The quote is sitting on your counter. Maybe the total landed higher than you expected. Maybe a line item looks padded. Maybe the scope feels thin for what they are charging. You have that nagging feeling — the one that says I should check this — but the thought of scheduling three more site visits and waiting two weeks for competing bids makes you want to just sign the thing and move on.

You do not have to start over. There are faster ways to gut-check a quote, and most of them take less time than the sales appointment did.

Method 1: Upload to QuoteChecker.ai

Paste the quote text or upload the PDF. You get an instant analysis flagging pricing anomalies, missing scope items, and follow-up questions tailored to the specific trade and project type. No scheduling, no waiting, no account required for the free tier.

What you get: A line-by-line breakdown that identifies vague line items, prices that exceed regional benchmarks, missing warranty language, and scope gaps. The analysis generates specific follow-up questions you can send to the contractor verbatim. Average turnaround: under 2 minutes.

Think of it as triage, not a diagnosis. It tells you whether your quote sits in the normal range or whether specific lines warrant deeper investigation before you sign. Sometimes the answer is "this looks fine" — and that peace of mind is worth something too.

Method 2: Phone consultation with a competing contractor

This one feels awkward but works remarkably well. Call a licensed contractor in the same trade and say exactly this: "I have a bid for [project type]. I am not asking you to bid the job. I would like to pay for 15-20 minutes of your time to review the scope and pricing. What is your consultation rate?"

Example: You have a $34,000 bathroom remodel quote. You call a second plumbing/remodel contractor and offer to pay for a 20-minute phone review. They charge $125 for the call. In those 20 minutes, they identify that the quote does not include a subfloor inspection (which could add $1,200-$2,800 if rot is found), that the tile labor rate of $18/sq ft is $4-$6 above market for your metro area, and that the fixture allowance is 30% below what the specified fixtures actually cost. That $125 phone call just saved you from signing a quote with $3,000-$5,000 in hidden exposure.

Most contractors will do this for $75-$150. Some will do it free if they think they might earn the work later. Either way, you are buying 20 minutes of expertise — not a site visit, not a commitment, just a knowledgeable pair of eyes on the numbers.

Method 3: Industry associations

Less well-known, but several industry organizations offer bid review services or can connect you with professionals who do.

  • NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry) — Local chapters sometimes offer bid review services or can refer you to a member contractor willing to do a paid consultation.
  • Local HBA (Home Builders Association) — Some chapters maintain referral networks and can connect you with contractors who offer second-opinion reviews.
  • AAA (for auto repair) — Members can access repair estimate reviews through AAA's Approved Auto Repair network. They will compare your estimate against their benchmark database for the same repair in your area.
How to use this: Contact your local chapter, explain that you have an existing bid and want a professional review, and ask whether they offer that service or can recommend someone. Be specific about the trade (plumbing, electrical, roofing) so they connect you with the right expertise.

Method 4: Public pricing databases

The same pricing benchmarks that insurance adjusters, project managers, and professional estimators use to validate costs are available to you. Most people have no idea these exist.

  • RSMeans (construction) — The industry standard for construction cost data. Published by Gordian, it provides regional labor and material rates for every trade. Access is subscription-based ($300-$800/year), but many public libraries offer free access through their digital resource portals.
  • Mitchell and ALLDATA (auto repair) — The databases your insurance company uses to evaluate repair estimates. Mitchell's labor time guides specify exactly how many hours each repair should take. If your estimate shows 6.5 hours for a job Mitchell rates at 3.8 hours, that is a 71% labor time inflation.
  • EnergySage (solar) — Publishes regional cost-per-watt benchmarks. The national average is $2.50-$3.50/watt before incentives. If your solar quote is $4.20/watt with no premium equipment or complex roof factors, you are paying $0.70-$1.70/watt above market.
  • County prevailing wage rates — Your county publishes prevailing wage rates for licensed trades. These reflect fair labor pricing for journeymen electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and other trades in your jurisdiction. They are public record and available on your county or state labor department website.
Red flag: If a contractor resists any form of second opinion — telling you the price is "only good for 48 hours" or that "other contractors will just try to steal the job" — that pressure is a signal, not a sales tactic. Contractors confident in their pricing welcome scrutiny because it validates their work.

What NOT to do

There is a right way and a wrong way to shop a bid. The wrong way: handing Contractor A's full quote to Contractor B. That invites bid shopping — Contractor B undercuts by $500 without matching the scope, quality, or warranty. You end up with a cheaper number and a worse job.

Example of the right approach: "I need a 200-amp panel upgrade, replacing a Federal Pacific panel with a new Eaton or Square D panel, including 20 new circuits, whole-house surge protection, and permit. What would you charge for that scope?" This gives Contractor B enough to provide meaningful pricing without anchoring them to Contractor A's numbers or inviting a race to the bottom.
Red flag: A competing contractor who asks to see the original bid before giving their own price is planning to bid-shop in reverse — pricing just below the existing quote rather than giving you their honest estimate. Work with contractors who price from their own cost basis, not from someone else's bid.

Getting a second opinion does not mean you distrust the contractor. It means you are about to spend $5,000, or $20,000, or $50,000 — and you want more than one data point before you do. That is not suspicion. That is how adults make large financial decisions.

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