Level subcontractor quotes without rebuilding the spreadsheet every time.
The switchboard nobody priced
Incomplete- Subcontractor AAs quoted $32,200.00Full scope priced
- Subcontractor BAs quoted $27,000.00supply unknown
As quoted, ex GST.
INCOMPLETE — Subcontractor A is the lowest fully-priced quote, but Subcontractor B has unknown costs. No overall winner can be declared yet.
The estimator’s problem isn’t arithmetic. It’s comparability.
By the time three electrical quotes land, you already know the totals. What takes the time is working out whether the totals describe the same job. Does the lowest price include the main switchboard? Is “make good” in or out? Is the rate per metre or per run? Did anyone price the after-hours work in the specification, or did they qualify it away?
Most estimators answer those questions by copying each quote into a levelling sheet, line by line, and then reading every exclusion and qualification again before tender close. It works, but it is slow and fragile. A missed exclusion can turn the lowest tender into the most expensive one after award, and the error usually surfaces when it is hardest to fix.
QuantDoc does the extraction and the matching, and it is deliberately conservative about calling two items equivalent. Similar wording is never treated as proof. A line is an exact equivalent, comparable with adjustment, a conditional match, not equivalent, missing or uncertain, and the reason is shown next to it.
What QuantDoc does for an estimating workflow
Reads the quotes you already receive
PDFs with a text layer, Excel (.xlsx) and CSV. Scanned PDFs have limited support and are flagged for checking. Line items, quantities, units, rates, GST, totals, inclusions, exclusions, validity and payment terms are extracted.Levels against your scope or BOQ
Import your scope as the baseline and see each quote marked covered, partially covered, missing, excluded, alternative or different quantity, grouped by trade (Professional plan and above).Normalises units and GST
m and mm, m² and m³, kg and tonnes, hours, days and weeks are converted exactly. Conversions across dimensions, such as m³ to tonnes, need your stated assumption. GST is only removed or added where the quote states it or its totals prove it.Separates the views
As-quoted, like-for-like, complete-scope and risk views are kept apart, so a cheap partial price is never ranked against a complete one as if they were the same.Prices the gaps honestly
Unknown costs are never zero. When a gap stops a fair ranking, you see a break-even threshold instead of a guess.Drafts the clarification schedule
Specific questions for each subcontractor, with draft emails you review and send yourself. Nothing is sent automatically.
Worked example: the switchboard nobody priced
Example data · calculated by the QuantDoc engine
Two electrical subcontract quotes, one excluding the switchboard
What was quoted
- Subcontractor A: Rough-in $18,400, fit-off $9,600, main switchboard supply and install $4,200 (ex GST).
- Subcontractor B: Rough-in $17,900, fit-off $9,100 (ex GST). Exclusion: "Main switchboard excluded (by builder)".
INCOMPLETE — Subcontractor A is the lowest fully-priced quote, but Subcontractor B has unknown costs. No overall winner can be declared yet.
Line-by-line matching (3 items)
| Item | Supplier | Match | Normalised rate (ex GST) | Amount (ex GST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical rough-in | Subcontractor A | Exact equivalent | $18,400.00 / lump sum | $18,400.00 |
| Subcontractor B | Exact equivalent | $17,900.00 / lump sum | $17,900.00 | |
| Electrical fit-off | Subcontractor A | Exact equivalent | $9,600.00 / lump sum | $9,600.00 |
| Subcontractor B | Exact equivalent | $9,100.00 / lump sum | $9,100.00 | |
| Main switchboard supply and install | Subcontractor A | Exact equivalent | $4,200.00 / each | $4,200.00 |
| Subcontractor B | Missing item | — | Unknown |
| Supplier | As quoted (ex GST) | Like-for-like | Complete scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subcontractor A | $32,200.00 | $28,000.00 | $32,200.00 |
| Subcontractor B | $27,000.00 | $27,000.00 | Incomplete (supply unknown) |
2 flags raised · 6 clarification questions drafted
- Subcontractor B: supply not mentioned
- Subcontractor B: no matching item for "Main switchboard supply and install"
The like-for-like comparison covers only the items both subcontractors quote. The engine’s own statement: “2 points should be checked before relying on the ranking.” But B’s quote excludes the switchboard, so its complete cost is unknown. The engine works out the threshold: if the switchboard can be bought and installed for less than the difference, B is still cheaper overall; if not, A is. That is the number you need before the tender meeting, and it is the question QuantDoc drafts for you to send.
