Reviewing a bathroom proposal — what's in ours

We write bathroom proposals with line-item detail so homeowners can see where the money goes. Here is what every section means.

Scope of work

Room-by-room, category-by-category description of what is being built. If a bid does not say what it includes, it is a quote, not a proposal.

Line-item pricing

Each work category (demo, rough trades, tile, cabinetry, trim, finish) has its own labor and materials number. This is how you compare two bids side by side without being fooled by a single lump sum.

Allowances

Where selections are not locked yet (for example, tile the homeowner has not picked), we write an allowance — a target dollar amount. When the selection is made, actual cost is reconciled against allowance. No hidden markup.

Schedule

Start date, on-site duration, and target substantial-completion date. Written into the contract, not verbal.

Payment schedule

MA law sets limits on contractor deposits for home improvement work. We follow those limits, tie payments to real milestones, and never ask for a large up-front draw.

Change-order process

Every change gets its own signed change order with its own price and schedule impact before work begins. No verbal change orders.

Warranty

Written warranty on workmanship, with explicit exclusions. Manufacturer warranties on tile, fixtures, and cabinetry pass through separately.

What should make you walk

• —A lump-sum bid with no line items
• —Verbal allowances or verbal scope
• —More than one-third of the project price requested as a deposit
• —No written change-order process
• —No written warranty