---
name: al-253-compare-contractor-quotes-line-by-line-on-the-same-scope
description: "Renovation and building quotes rarely cover exactly the same work, so the cheapest one can hide missing items that show up later as extra charges. An AI assistant can read each quote PDF, line the items up against one shared scope, flag what's missing or priced very differently, and list the questions to ask each contractor. On Oct 22, 2026 the X user @fjrdomingues wrote that their agent compares contractor PDFs on the same scope for a renovation and caught a €22k gap. Use when the user wants help with contractor quote comparison (operations) for a small business."
---

# Compare contractor quotes line by line on the same scope, so you spot what one quote left out before you sign

Renovation and building quotes rarely cover exactly the same work, so the cheapest one can hide missing items that show up later as extra charges. An AI assistant can read each quote PDF, line the items up against one shared scope, flag what's missing or priced very differently, and list the questions to ask each contractor. On Oct 22, 2026 the X user @fjrdomingues wrote that their agent compares contractor PDFs on the same scope for a renovation and caught a €22k gap.

## Inputs to collect first
Ask the user for anything below that they haven't already given you. Don't guess missing facts.

- Project, e.g. kitchen renovation at my home / office fit-out
- The scope in plain words, or paste it
- PDFs or paste each quote with the contractor's name

## Instructions

Do the task below with the user's inputs in place of each [bracket].

I'm getting quotes for [project, e.g. kitchen renovation at my home / office fit-out]. Here is what I want done: [describe the scope in plain words, or paste it]. Here are the contractor quotes: [attach PDFs or paste each quote with the contractor's name]. 1) Build one master list of every work item across all quotes, grouped by trade (demolition, plumbing, electrical, carpentry, finishes, permits, cleanup, etc.). 2) Make a table with one row per item and one column per contractor showing the price, or 'NOT INCLUDED' / 'UNCLEAR'. 3) Flag items missing from any quote and items where one price is more than 30% above or below the others. 4) Note differences in materials, brands, quantities, timeline, payment terms, warranty and what happens with extra costs. 5) Give each contractor's total adjusted for missing items, using the average of the other quotes for anything they left out, and clearly label this an estimate. 6) Write a short list of questions to send each contractor before I decide. Don't recommend one; just make the gaps clear.

## Safety checks (share these with the user)

- Check every figure, price and total against your own records before anything is sent, posted or booked. A person approves refunds, discounts, payments and price changes.
- Anything legal, tax or compliance-related is a first draft for a qualified person to check. It is not professional advice, and clause references and deadlines must be checked against the source.
- Read and edit the draft before it reaches a customer or goes public. If you later automate this prompt, start with "draft and notify me", not "send automatically".
- Check names, dates, numbers and any claim against your own source material before you use the answer. AI can misread or invent details.
- Say clearly which parts need a person to review or approve before anything is sent, paid, posted or filed.

## About this skill

- Works with: ChatGPT, Claude, Grok Bot, Gemini, Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel
- Based on this real-world example: https://x.com/fjrdomingues/status/2113422285163929748
- Free prompt from AgentPlaybook Real Estate: https://agentic-library.netlify.app/prompt/al-253-compare-contractor-quotes-line-by-line-on-the-same-scope-so/
- To install in an agent that supports Agent Skills, save this file as SKILL.md in a folder with the same name as `name` above (for example in your skills directory). Install steps for Claude.ai, Claude Code, Cursor and Codex: https://agentic-library.netlify.app/skills/