Scope that looks the same but isn’t
Example data · calculated by the QuantDoc engine
Supplied-and-installed vs supply-only vs unclear scope
What was quoted
- Supplier A: 200 m² vinyl, supplied, delivered and installed: $12,000 ex GST.
- Supplier B: 200 m² vinyl, supply only: $10,000 ex GST. "Installation and delivery excluded."
- Supplier C: 200 m² vinyl, delivered: $11,500 ex GST. Installation not mentioned.
INCOMPLETE — Supplier A is the lowest fully-priced quote, but Supplier B, Supplier C have unknown costs. No overall winner can be declared yet.
| Supplier | As quoted (ex GST) | Like-for-like | Complete scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supplier A | $12,000.00 | — | $12,000.00 |
| Supplier B | $10,000.00 | — | Incomplete (delivery, installation unknown) |
| Supplier C | $11,500.00 | — | Incomplete (delivery, installation unknown) |
6 flags raised · 12 clarification questions drafted
- Supplier B: delivery excluded
- Supplier B: installation excluded
- Supplier C: delivery not mentioned
- Supplier C: installation not mentioned
- Supplier B: match needs confirmation
- Supplier C: match needs confirmation
What it won’t do
QuantDoc is a comparison tool, not an estimating database. It doesn’t produce take-offs, it doesn’t know what a fair rate is in your market, and it doesn’t judge a subcontractor’s capacity, safety record or programme. Qualifications that may have contractual effect are listed as issues for professional review; QuantDoc doesn’t interpret contracts or give legal advice.
On paid plans and the trial, AI-assisted reading helps with documents the standard reader can't read well, such as scanned quotes; its figures are flagged for you to check. It never does the arithmetic: every total, conversion and GST adjustment is calculated deterministically.
Paid plans compare up to 10 quotes per comparison, depending on the plan. See pricing for the current limits.
Frequently asked questions
Can QuantDoc level subcontractor quotes against my own scope or BOQ?
Yes, on plans that include scope baselines (from the Professional plan). Import a CSV or Excel scope with a description, quantity, unit and optional trade or cost code, and each quote line is marked covered, partially covered, missing, excluded, alternative or different quantity, grouped by trade.
What happens when a subcontractor leaves something out?
The gap is flagged and the comparison is labelled incomplete. QuantDoc never treats an unknown cost as zero. Where it can, it shows the break-even point: the price below which the cheaper-looking quote would still be cheaper once the gap is priced.
Does QuantDoc read lump-sum quotes as well as itemised ones?
Yes. A lump sum is matched to the scope it describes, and bundled components such as supply-and-install are marked as included. Where a lump sum can’t be split, rows are shown as conditional or uncertain for you to confirm rather than being guessed.
Can I rely on the numbers in a tender recommendation?
Every figure carries a source reference (page and line, or sheet and row) and all money is calculated with decimal arithmetic. You should still review flagged items and conditional matches. QuantDoc highlights issues for your judgement and does not replace it.
Does QuantDoc compare prices to market rates?
No. QuantDoc compares only the quotes you upload. It does not consult external pricing sources or tell you whether a rate is fair for the market.
Related
- Subcontractor quote comparisonItemised vs lump-sum prices, exclusions and qualifications.
- Tender levellingLevel tenders against your scope or BOQ, grouped by trade.
- BOQ comparisonQuantity differences and unpriced lines against your baseline.
- How to compare subcontractor quotesA step-by-step method you can use with or without software.
- Identify exclusions in tendersWhere exclusions hide and how to price them.
- See a live exampleThree real-format quotes analysed end to end.
Level your next package against the scope.
Upload the subcontractor quotes, add your scope, and see what each price leaves out before tender close.
Free preview, no card required. Paid plans: 60-day trial, card required.