Prepare a consistent project summary
Before requesting bids, give each contractor the same address, scope summary, plans, known site information, finish assumptions, target timing, and questions. A consistent starting package makes differences in exclusions and assumptions easier to see.
Build a shortlist
Ask trusted project contacts for referrals and review local professional associations, current project examples, insurance, references, and the contractor’s experience with work similar in type and complexity. Licensing and registration rules vary by trade and jurisdiction, so verify the requirements that apply to the project location.
Interview for fit and responsibility
Relevant experience
Ask who will manage the project, which similar jobs the team has completed, and what made those projects challenging.
Bid assumptions
Ask what is included, excluded, allowed for, or still unknown—and how taxes, permits, supervision, overhead, markups, and contingencies are handled.
Communication and changes
Confirm meeting cadence, decision ownership, written change-order procedures, schedule updates, and who communicates with consultants and the jurisdiction.
Contract and payment
Review the written scope, payment milestones, insurance, warranty terms, dispute process, termination terms, and documents with the appropriate legal or technical adviser before signing.
Compare scope before price
There is no universal number of bids that guarantees the right choice. Compare whether each contractor priced the same drawings, quantities, allowances, assumptions, and finish expectations. A materially different number can signal a different scope rather than a better or worse contractor.
Planning a current residential project?
Use the current service, process, pricing, and contact pages for scope, deliverables, timing, and inquiry expectations.