The Three Quote Rule Gives You a False Sense of Due Diligence
Getting three quotes doesn’t automatically mean you’ve done your homework. It just means you have three numbers, and that’s not the same thing as knowing you found the right person.
Here’s the pattern I see all the time: someone gets three quotes, one of them checks the boxes, and they think, okay, I got my three, this one works, let’s move forward. And I get it, that feels responsible. But I’d push back a little. Are you sure you have at least one solid quote that really covers everything you’re looking to have done, from someone you actually feel comfortable working with? Price is not the only thing on the table. This person will be in your home for an extended period of time - are you comfortable communicating and working with them?
That last part matters more than people think, because everyone’s comfort level with decision making is different. I’m quick. If something checks off all the boxes and I’m pleased with it, I don’t need to keep digging. My partner is the opposite: he wants to exhaust every possible option before he commits, and sometimes even then he goes back for more research. Neither of us is wrong. But know which one you are, because it changes how many quotes actually feels like enough for you.
Getting More Quotes Doesn’t Automatically Protect You From Overpaying
Getting more quotes protects you from nothing if the quotes aren’t actually comparable. A $75,000 kitchen and a $100,000 kitchen can be the exact same room.
This is the part homeowners miss constantly. You’ll hear someone say, my kitchen only cost $75,000, and then someone else with a similarly sized kitchen say theirs cost $100,000, and it feels like someone got ripped off.
It's likely no one did. One homeowner hired a single contractor and is managing all the other trades themselves. The other hired a full design build firm with an in-house design team, maybe an architecture team, had thorough construction drawings made, had a professional help them with every selection, and someone handling purchasing for them. Those are two completely different scopes of work wearing the same price tag conversation.
It's likely no one did. One homeowner hired a single contractor and is managing all the other trades themselves. The other hired a full design build firm with an in-house design team, maybe an architecture team, had thorough construction drawings made, had a professional help them with every selection, and someone handling purchasing for them. Those are two completely different scopes of work wearing the same price tag conversation.
(These numbers reflect my own project experience here in Massachusetts, a higher cost of living market. Adjust the actual dollars for your region, but the scope gap they’re illustrating holds true anywhere.)
So the real struggle isn’t just getting quotes. It’s figuring out who’s actually the right fit for your project before you start comparing numbers. Design build vs an architect led[Lighting] Short for Light Emitting Diode. A highly efficient light source that produces light using a semiconductor, requiring less energy and generating less heat than traditional bulbs. project vs a manufacturer program are genuinely different paths, and that’s a big enough topic that it deserves its own post. For now, just know that “more expensive” and “worse deal” are not the same thing, and neither are “cheaper” and “smarter.”
Some Projects Genuinely Need Five or Six Proposals to Find the Right Fit
If you already have three quotes and something still feels off, get more, but only for a real reason, not because the price is higher than you hoped.
If you went out and got three estimates and you’re just not comfortable, get more. But be honest with yourself about why. Is this an actual red flag, something legitimate about the person or the estimate that’s bothering you? Or is it just that the cost is more than you expected? Because those are different problems.
If it’s the second one, sit down and ask what’s actually driving that cost before you write someone off. Sometimes there’s a real answer, and once you understand it, that number stops feeling unreasonable. And even if you decide it’s genuinely not the right fit, that conversation still makes you sharper for the next estimate you get, on this project or the next one.
Smaller or Specialized Jobs Often Only Need Two Strong Candidates
A small, low risk job, like swapping out a vanity, doesn’t need three bids. If the first person you call is fair, you like them, and they can get to it in a reasonable timeframe, there’s often no reason not to move forward.
Obviously, factor in your own decision making style here too. But in my opinion, why make it more complicated than it needs to be? If you want a little extra reassurance, get a second quote just to confirm you’re not accidentally paying double what’s normal for the job. That’s a completely reasonable middle ground. What I wouldn’t do is treat every project, big or small, like it deserves the same three to five bid process. It doesn’t.
