Most disputes between owners and builders do not start on site. They start in the quote — in the line that was never written down. A price on its own tells you almost nothing. What matters is what that price covers, what it excludes, and what happens when something unexpected is found behind a wall.
Every GLD Group quote is a written, fixed document. Below is what we believe any serious quote should contain, whether you build with us or with someone else.
1. A scope you can read, not guess
Each stage of the work should be listed separately: demolition, structure, installations, surfaces, finishing. If a quote just says “bathroom renovation — 18,000 €”, you have no way to compare it with another offer and no way to hold anyone to it.
A proper scope also states what is excluded. If old wiring replacement is not in the price, that should be written — not discovered mid-project.
2. Materials named, not implied
“Tiles included” can mean 15 €/m² or 60 €/m². The quote should name the material class or the specific products the price is based on, and state how changes are priced if you upgrade later.
3. A payment schedule tied to stages
Payments should follow completed, inspectable stages — never calendar dates. You should never be ahead of the work with your money. A typical structure is a modest advance, stage payments, and a final payment only after handover and snag-list closure.
4. A named person responsible
Ask who runs your job day to day and who answers when something goes wrong. On our contracts the person who quotes the work is the person who runs it and hands it over — one name, one phone number, from first visit to final signature.
5. What happens when surprises appear
Old houses hide things: rotten joists, unpermitted wiring, moisture damage. A good quote defines the process — work pauses, you get photos and a priced variation in writing, and nothing proceeds without your approval. Surprises are normal; surprise invoices are not.
If a contractor will not put these five things in writing, the low number on the first page is the most expensive part of the offer.
Written by the GLD Group team — the same people who quote and run the jobs.
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