When you compare two renovation quotes, you're often not comparing like with like — not because one builder is dearer, but because the quotes are built on different foundations. Here's the difference, and why it matters more than the headline figure.
Fixed-price
A fixed-price contract names one number for a defined scope. The builder carries the risk of the job running long or a material moving in price. For you, that means certainty: barring changes you request, the figure you sign is the figure you pay.
The trade-off is that fixed-price only works when the scope is genuinely locked. A vague scope forces the builder to either pad the price for safety or come back later with variations. This is why a good fixed-price quote is detailed — the detail is what makes the price real.
Cost-plus
A cost-plus contract charges you the actual cost of labour and materials plus an agreed margin. It's flexible and transparent about real costs, which suits jobs where the scope genuinely can't be pinned down up front — heritage work, or a renovation that opens up unknowns.
The risk sits with you: if the job runs long, you wear it. Cost-plus rewards a builder for time, not efficiency, so it demands trust and close attention to the running total.
How we quote
For most residential renovations we quote fixed-price, because certainty is what most people actually want. We scope the job properly first and quote it in writing. No variations arrive as a surprise on the final invoice.
