Whole-home repipe

Pipe material is the biggest single swing in a repipe. Two materials are two different jobs. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Which pipe material is this bid based on, and why that material for this house?

Access drives the price: pipe in a crawlspace is not the same job as pipe behind finished walls or in slab. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

How many wall or ceiling openings do you expect to make, where are they, and is patching and sanding every one of them inside this price?

The count of fixtures and appliances reconnected drives both material and labor. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Please list every fixture and appliance this bid reconnects, so I can see whether anything in the house has been left out.

Electrical panel upgrade

Required breakers are a line item that can quietly appear after the panel is on the wall. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Does this estimate include every AFCI and GFCI breaker the current code requires for this panel, and are they listed individually?

Someone has to book and meet the inspector. The bid should say who, and whether the fee is inside the price. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Does the price include the permit fee and booking the city inspection? Who meets the inspector on site?

Work the utility has to do is booked and paid on its own. It can hold up the whole job. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Does this job need the utility to change the service line, meter or transformer, who schedules that, and who pays for it?

Kitchen remodel

Ask if appliance install is inside the quote. It is a standard question on a kitchen bid. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Is appliance installation inside this price, or is it delivery and placement only? Please say which appliances you install and which you do not.

Cabinet type is one of the biggest single swings in a kitchen budget. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Are the cabinets custom, semi-custom or prefabricated, and which manufacturer, line and finish is this bid based on?

Moving pipes or gas, or touching a load-bearing wall, turns a finish job into a structural one. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Does this bid move plumbing, gas lines or any wall? If so, is the structural work and its engineering inside this price?

Bathroom remodel

Waterproofing is one of the two standard bathroom questions. You cannot see it once the tile is on. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Which waterproofing system goes in behind the tile, and is the complete system inside this price? Please name the product.

A small room holds several trades, one after another. That order is the schedule. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Who manages the permits and schedules each trade inspection, and in what order do the trades come through?

Moving a wet wall or adding a fixture costs far more than a surface update. The bid should say which one this is. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Does this bid move any fixture or wet wall, or add a fixture? If so, is that plumbing work inside this price?

Home addition

Design and engineering are a real line on an addition. They are often quoted on their own. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

Are architectural plans and structural engineering fees inside this estimate, or billed separately? Who owns the drawings when they are paid for?

Tying the addition into the systems you have is a standard question, and a standard miss. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

How does the new space tie into the existing HVAC and electrical systems, and is that work inside this bid or a later phase?

Excavation and footings are where an addition meets the ground. No one has seen the ground yet. Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework · read Jul 25 2026

Question to send

What foundation and excavation work does this bid assume, and what is the written process if the ground turns out different from that assumption?

Something else, not listed here

Project-specific lines for your job

Not in the published set

The research behind this tool covers 7 project types. Yours is not one of them yet. So the tool has nothing job-specific to add, and it will not guess. Every line in the first group still applies to any written bid.

If your job is close to one of the 7, pick that one and skip the lines that do not fit. See the other homeowner tools.

Nothing checked yet. The price half of this tool is held. The note in the result says why.

Result

The method ran. The output is held.

This tool was planned as a cost range planner. The gap check below runs. The price part does not. No dollar figure appears anywhere on this page: not a range, not an average, not a per-square-foot rate.

  1. Loaded the checklist of scope items that written bids most often leave out. It comes from the homeowner research corpus.
  2. Read the answers you gave for this one bid.
  3. Turned every line you marked not stated or vague into a question for that contractor.
  4. Stopped before any price. There is nothing to divide, average or project.
What is missing
A dated local price set for North County San Diego. Coastal SD Pros has not published one. National medians exist in the research corpus. A national median is not a North County price. Publishing one under a local heading would be a made-up local number, and this page does not do that.
What has to exist before a range is published here
Written bid figures collected for each project type in the 6 North County cities, each with its collection date and its city.
A count of how many bids sit behind each range, published next to the range. Then a reader can see if it rests on many bids or on one.
A named source for every figure, so any number on the page can be traced and re-checked.
Owner review and approval of that source set before it is published.
Until all 4 exist, this block stays exactly as it is. There is no partial version and no progress to show.

This company's license, bond and insurance

Not checked by this tool

This tool reads your answers about a piece of paper. It looks up nothing about the business. It cannot tell you if the license is current, what classifications it holds, or what cover the company carries.

Workers' compensation is not general liability insurance. This line says nothing about whether this business carries general liability cover.

Open the record yourself: CSLB license lookup , or read how to read a CSLB record first.

With JavaScript off, the tool cannot build your short list. Nothing is held back. Each question sits under its own line in the checklist above, in the same words it would use here.

How this works

You tell the tool, line by line, what the written bid states. The lines come from a homeowner research corpus: the scope items bids most often leave out. Each line you mark not stated or vague becomes a plain question for that contractor. The tool reads nothing about the company. It sends nothing anywhere. It runs in this browser.

What it can't tell you

It does not tell you what the job should cost. It does not say if a price is fair, or which bid is better. Coastal SD Pros has not published a local cost dataset, so no price range appears on this page. It does not check the license, the bond, or any insurance. It does not read the bid for you. A bid that states every line can still be the wrong bid.

Two bids for the same job can be far apart because one quietly leaves out the permit, the dumpster, the drywall patch, or the brand of the thing being installed. This tool does not tell you what a job costs. It tells you what your bid never put in writing.

Sources

  • Homeowner research corpus, 04-quote-gap-analysis.md · checked Jul 25 2026
  • Homeowner research corpus, 04-cost-framework.md · checked Jul 25 2026
  • CSLB home improvement contract guidance · checked Jul 25 2026

The checklist lines and the question wording come from a homeowner research corpus held in the Coastal SD Pros repository. It was read on the date stamped above. That corpus is research, not a published dataset. It is the reason this checklist exists, and the reason no price appears on this page. The CSLB lines on permits and change orders were read on the official CSLB page linked above.

Get quotes for your job

Tell us once. Local pros call or text you back. It costs nothing to ask.

Add photos (up to 5)

Photos help pros give you a real price.

When do you need it?

Always check the license record before you hire. It is free. See how.