Start with the scope, not the total
A quotation is only as good as the scope it prices. Before comparing figures, check that every bidder has priced the same drawings, the same finish schedule and the same list of rooms. If one contractor has assumed a developer-standard kitchen and another has priced bespoke joinery, the totals are not comparable.
Look for a written scope of works attached to the quotation, with drawing references and revision numbers. A quotation that refers only to “interior works as discussed” leaves too much open to interpretation later.
Lump sum or itemised estimate
A lump sum gives one figure for the whole job, sometimes split into a few broad headings such as civil works, joinery and MEP. It is simple to read, but you cannot see how much is material, how much is labour and how much is margin, and you cannot easily remove or change one item.
An itemised estimate prices the work line by line: each wall finish, each joinery unit, each light fitting, each stone surface, with quantities and unit rates. It takes longer to read, but it lets you see where the money goes, compare like with like and make informed decisions about where to spend.
For a small, well-defined job a lump sum can be perfectly reasonable. For a villa or residence with bespoke joinery, stone and furniture, an itemised estimate is far easier to manage over the life of the project.
Where hidden costs usually sit
The most common gaps are provisional sums and exclusions. A provisional sum is an allowance for something not yet designed or selected, such as sanitaryware or lighting. If the allowance is low, the quotation looks attractive and the real figure arrives later.
Exclusions are just as important. Read them carefully: approvals and developer fees, protection of existing finishes, waste removal, temporary power and water, MEP modifications, and making good after other trades are often listed as excluded, or simply not mentioned. Ask for each one to be either priced or clearly stated as your responsibility.
Finally, check what the quotation assumes about the existing building. Works behind walls and above ceilings are rarely visible at quotation stage, which is why a proper site survey, and opening up where needed, matters before the figure is fixed.
Options per item
A good estimate does not only tell you the price; it shows you choices. For major items such as stone, flooring, joinery finishes or furniture, two or three options at different levels let you decide where a premium material is worth it and where a simpler one will do.
Options work best when they are priced on the same quantities and shown side by side. That way the difference between, for example, a natural stone and an engineered surface is a clear figure rather than a guess.
Variations and how they are priced
Almost every interior project changes once works are under way. You may move a socket, upgrade a fitting or add a joinery unit. These changes are variations, and the way they are priced decides whether a budget holds.
Ask before you sign how variations will be valued. The clearest approach uses the unit rates already in the itemised estimate, so a change is priced on the same basis as the original work. Each variation should be written, priced and approved by you before it is carried out, with its effect on the programme stated.
Be cautious with quotations that give no rates at all. Without them, every variation becomes a fresh negotiation, usually at a moment when you have little leverage.
Payment stages and the programme
A quotation should also say when you pay and for what. Payments are clearest when they are tied to visible stages, such as approval of drawings, ordering of long-lead materials, completion of first-fix works and handover, rather than to dates on a calendar.
Check that the payment schedule matches the programme. If large sums fall due before the related materials are ordered or the related works are done, ask why. A schedule that follows progress protects both sides and keeps the project moving.
When comparing two quotations side by side, put them into the same structure: the same rooms, the same trades and the same exclusions. The differences that remain are the ones worth discussing.
How DI&ME’s transparent pricing works
Our estimates are itemised line by line. Materials, works and our fee are shown separately, and the full estimate is agreed with you before works start. You can see what each element costs and what we charge for managing and delivering it.
Where the design allows, we offer two or three options for an item, so you can balance the budget room by room. Procurement draws on a network of more than 500 manufacturers and distributors, and joinery, furniture and wall panels are priced from our own production in Dubai Investments Park.
Variations are priced from the same estimate and approved in writing before they go ahead. Custom projects start from AED 100,000, and the actual figure for your property comes after the site survey, together with a dated programme.
