Check a variation quote against what was already agreed.
Variations are priced under time pressure and approved under more of it. QuantDoc puts the variation next to the original quote, checks each line against the agreed rates and quantities, and isolates any amount the breakdown doesn’t support, ready for your professional review.
Variation 3 against the contract quote
Not reconciled- Price change
- $3,780.00
- Proven by lines
- $3,280.00
- Unexplained
- $500.00
- QuantityTurf supply and lay+$1,080.00
- RateIrrigation+$400.00
- AddedRetaining edge+$1,800.00
What a variation review needs to answer
A variation quote is a claim that the work has changed and that the price should change with it. Before it is approved, a contract administrator or project manager normally wants to know four things: what work the variation covers, whether the rates are consistent with the rates already agreed, whether the quantities make sense for the change, and whether the total actually follows from the lines. Those questions sound simple, but answering them means cross-referencing at least two documents, often with different layouts and descriptions.
QuantDoc does that cross-referencing. Upload the original quote or schedule and the variation, and each variation line is matched against the original where the evidence supports a match. A line priced at the original rate is shown as consistent. A line that reuses an item at a different rate is flagged as a rate departure, with the effect of the difference calculated. Items that have no counterpart in the original are listed as new work, and the variation total is reconciled against the sum of its lines.
Common things a review catches
- An existing item re-priced at a higher rate without explanation.
- Margin, supervision or preliminaries added on top of rates that may already include them.
- A variation total that is higher than the sum of its lines.
- New exclusions or qualifications that shift risk back to you.
- Provisional sums or allowances being converted to fixed prices, or removed.
Each of these is presented as an issue for professional review, with the figures and source references, not as a finding that the variation is wrong. Many rate departures are reasonable, for example where the varied work is smaller, harder to access or needs different plant. The point is that you see them and decide, rather than discover them later.
Worked illustration: extending a retaining wall
The original contract priced a block retaining wall at 24 lineal metres × $380.00/lm = $9,120.00 ex GST. The design changes and the wall is extended by 6 lm. The contractor submits a variation with four lines and a stated total of $4,600.00 ex GST.
Variation lines (as submitted, ex GST) Additional retaining wall 6 lm × $420.00 = $2,520.00 Additional excavation = $650.00 Engineering re-certification = $480.00 Margin and supervision = $600.00 Sum of lines = $4,250.00 Stated variation total = $4,600.00
Wall at the original rate: 6 lm × $380.00 = $2,280.00 Rate departure: 6 lm × ($420.00 − $380.00) = $240.00 Unexplained balance: $4,600.00 − $4,250.00 = $350.00
The review produces three issues for professional review. First, the wall has been priced at $420.00/lm against an agreed $380.00/lm, a $240.00 departure that may or may not be justified by the shorter run. Second, a separate margin and supervision line of $600.00 appears, so it is worth checking whether the original rates already carried margin. Third, the stated total is $350.00 more than the lines add up to, and nothing in the breakdown explains it. Each becomes a drafted clarification question.
Provisional sums vs fixed prices, calculated by the engine
Example data · calculated by the QuantDoc engine
A provisional sum vs a fixed price
What was quoted
- Supplier A: Bulk excavation and cart away $6,800 lump sum, plus rock excavation as a $5,000 provisional sum (ex GST).
- Supplier B: Bulk excavation and cart away $7,400 lump sum, plus rock excavation $4,000 fixed (ex GST).
Provisional — check before relying on this: Supplier A: no quoted total to check the lines against; Supplier B: no quoted total to check the lines against. Supplier B has the lowest complete-scope cost at $11,400.00 ($400.00 below the next quote).
Line-by-line matching (2 items)
| Item | Supplier | Match | Normalised rate (ex GST) | Amount (ex GST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulk excavation and cart away | Supplier A | Exact equivalent | $6,800.00 / lump sum | $6,800.00 |
| Supplier B | Exact equivalent | $7,400.00 / lump sum | $7,400.00 | |
| Rock excavation (provisional sum) | Supplier A | Exact equivalent | $5,000.00 / lump sum | $5,000.00 |
| Supplier B | Conditional match | $4,000.00 / lump sum | $4,000.00 |
| Supplier | As quoted (ex GST) | Like-for-like | Complete scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supplier A | $11,800.00 | $6,800.00 | $11,800.00 |
| Supplier B | $11,400.00 | $7,400.00 | $11,400.00 |
2 flags raised · 4 clarification questions drafted
- Supplier A: provisional sum
- Supplier B: match needs confirmation
How it fits your process
Source-referenced
Every rate, quantity and total links back to the page and line, or sheet and row, of the document it came from.No legal conclusions
QuantDoc doesn’t assess entitlement, time bars or contractual validity. Those remain your professional call.Your documents only
Rates are checked against the original quote or schedule you upload, never against external pricing sources.Clarifications drafted
Questions and supplier emails are drafted for each issue. Nothing is sent automatically.Exportable record
Export the review as a PDF report, Excel workbook or CSV to attach to the variation register.Included in Professional
Variation and revision analysis is available on the Professional plan and above.
Frequently asked questions
How does QuantDoc check a variation quote?
It compares the variation’s line items with the original quote or contract schedule you upload: which items are new, which reuse an existing item at the same or a different rate, how quantities relate to the original, and whether the itemised lines add up to the variation total. Differences are listed for your review with source references.
Will it tell me whether a variation is valid under the contract?
No. Whether a variation is claimable, whether notice requirements were met, and how the contract values it are matters for professional judgement. QuantDoc presents rate departures, new exclusions and unexplained amounts as issues for professional review and does not give legal advice.
What if the variation is a single lump sum?
A lump sum with no breakdown can’t be reconciled line by line. QuantDoc flags it as unsupported and drafts a request for a breakdown of quantities, rates and any margin, so the price can be checked against the original rates.
Does it check rates against the market?
No. QuantDoc doesn’t consult external pricing sources. It compares a variation with the documents you upload, such as the original quote, schedule of rates or competing quotes, so every comparison is traceable to your own paperwork.
Are provisional sums handled differently?
Yes. Provisional sums and allowances are flagged as estimates that may be adjusted to actual cost. When a provisional sum is removed or replaced by a fixed price, that change is shown explicitly.
Review your next variation with the numbers laid out.
Upload the original quote and the variation, and see every rate departure and unexplained amount before you approve.
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