Most property managers are handed a procurement rule — get three competitive bids over a dollar threshold — and no training on how to read them. So the middle number wins, or the vendor you already know wins, and nobody can explain the choice later. After 26 years of reading these bids, here's the framework I'd give you. You don't need a construction background — you need to be consistent.
1. Line the bids up against one scope — not against each other
The first mistake is comparing bids to each other. Bid A has 40 line items, Bid B has 12 — that doesn't make B cheaper, it makes B less complete. Build a single list of everything the job actually requires (from the most thorough bid plus the others combined), then check each bid against that list. Coverage tells you more than price.
2. Hunt for exclusions
Exclusions are where cost quietly shifts back to you: permits, disposal, code upgrades, mold, and warranty carve-outs. A bid that 'excludes permits and disposal' isn't cheaper — it's incomplete, and you'll pay for those items anyway.
3. Price the change-order risk
Vague language is the tell. 'As needed,' 'pending inspection,' allowances instead of firm unit pricing, and 'TBD' quantities all signal a bid that grows after you sign. Firm, itemized pricing throughout is a sign of a contractor who actually measured the job.
4. Confirm readiness
License, general liability and workers-comp insurance, bonding, and a realistic timeline separate a real contractor from a cheap quote. It's the easiest thing to verify and the most expensive to skip.
5. Write down why
Whatever you pick, capture the reasoning in plain English — the scope it covers, the true cost, the risks avoided. That paragraph turns a defensible decision into a defended one when ownership asks.
BidsScores runs all five steps automatically and hands back a board-ready report — but the framework works whether you use software or a spreadsheet.