First pass: check the units
Woodwork should be in sq ft of face area (or running ft with height stated), ceiling and paint in sq ft, electrical per point, civil per item or sq ft. The red flag is "lump sum" on large lines: a ₹2.4L kitchen lump sum cannot be checked, compared or fairly revised when scope shifts.
Also confirm how sq ft is measured: face area of shutters is the honest convention; some quotes measure carcass surface area, which inflates quantity by 30% at a flattering rate.
Second pass: does every line carry a spec?
Each woodwork line should name carcass brand and grade (IS 710 BWP or IS 303 MR), finish brand and code, and hardware brand and series. "Branded ply" and "imported hardware" are not specifications, they are moods. No spec means the cheapest interpretation wins on site.
This one habit defeats the substitution trick described in verified materials, on record.
Third pass: the bottom of the page
If all five read clean, you are holding a quote that can be locked. What locking adds is covered in how a Quote-Lock works.
- GST: is the total inclusive, and is it printed as such?
- Exclusions: are they listed explicitly (appliances, society deposits, deep cleaning)?
- Validity: how long does the price hold?
- Payment schedule: milestones tied to work stages, never 100% upfront.
- Change orders: is there a named process for changes with written pricing?
Aishwarya has delivered more than 300 homes across Chennai and leads costing and material standards at Interiors by Verified.RealEstate. She writes our cost guides from real, recent quotes, not industry hearsay.
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