The Real Question Isn’t How Many Quotes, It’s How Different They Are
Two quotes that are genuinely apples to apples beat five that aren’t. Before you worry about the number, make sure you’re actually comparing the same scope of workThe written description of exactly what a contractor is (and isn't) responsible for on your project. It should list every task, material, and deliverable. A vague scope of work is one of the top causes of contractor disputes. The more specific, the better..
Once you have your quotes in hand, the first job is making sure they’re apples to apples. If they’re not, get clear on where the differences actually are, and see if you can put a number or a timeline to the differences. Maybe one contractor is squeezing your job in between two other projects, so their price is a little lower, but it’s going to take a lot longer to finish. That’s a real tradeoff, not just a number on a page, and you can’t weigh it if you don’t know it’s there.
What to Do When Every Estimate Comes in at a Wildly Different Number
Go back to each contractor and ask directly what’s driving the gap, and let AI act as a second set of eyes on the paperwork.
Have an honest conversation with each person about their quote. Start by going through it yourself and seeing if the differences jump out. And especially in the AI world we live in now, this is easier than it used to be: you can upload a few of your estimates and ask AI to point out where they differ. You can also just tell it what you’re actually looking to have done, and it can flag what’s missing from an estimate or where the estimates don’t line up with each other. It’s not a replacement for the conversation with your contractor, but it’s a genuinely useful gut check before you have it.
A Better FrameworkA step-by-step system for making decisions or managing a process. On Renoversity, "frameworks" are the professional planning methods designers use on every project, adapted so homeowners can use them too. Think of it as a recipe, but for your renovation.: Match Your Number of Quotes to the Risk of the Project
Small, "rip and replaceA renovation approach where everything in a space is removed and replaced without changing the overall layout.
This typically includes new cabinetry, fixtures, finishes, and appliances installed in the same locations as before. It is often faster and more cost-predictable than a full redesign, but it does not address underlying layout issues or improve how the space functions." projects need one or two quotes. Big, high risk projects, like a whole home renovation or a major addition, are worth shopping to a few different firms, because those numbers really can be wildly different.
Here’s roughly how I’d think about it:
• Low risk, single trade job (swap a fixture, replace a vanity): one quote is often enough if it’s fair and you like the person. A second is just extra peace of mind.
• Mid size project (a single room renovation with one or two trades): two to three quotes, focused more on fit and communication than on shaving down the price.
• High risk, high dollar project (whole home renovation, a major addition, multiple trades running at once): talk to a few different firms. The pricing spread between firm types can be enormous, and you want to actually understand why before you pick one.
On that last point: don’t automatically discount a firm because they have overhead, like a showroom. Yes, that’s reflected in the price. But there’s real value on the other side of it too: a personalized experience, samples in one room instead of shopping across seventeen different showrooms, someone managing the process instead of you doing it all yourself. I’ll fully admit I’m a little biased here, I have my own showroom. But the convenience of writing a few checks instead of driving all over town for every decision is worth something to a lot of homeowners, even if it’s not worth it to all of them.
One thing I’d be cautious about: those online listing sites that hand you ten quotes at once. They can work out fine, and some tradespeople on there are genuinely good, that’s just where their lead generation happens to be. But more often than I’d like, the experience is less than stellar. The best thing you can do, especially if you’re in a market where it’s genuinely hard to get anyone to show up and quote your job, is get a referral from someone who had a similar project done and was thrilled with the result. One strong referral beats three cold quotes from a website, and it’s a better use of your time if contractors in your area are already booked out.
Even then, there’s no guarantee of a perfect outcome. Contractors are human, and they have seasons, just like the rest of us do. I’ve had stretches in my own business where things going on in my personal life meant I wasn’t delivering the level of service I hold myself to, and I was disappointed in myself and my company for it. That doesn’t mean the contractor you found through a great referral is a bad fit. It just means nothing is guaranteed to be perfect, and it rarely is.
Which brings me to the only real rule that’s held up for me over 20 years of doing this:
Good things are rarely cheap...
and cheap things are rarely good.
