Compare contractor bids: same scope, side by side

The cheapest bid is often missing something.

Three kitchen bids: $36,000, $41,500 and $43,000. The low one had a $1,500 tile allowance (the others $4,000) and left out the permit and disposal. Added back, it's $40,500, and the gap shrinks from $5,500 to $1,000. So: send every bidder the same written scope, ask for line items and exclusions, raise low allowances to real prices, then vet the contractor: license, liability and workers' comp insurance, 3 recent references.