Is this quotation fair? Checking shop and contractor quotes
How to check a quotation from a shop, supplier or contractor line by line before you agree: units, brands, delivery terms and verified market prices.
Published 4 min read
The short answer
To check a quotation, compare each line with verified prices for the same item, brand, grade and unit in your city, and make sure delivery, unloading and installation are either included or priced separately. Send DAAM a photo of the quote and it checks every line, flags the ones above the market and adds up how much you could save.
Key takeaways
- A quotation is only comparable once every line names the brand, grade or model and the unit.
- Delivery, unloading, installation and taxes should be separate lines — or clearly included.
- Check the date: quotes for cement, steel and electronics often have a short validity.
- Compare the per-unit price, not the total, and watch for quantities padded beyond what you need.
- DAAM checks each line of a photographed quote and totals the possible saving.
On this page
Why quotations deserve a second look
A quotation is a promise of a price, often for a lot of money at once: the materials for a room, an AC with installation, fifty meals for an event, a batch of laptops for an office. Small differences per unit multiply. A few hundred rupees too much per bag of cement becomes tens of thousands across a slab.
Quotations are also where vague wording hides: “cement — 200 bags” without a brand, “AC 1.5 ton inverter” without the model, or a total with no mention of delivery. Before you compare prices, make the quote comparable.
Make every line comparable
For each line, you should be able to answer:
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| What exactly is it? Brand, model, grade or size | Different brands and grades have different market prices |
| What is the unit? Bag, ton, kg, per 1,000, cft, sq ft, piece | You can only compare like units |
| What is the unit price? | Totals hide padding and rounding |
| What quantity, and is it what you need? | Over-ordering is the easiest way to overspend |
| What is included? Delivery, unloading, installation, tax | “Cheaper” quotes often leave these out |
| How long is the price valid? | Materials and electronics move with fuel prices and the dollar |
If a line fails these questions, ask the seller to rewrite it before comparing. Honest sellers rarely mind.
Try asking DAAM“Grade 60 sariya rate per ton in Lahore”Check the lines against the market
Once each line is specific, compare its unit price with verified prices for the same thing:
- Find the current market range and the median for that item in your city.
- Note the cheapest verified in-stock offer.
- Mark lines that are above the range and ask what justifies them.
For construction materials, city matters — a bag of cement or a thousand bricks costs differently in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad, and delivery distance changes the real cost. Our contractor quotation guide goes deeper on building quotes, and delivery and unloading charges explains the lines that are most often padded.
Use a photo check
Instead of looking up each line yourself, send DAAM a photo of the quotation. It reads the items, quantities, units and prices and shows them in an editable card — fix any line it misread, add the brand or city if the quote leaves them out, then confirm. DAAM checks each line against verified prices and shows:
- a verdict per line,
- the market range and cheapest verified offer for each item,
- the total possible saving across the quote.
Free · no sign-up needed
Check a quotation before you sign
Send DAAM a photo of the quote from the shop, supplier or contractor. It checks every line against verified prices and totals your possible saving.
Opens DAAM with: “Is this quotation fair? Check each line”
Common quotation tricks
- Round totals with no unit prices. Always ask for the unit price per line.
- Brand swaps. The quote says one brand; the delivery brings another. Write the brand on the order.
- Padded quantities. Wastage allowances are normal for tiles and bricks, but check the percentage.
- “Rate” without delivery. A low per-bag rate with a large delivery charge can cost more than a higher delivered rate.
- Installation bundled into electronics. An AC or water heater quote may bundle installation materials at high prices; ask for them separately.
- Expired validity. A quote from last month may be honoured only “subject to market” — get the date in writing.
After the check
If some lines are above the market, show the seller the range and the cheapest verified offer. Many will adjust rather than lose the whole order. If the quote is fair, you can sign with confidence — and set a price-drop alert if you are not buying immediately, so you hear if a verified offer gets cheaper. There is more on that in price-drop alerts.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a contractor’s quotation is fair?
Make sure every line names the brand, grade and unit, then compare each unit price with verified market prices for your city. Check that delivery, unloading and labour are listed separately. DAAM can check a photographed quote line by line.
Should I compare the total or the per-unit price?
The per-unit price. Totals hide padded quantities and bundled extras. Ask for a unit price on every line, then compare each one with the market range for the same item.
Can DAAM read a handwritten quotation?
Usually, if the handwriting is clear and the photo is sharp. DAAM always shows what it read in an editable card so you can correct any line before it checks prices.
What if a quotation line has no brand?
Ask the seller to add it. Different brands and grades have different prices, so an unbranded line cannot be compared fairly. In DAAM you can add the brand on the confirm card before checking.
Free · no sign-up needed
Check a quotation before you sign
Send DAAM a photo of the quote from the shop, supplier or contractor. It checks every line against verified prices and totals your possible saving.
Opens DAAM with: “Is this quotation fair? Check each line”
Written by
Hamza writes DAAM’s price guides for shoppers in Pakistan: where to buy, what to check before paying and how to use verified prices to avoid being overcharged.
