Review of another contractor’s estimate
Audit of another contractor’s house construction estimate
An audit of another contractor’s estimate at stroydom.ge costs 500–1,500 ₾ and takes 2–4 working days from receipt of the estimate and the design. You get a written report: omitted items, comments on quantities, materials and contract terms, and an assessment of what the house will really cost. If you sign a construction contract, the audit fee is credited against the works.
If you are holding an estimate from another contractor and the figure looks suspiciously low, the issue is usually not the price but what the estimate leaves out. We check the figures against the design and the real sequence of construction stages and issue a written report: what is missing, where quantities are understated and what the house will actually cost. We do not talk you out of your contractor; you get a list of questions worth asking before you sign.
What does the estimate audit cover?
The estimate is reviewed by an engineer who prices reinforced concrete houses himself. The review runs along five lines, where the gap between an attractive price and the real one usually hides.
Completeness of the scope
We compare the estimate against the real sequence of stages. Commonly missing: earthworks and spoil removal, waterproofing, subfloors, first-fix services for the final finish, utility connections and site reinstatement after the build.
Quantities
We take off quantities from the design and compare them with those stated. Understating concrete volume, plaster area or cable runs is the most common way to present an attractive bottom line.
Materials and specifications
We check whether concrete grades, reinforcement class, waterproofing and insulation types are actually named. The phrase "material to be agreed" is an open item that later becomes a variation.
Contract and payment terms
The payment schedule, the procedure for changing the estimate, warranty obligations and what happens if deadlines slip shape your risk more than the price per m².
Written report
A report listing the omitted items and an assessment of the realistic final cost, which is enough to go back to your contractor and discuss the estimate on specifics.
How does the estimate audit work?
Four steps, no site visit and no obligation to build with us.
1. You send the documents
The estimate in any form (spreadsheet, PDF, photos) and the design, if there is one. Without a design we can still check the scope and the contract terms; quantities can only be estimated, which affects the audit fee.
2. We clarify the inputs
A short call: the plot, number of storeys, what has already been done, what the contractor promises verbally and what is not on paper. At this point we name the exact audit fee.
3. We calculate and compare
The engineer takes off quantities from the design, checks the scope against the construction sequence, verifies material grades and reviews the contract terms.
4. Report and walkthrough
Within 2–4 working days you receive the written report and a call where we go through it point by point. What happens next is your decision: go back to your contractor with questions, or discuss the build with us.
Who needs an estimate audit?
The estimate is well below the market
You have been offered a house a third cheaper than everyone else priced it. Before signing, it is worth understanding where the saving comes from and how much of it returns as variations on site.
Already building and the numbers do not add up
The contractor keeps bringing "unforeseen" items. The audit shows whether they were actually unforeseen and what else is still outside the estimate.
Buying a plot that comes with an estimate
The seller or agent has attached a calculation of "what the house will cost". Checking before the deal is cheaper than discovering after it.
There is no design yet
An estimate without a design is a comparison with similar projects, not a calculation. We explain which items in it cannot be accurate in principle and what that means for your budget.
Why is the audit the first step towards building?
For us the estimate audit is an entry service. By the time the conversation turns to building the house, we already know your plot, your design and your estimate, and can quote a price without "to be confirmed on site".
The fee is credited
If you sign a construction contract with us after the audit, the audit fee is credited in full against the works. You lose nothing, and we gain a client who understands what they are paying for.
Comparison on the same scope
Our estimate is priced on the same scope as the report on the other one: identical stages, quantities and material classes. The difference in price becomes explainable rather than alarming.
What is usually left out of an estimate
A separate article on the items most often left outside the price per m², from spoil removal to utility connections. Worth reading before you send us the estimate.
Reinforced concrete only, full projects only
We build monolithic reinforced concrete houses under a single contract. If the other estimate is for a timber-frame or modular house, we can still review it, but we will not take on building it.
What does the estimate audit cost and how long does it take?
| Item | What is included and the price |
|---|---|
| 500–1,500 ₾ | The fee depends on the size of the estimate and whether a design exists: a short shell-only estimate with a finished design sits near the lower end, a turnkey estimate without a design near the upper. We name the exact figure after the first call. |
| Credited on contract | If you sign a house construction contract with us, the audit fee is credited against the works. |
| Deliverable | A written report: the list of omitted items, comments on quantities, materials and contract terms, and an assessment of the realistic final cost of the project. |
| Timing | 2–4 working days from receipt of the estimate and the design. Without a design, closer to the lower end, because there is nothing to take quantities from. |
500–1,500 ₾
The fee depends on the size of the estimate and whether a design exists: a short shell-only estimate with a finished design sits near the lower end, a turnkey estimate without a design near the upper. We name the exact figure after the first call.
Credited on contract
If you sign a house construction contract with us, the audit fee is credited against the works.
Deliverable
A written report: the list of omitted items, comments on quantities, materials and contract terms, and an assessment of the realistic final cost of the project.
Timing
2–4 working days from receipt of the estimate and the design. Without a design, closer to the lower end, because there is nothing to take quantities from.
Updated:
Send us the estimate and we will quote the audit fee
Attach the estimate and the design in any form. We reply within one working day with the exact fee and timing. No obligation to build with us: even if you stay with your contractor, you will know the real cost of the house.
We will call within an hour, 24/7. You do not need drawings for the first conversation.
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Estimate audit FAQ
How much does the estimate audit cost?
500–1,500 ₾ depending on the size of the estimate and whether a design exists. We name the exact fee after reviewing the documents and clarifying the inputs, before any work starts. If you then sign a construction contract with us, the fee is credited against the works.
Can an estimate be checked without a design?
Yes. The scope, the contract terms and the material wording can be checked without a design. Quantities without a design can only be estimated, and the report states explicitly which items cannot be accurate and why.
What do I get at the end?
A written report: the work missing from the estimate, comments on understated quantities and unspecified materials, a review of the contract terms and an assessment of the realistic final cost. Plus a call where we go through the report point by point.
Will you talk me out of my contractor?
No. Our job is to show what the estimate includes and what it does not. With the report you go back to your contractor and discuss the estimate on specifics. If you decide to build with us, the audit fee is credited, but that is your choice, not a condition.
How long does the review take?
Usually 2–4 working days after we receive the estimate and the design. A large turnkey estimate with several sections may take a little longer; we tell you on the first call.
Do you review estimates for apartment refurbishment or timber-frame houses?
Any construction estimate can be reviewed. But we only build monolithic reinforced concrete houses as full projects, so for an apartment refurbishment or a timber-frame house the report comes as a review only, without an offer to build.