TRI-CITIES SYSTEM MAPTri-Cities Poly-B
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Compare Poly-B Replacement Quotes on the Same Scope

The lowest total may describe the smallest scope. Normalize every estimate against one property record before comparing price, timing or warranty language.

  1. 1

    Give every estimator the same property file

    Provide the same fixture inventory, visible-pipe photographs, branch map, access notes, renovation history and known strata constraints to each estimator. Include the property address and municipality so permit questions begin from the same facts. If one contractor receives a more complete inspection or different assumptions, the resulting totals are not directly comparable. Record the date and version of the package supplied. Add later discoveries to all active bidders or clearly note which proposal incorporates them before ranking the prices.

    Use one dated scope packageShare the same access constraintsDistribute material changes consistently
  2. 2

    Compare the piping boundary line by line

    Check the stated start and end points, fixtures, branches, shutoffs, manifolds, appliance connections, exterior lines and any shared systems. Ask how concealed or mixed piping is handled and what remains excluded. Compare proposed materials, connection descriptions and testing without selecting a system solely from marketing labels. If a proposal says whole home, require enough detail to show how completeness will be established. Transfer unclear entries into a written question log rather than assuming every estimator means the same thing.

    Match every fixture and branchList excluded and unresolved pipingClarify the meaning of whole home
  3. 3

    Normalize access, protection and restoration

    Place the room-by-room access schedule beside each quote. Compare the number and type of assumed openings, exploratory allowances, occupant protection, dust control and water-shutdown planning. Then compare drywall, texture, primer, paint, cabinets, tile and specialist restoration. A proposal that stops at rough patches should not be ranked against one that includes finish painting without adding the missing work. Note who coordinates separate trades and who is responsible if more access is required after construction begins.

    Compare access assumptions by roomPrice excluded restorationIdentify coordination responsibility
  4. 4

    Review permits, inspections and closeout

    Confirm which party will verify municipal requirements, apply for applicable permits and arrange inspections. Compare testing, pre-closure photographs, product records, warranty information, shutoff labels and final route documentation. For strata projects, add approvals, notices, unit access and common-property records. Do not award extra value to vague claims of being to code or fully documented; ask which records will be delivered and when. Use the permit-and-insurance page as a checklist for property-specific questions rather than assuming one standard package applies everywhere.

    Name permit and inspection ownershipList promised closeout documentsKeep strata records in the comparison
  5. 5

    Expose allowances, exclusions and change rules

    Create three columns for included work, explicit exclusions and unresolved allowances. Ask for quantities or unit rates where concealed conditions could change the price, including added openings, hazardous-material processes, cabinet work and finish repair. Review deposit, progress payment and change-approval terms in the written agreement. An allowance is not a fixed price, and an omission should not become an assumed inclusion. The comparison should show the likely full project responsibility even when some work will be contracted separately.

    Separate fixed amounts from allowancesRequest written unit rates where usefulDefine who may approve a change
  6. 6

    Compare schedule and disruption realistically

    Review expected start, duration, working hours, water shutdowns, inspection holds, restoration sequencing and daily access needs. In an occupied home or strata, the schedule must include notice, unit access and service restoration, not only pipe installation. Ask what could extend the timeline and how delays or missed access are communicated. A shorter estimate is not automatically better if it omits finish work or closeout. Compare the point at which rooms, water service and the complete property are expected to return to normal use.

    Include inspection and restoration timeCompare shutdown and access plansRecord schedule assumptions and dependencies
  7. 7

    Choose on evidence, responsibility and total scope

    Score each proposal for scope completeness, evidence, access planning, restoration responsibility, municipal coordination, testing, closeout and a workable change process. Verify references, qualifications and contract terms through appropriate channels without relying on unsupported website claims. Resolve major differences in writing before selection. The identification, whole-home, access, strata and permit-record pages provide the five supporting checklists for this final comparison. Keep the chosen proposal, clarifications and rejected alternatives with the project file so later changes can be measured against the decision that was actually approved.

    Resolve material differences before awardEvaluate total responsibility, not price aloneRetain the final comparison and clarifications