How to compare furniture and material quotations

Begin with the same item and the same version

Two prices can look comparable while describing different things. Before choosing between them, place the room, item reference, quantity and specification beside each quotation. Keep a photograph with the written description so the option can be recognised later.

For a sofa, that discussion might include the dimensions, upholstery reference and configuration. For cabinetry, it may depend on the drawing version, finish, fittings and work included. These are questions for the actual supplier and your project team; an appealing reference photograph does not answer them.

Keep the cost groups visible

Ask which part of the project each amount covers. A sourcing or coordination fee, the purchase of goods and a separate provider’s work should be readable on their own. An amount on one line should not be assumed to include the other two.

• Service: the agreed work, service fee, payment stages and exclusions.
• Goods: the supplier, item reference, quantity, specification and applicable order terms.
• Other work: any separately arranged checking, transport, installation or follow-up, with its provider and cost.
• Open questions: anything missing from the comparison, with the person who will confirm it.

Give changes their own written record

A later finish, dimension or quantity can change what a quotation means. Keep the revised item and the decision together instead of relying on a different photograph in a chat thread. Ask which document version replaces the earlier one and what remains to be checked.

Before an order proceeds, confirm the purchasing parties, approved details and applicable payment and production terms. A comparison sheet helps organise that conversation; it does not itself approve an order.

Use a short comparison before making a long list

Start with one room or a few important items. Write down what is confirmed and what is awaiting a response. It is easier to compare clearly described options than a larger set of incomplete prices.

The redacted purchasing-list and case-file excerpts on this site show how images, dimensions and status rows can sit together. They are examples from separate supplied files, rather than a price list or a promise of the same specification for your project. Bring your room list and unresolved questions into the first conversation.