RenoBinderA scope of work is the list of what the project includes and what it leaves out. Without one, three contractors can hand you three honest prices for three different jobs. California's contractor board tells homeowners to compare bids on identical plans, specifications, and scope, and not to assume the lowest bid is the same work (CSLB).
Write the scope before you ask for prices
You do not need a designer to start. A few pages in plain language are enough for a remodel bid, if they are specific. The Texas Attorney General says the contract should state what the contractor will do, when work starts and finishes, and the cost of special orders and materials (Texas AG). Maine, for home construction contracts over $3,000, requires a written description of the work and materials (10 M.R.S. § 1487). Use those as a floor, not as a form you copy into a state where they do not apply.
Keep the scope next to the bids. One room is free.
Start a free planSave the scope with the bids
Keep one written scope next to every quote. One room is free.
Start your free projectSections worth including
| Section | Spell out |
|---|---|
| Rooms | Which rooms, and whether the layout stays or walls and plumbing move |
| Demolition | What comes out, what stays, and what must be protected |
| Structure, plumbing, electrical | What moves or is added. Name the new circuits, fans, and fixtures you already know |
| Finishes | The product, or an allowance tied to a quantity. See allowances |
| Items you will buy | Appliances, faucets, or lights you are supplying, and who installs them |
| Permits and fees | Who applies and who pays. See permits |
| Cleanup | Daily cleanup, debris haul-away, and the condition of the house at the end |
| Exclusions | Work that is not in the price, written down so it is not a surprise |
Allowances are part of the scope, not a footnote. A dollar figure with no quantity is hard to compare. The details are in allowances in a remodel contract.
Ask every contractor to price this document
- Send the same scope to each contractor.
- Ask them to list anything they excluded or priced as an allowance.
- Ask for a start date and a completion date on that scope.
- Read each reply line by line before you rank the totals.
- Put the bids on one checklist with the quote comparison tool.
Washington's labor department tells homeowners to get at least three written bids and compare them carefully (Washington L&I). Three bids only help if they are bidding the same pages.
When the scope changes later
A scope is not frozen forever. If you add a niche, move a wall, or pick a tile that blows the allowance, that is a change to the agreement. Put the price and the extra days in a signed change order before the work. See change orders.
Where RenoBinder fits
The free project is a place to keep this scope, the bid you accept, and the budget lines that match it. One room is free. Compare plans.
Save the scope with the bids
Keep one written scope next to every quote. One room is free.
Start your free projectLaunch offer: 30% off with code LAUNCH30