Why Are My Renovation Quotations So Different?
Receiving multiple renovation quotations can feel unexpectedly disorienting.
On paper, the address is the same and the floorplan drawings look similar. Yet the numbers at the bottom of each quote tell very different stories. It’s common to start wondering whether you’re overlooking something important, or whether there’s a “right” price you’re supposed to recognise when comparing your quotations.
This uncertainty is understandable for homeowners. Renovation is one of the few major purchases where pricing isn’t standardised, and where homeowners are expected to make decisions without having full visibility of what lies beneath each number.
The reality is that price differences are common and usually explainable. Understanding what drives these differences can help you move from confusion to clarity, and from hesitation to confidence. If you’re wondering how to decipher your renovation quotations, we break down where the differences tend to lie, and what you can do to get more clarity on what you’re paying for.
Is It Normal for Renovation Quotes to Vary So Much?
The short answer is yes, variation in renovation quotations is normal, especially for resale homes.
Homeowners often see price differences of 20–40%, and sometimes even more, for what appears to be the same project. This doesn’t automatically signal overcharging or poor practice. In many cases, it reflects different assumptions being made about the work involved.
Renovation pricing is not just about materials and labour. It also reflects how uncertainties are handled, how much detail is specified upfront, and where responsibility sits if things change later. This is where most of the invisible work comes in and paying more for good project management pays off in the long run.
What matters most is not the spread itself, but whether the reasons behind it are visible and understandable to you as the homeowner.
The 5 Main Reasons Your Renovation Quotations Look So Different
1. The Scope of Work Isn’t as Aligned as It Seems
Two quotes can look comparable on the surface while covering very different scopes.
One may include full hacking, site protection, and reinstatement works, while another assumes only partial demolition or excludes certain areas entirely. Some quotations build in allowances for making good affected areas; others treat these as conditional or future items to be added in to variation order (VO).
Because these differences are often buried within line items or assumptions, they’re easy to miss and yet they can account for a significant portion of the price gap.
2. Specifications Vary More Than Drawings Suggest
Drawings and 3D visuals are helpful, but they rarely capture the full story.
Behind similar-looking line items, the finishing can have very different specifications: tile price caps, laminate grades, plywood thickness, internal cabinet materials, drawer hinge brands, or hardware quality. These choices affect durability, performance, and long-term maintenance, not just aesthetics.
Lower specifications aren’t inherently problematic, but when they’re not clearly stated, it becomes difficult to tell whether a lower quote reflects efficiency or simply a different baseline. For example, this variable can surface due to your interior designer or contractor’s experience with a similar renovation project where they may factor in costs that reflect certain limitations of the building’s design.
3. The Way Prices Are Structured Changes How They’re Perceived
Some renovation quotations are highly itemised, while others group large portions of work into lump sums.
Lump sum pricing can feel reassuring in its simplicity, but it also masks how costs are allocated and what assumptions underpin them. Itemised quotes, on the other hand, can appear more expensive simply because everything is visible, even if the overall scope is more complete.
Neither approach is right or wrong. What’s important is understanding what’s included within each number, and what might still change.
4. Risk Is Handled Differently Across Contractors
Every renovation carries uncertainty, particularly in older or resale properties.
Some contractors price conservatively, accounting for potential site conditions, coordination complexity, or rework. Others price more optimistically, expecting that unforeseen issues will be addressed later through variation orders.
This difference in approach doesn’t necessarily reflect intent. It reflects how risk is managed and who ultimately bears it. A lower initial quote may simply defer cost certainty to a later stage.
5. Experience, Process, and Aftercare Are Costed Differently
Pricing also reflects how a renovation firm operates beyond the build itself.
Factors such as site supervision, coordination between trades, warranty coverage, and defect rectification processes all carry cost. These elements are often less visible in quotations, yet they influence how smoothly a project runs and how issues are resolved after handover.
In some cases, you’re not just paying for materials and labour, but your risk appetite for how problems are anticipated and managed now and in the future.
When a Big Price Difference Deserves Closer Attention
A wide price gap doesn’t automatically mean something is wrong, but it does warrant a closer look.
It’s worth pausing if:
- Key assumptions are unclear or loosely defined
- Exclusions are broad or open-ended
- Payment milestones push most financial risk to the homeowner
Conversely, a higher quote may be reasonable if it clearly explains:
- What is included and why
- How uncertainties are handled
- What level of accountability is offered throughout the project
Clarity, rather than price alone, is often the better signal.
What to Look At Instead of Just the Final Number
When comparing renovation quotations, it can help to shift focus away from the total and toward the structure behind it.
Pay attention to:
- How clearly the scope is defined
- What assumptions are being made
- How warranties and workmanship are addressed
- When payments are due, and what they correspond to
- Experience of the project manager and how well they can anticipate issues
These elements often determine whether a renovation stays close to its original budget or gradually drifts beyond it.
Making Renovation Quotes Easier to Compare
If you’re feeling stuck trying to compare quotes, you’re not alone.
A more manageable approach is to:
- Align the scope of work as closely as possible
- Focus on a few major cost drivers rather than every line item
- Set aside differences in presentation or formatting
- Clarify key assumptions before committing, not after work begins
You don’t need to understand every technical detail, you just need enough to feel confident about what you’re agreeing to. It’s important to assess your interior designers and contractors on project expectations, experience and chemistry. For deeper details of the quotation, use a free tool like IDly to audit your quotations and summarise everything you need to know to get clarity on costs and scope.
Key Takeaway: Different Quotes Reflect Different Assumptions
Seeing very different renovation quotations can feel unsettling, but it’s a common part of the renovation journey.
Price differences usually reflect assumptions, scope, and how risk is managed, rather than a simple question of value. The goal isn’t to find the lowest quote! It is to choose an interior designer or contractor with a mutual understanding that aligns with your comfort level around uncertainty, budgets and change.
When you have clarity, decisions become easier, and the renovation process tends to feel far more grounded.
IDly instantly turns messy renovation quotes into clear, side-by-side comparisons - all for free. See the real costs, understand your options, and choose with confidence.