House quote vs estimate: what is the difference?
A house quote is a fixed price for named work on a house you are building yourself. An estimate is a rough figure that may change when quantities or choices firm up. Compare quotes by headings and cost per square metre; treat an estimate as a prompt to ask what is still open.
What is a house builder's quote?
A quote is the contractor's priced list: headings, quantities, units and line prices that sum to a total. Each line names work on your house, foundation, structure, roof, services, finishes. The total is arithmetic on those lines, not a separate opinion about whether the house is cheap.
What is an estimate on a house build?
An estimate is a working figure before every quantity and finish is fixed. It may say "allow €X for kitchen" or carry provisional sums that move when you choose appliances or tile. The document may look like a quote but the contractor often reserves the right to revise it.
How do quotes and estimates differ in practice?
| Quote | Estimate | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Fixed on named lines unless the scope changes | May move when choices or site conditions firm up |
| Headings | Each major trade usually appears | Gaps are common; totals may be rounded |
| Use on a self-build | Compare two files heading by heading | Ask what must be decided before a fixed price |
| Signing | Scope and price are tied together | Contract may convert to quote later or stay open |
When should you ask for a quote instead of an estimate?
Ask for a quote when you have a plan, a site you can describe, and fixed choices for the main finishes. An estimate is reasonable early, when you are still choosing footprint or specification. Before you compare two builders, both files should be quotes on the same scope, not one quote and one estimate.
Questions on this
Can a document called "estimate" still be binding?
It depends on the contract around it. Some builders use "estimate" on the cover and fixed lines inside. Read the payment clause and the line items, not only the title on page one.
Is a verbal figure an estimate?
Yes, until it appears as priced lines on paper. A number given on a call is a starting point, not something you can compare to another file.
Does a quote mean the price cannot rise?
Only for the work listed. Provisional sums, exclusions and client variations are the usual routes to a higher total, not a silent markup on fixed lines.
Can I send an estimate for a paid reading?
You can send the file. The reading lists structure and per-area figures as hypotheses; it does not turn an estimate into a quote.
Read one before you buy one
The specimen shows the whole structure: status, what each payment was meant to buy, the forecast with its range, the photographic record and the limits of what was checked.