Provisional sums in a house quote explained
A provisional sum is a placeholder price for work or materials not fixed when the quote was written. The contractor later replaces it with the actual cost, often plus an agreed margin. On a house quote, list every provisional line and ask what choice or measurement will fix the final figure.
What is a provisional sum on a house quote?
It is a line where the builder could not price the item exactly, kitchen units before you choose a supplier, groundworks before trial pits, or landscaping before levels are set. The sum is a budget entry, not a fixed price, until the scope is defined.
How is a provisional sum settled?
- You make the choice or the site measurement is taken
- The contractor prices the actual work or supply
- The quote total moves by the difference from the provisional figure
- Some contracts add a stated percentage for handling provisional work
How do provisional sums differ from exclusions?
An exclusion is work the quote does not include at all. A provisional sum is included as a budget but not yet fixed. Both affect whether two quote totals are comparable, you need the final or assumed figure for each provisional line.
What should you ask about each provisional line?
- 01What choice or measurement fixes this price?
- 02Is the provisional figure net or does it include the contractor's margin?
- 03What happens if the final cost is above or below the sum?
- 04Is there a cap, or can the line rise without a variation?
- 05When must you decide so the build sequence is not delayed?
Questions on this
Are provisional sums normal on a house build?
Yes, especially for kitchens, bathrooms, landscaping and unknown ground conditions. They are a problem only when they are unexplained or dominate the total.
Can I compare two quotes with different provisional sums?
Only after you normalise them, same assumed kitchen spec, same allowance for groundworks, or ask both builders to price the same provisional scope.
Does a high provisional sum mean the builder is cheap?
No. A low fixed total with large provisionals may rise more than a higher total with fixed lines. Compare what is still open, not only today's sum.
Should provisional sums appear as headings?
They usually sit under the trade they belong to, kitchen, external works, preliminaries. The label "provisional" or "PC sum" should be visible on the line.
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.