Two quotes, one decision, no spreadsheet.
Excavator hire, float charges TBA
Incomplete- Hire company AAs quoted $10,300.00Full scope priced
- Hire company BAs quoted Not statedmobilisation unknown
As quoted, ex GST.
Hire company B is only cheaper than Hire company A overall if its mobilisation costs less than $1,000.00.
Why the cheapest quote often isn’t
When you run your own business, comparing quotes happens in the gaps: at night, in the ute, between jobs. You look at the bottom line, maybe check the rate, and pick the lowest. Most of the time it’s fine. Sometimes the cheaper hire company charges for the float both ways and you didn’t notice. Sometimes the material quote that looked best was in kilograms, included GST, and left freight “to be advised”.
None of those are tricks. Suppliers quote the way their systems print. But it means two totals are rarely measuring the same thing, and the difference usually turns up on the invoice.
QuantDoc does the boring part. It reads each quote, converts units exactly, puts GST on the same basis where the quote states it, and checks which parts of the job each supplier actually priced. Anything unknown stays unknown, never zero, and you get a short list of questions to send.
Built for how you work
Quick to read
A plain-English headline first: who is lowest on complete scope, or why that can’t be said yet. The detail is there when you want it.Works on your phone
The site is responsive, so you can upload a quote and read the result from site.Hire, materials and trades
Daily vs weekly hire rates, float and mobilisation, tonnes vs cubic metres, supply-only vs supply-and-install.Questions ready to send
Draft questions and emails for each supplier about anything missing or unclear. Nothing is sent without you.
Worked example: excavator hire with float charges
Example data · calculated by the QuantDoc engine
Weekly vs daily hire, with float charges priced by one company only
What was quoted
- Hire company A: 10 t excavator, 4 weeks at $2,400/week, plus mobilisation and demobilisation (float) 2 × $350 (ex GST).
- Hire company B: 10 tonne excavator, 20 days at $465/day (ex GST). Mobilisation and demobilisation "TBA".
INCOMPLETE — Hire company A is the lowest fully-priced quote, but Hire company B has unknown costs. No overall winner can be declared yet.
- Hire company B is only cheaper than Hire company A overall if its mobilisation costs less than $1,000.00.
Line-by-line matching (2 items)
| Item | Supplier | Match | Normalised rate (ex GST) | Amount (ex GST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10t excavator dry hire | Hire company A | Exact equivalent | $2,400.00 / week | $9,600.00 |
| Hire company B | Comparable with adjustment | $2,325.00 / week | $9,300.00 | |
| Mobilisation and demobilisation | Hire company A | Exact equivalent | $350.00 / each | $700.00 |
| Hire company B | Conditional match | — | Unknown |
| Supplier | As quoted (ex GST) | Like-for-like | Complete scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hire company A | $10,300.00 | $9,600.00 | $10,300.00 |
| Hire company B | Unknown (unpriced line) | $9,300.00 | Incomplete (mobilisation unknown) |
Adjustments recorded
- Hire company B: 10 tonne excavator hire: 20 day(s) = 4 week(s) (5 chargeable days per week)
3 flags raised · 4 clarification questions drafted
- Hire company B: mobilisation price to be advised
- Hire company B: unpriced item
- Hire company B: match needs confirmation
Company B weekly rate 20 days × $465 = $9,300; ÷ 4 weeks = $2,325 per week Company A complete $9,600 hire + 2 × $350 mobilisation = $10,300 Break-even mobilisation $10,300 − $9,300 = $1,000
Company B’s hire rate is lower, but until B prices delivery and pick-up nobody can say B is cheaper overall. If B’s mobilisation comes in under $1,000.00, B wins; above that, A does. One phone call settles it, and now you know exactly what to ask.
Honest limits
QuantDoc only compares the quotes you upload. It doesn’t know what a fair price is in your area, doesn’t check a supplier’s reputation, and doesn’t give legal or financial advice. AI-assisted reading (paid plans and the trial) only helps read hard-to-read quotes; the arithmetic is always done by fixed rules. See pricing for plans, or try the live example first.
Frequently asked questions
Can I try QuantDoc on my own quotes before paying?
Yes. The Free preview gives you 1 comparison preview of up to 3 quotes, with verified findings and a summary of discrepancies. The full analysis unlocks when you subscribe, without uploading again.
What does the Professional plan cost?
Professional is US$25.00 a month in US dollars, billed monthly, for 20 full comparisons a month of up to 5 quotes each. You can cancel anytime.
Do I need to type anything in?
No retyping. Upload the quotes as PDFs with a text layer, Excel or CSV and describe what you need in a sentence, such as “a 10-tonne excavator for four weeks, delivered and collected”. Scanned PDFs have limited support.
Will QuantDoc tell me which supplier to use?
It tells you which quote is lowest on each view and what is still unknown. When a price is missing it shows the break-even point instead of guessing. The choice stays yours.
Does QuantDoc contact suppliers for me?
No. It drafts the questions and an email for each supplier. You check them and send them yourself.
Related
- Equipment hire quotesDaily, weekly, hourly and mobilisation on one basis.
- Supplier quote comparisonUnits, GST and freight compared fairly.
- Compare equipment hire ratesHour limits, fuel, float and minimum charges.
- GST-inclusive vs exclusive quotesDivide by 1.1, multiply by 1.1, and mixed quotes.
- Compare excavation quotesRock, cart-away and provisional sums.
- PricingFree preview, then monthly plans in US dollars, billed monthly.
Make the next quote comparison clearer.
Upload competing quotes, check the evidence and see what each option really costs.
Free preview, no card required. Paid plans: 60-day trial, card required.