Three contractors, three very different numbers, and no obvious way to tell which one is honest. That is where a lot of Luzerne County homeowners get stuck. To get accurate remodel estimates and compare them fairly, you do two things: give every contractor the exact same written scope of work, then compare the bids line by line instead of by the number at the bottom.
An estimate is only as good as the information behind it, and two bids only mean something side by side when they cover identical work. The rest of this walks through how to set that up, how to read what comes back, and how Pennsylvania law protects you along the way.
Why the Numbers Look So Different
When three bids come back thousands of dollars apart, it is rarely because one contractor is greedy and another is generous. Usually they are pricing different work.
The gap almost always traces back to what each contractor assumed. One priced mid grade cabinets, another priced builder grade. One included permits and cleanup, another left them out. One built in a cushion for surprises, another quoted the perfect case and plans to bill the rest as it comes up.
A few other things move the number:
- Material grade. The same kitchen can swing by many thousands depending on whether the counters are laminate, quartz, or stone.
- Overhead. A larger company with an office, a marketing budget, and layers of management carries costs a small local crew does not, and that shows up in the price.
- Workload and season. A contractor who is slammed will quote high because they do not need the work. A slower shop may sharpen the pencil.
- How much they looked. A bid written without a real site visit is a guess, and guesses come in wrong in both directions.
None of that tells you who is right. It tells you the bids are not yet comparable. Making them comparable is the whole job.
Estimate, Quote, and Bid Are Not the Same Thing
These words get used loosely, and the difference matters when money is on the line.
- Estimate: an early, rough number for planning. It is usually not binding and can move as details firm up.
- Quote or fixed price: a firm number tied to a defined scope. Once you accept it and sign, it becomes part of your contract.
- Bid: the contractor’s formal offer to do the described work for a stated price.
The firmer and more detailed the document, the more you can trust it. A one line “kitchen remodel, $28,000” is a ballpark dressed up as a price. A fixed, itemized quote written after someone measured your actual space is worth far more, because it commits the contractor to a scope.
This is exactly why 570 Remodeling prices a project only after an on site visit, then puts it in writing as a detailed estimate with fixed pricing and a clear scope of work.
Give Every Contractor the Same Scope of Work
This is the single biggest lever you control, and most homeowners skip it.
If you tell three contractors “I want to redo my kitchen,” you will get three different projects priced three different ways, and no way to compare them. If you hand all three the same written description of the work, the bids finally line up against each other.
Your scope should spell out:
- What you want done, room by room, in plain language.
- Measurements of the space, even rough ones.
- A materials list with the grade or specific products you want, or an allowance (a dollar figure the contractor should budget) for each major item.
- What you are supplying versus what the contractor buys.
You do not need to be an expert to write this. If you want a template to start from, our guide on how to write a scope of work before you call a contractor walks through it step by step. The more specific you are, the more accurate and comparable the estimates come back.
While you are at it, ask each contractor one question directly: what would trigger a change order? Their answer tells you how they handle surprises, which is where budgets usually break.
Insist on a Site Visit
Do not accept a price from a contractor who never looked at your home.
A real estimate comes from someone standing in the room, checking what is behind the walls, spotting the old wiring, the settling floor, or the moisture problem that a photo will never show. Bids written sight unseen are the ones most likely to balloon once the work starts and reality shows up.
A walkthrough is also your first read on the contractor. Someone who takes measurements, asks good questions, and talks through options is showing you how the project will run.
What a Complete, Trustworthy Estimate Includes
A vague estimate is impossible to compare and easy to hide behind. A complete one lets you see exactly where your money goes. Look for these line items:
- Labor, listed separately from materials, so you can see the split. If you want to understand why that split matters, here is how a remodel budget divides between labor and materials.
- Materials with grades, brands, or allowances, not just “cabinets” or “tile.”
- Demolition and disposal, including dumpster and haul away.
- Permits and inspection fees, or a clear note about who pulls them.
- Site protection and cleanup, so your floors and your driveway are accounted for.
- Project management, the coordination that keeps trades on schedule.
- A timeline with a start date and a realistic completion window.
- A payment schedule tied to milestones, not one big number due up front.
- The contractor’s Pennsylvania Home Improvement Contractor registration number.
If a bid just says “kitchen remodel” and a total, that is not something you can compare. Send it back and ask for the breakdown.
How to Compare Remodel Estimates Apples to Apples
Once you have detailed bids in hand, compare them on purpose, not on gut feel.
- Line the bids up in a simple table. One row per scope item, one column per contractor. Now the differences jump out.
- Find what is in one bid and missing from another. One includes appliance installation, another does not. One carries a permit line, another is silent. Mark every gap.
- Adjust for material grade. A lower number is not a better deal if it is priced on cheaper cabinets or thinner countertops. Note where the quality differs.
- Take the differences back to each contractor. Ask them to add the missing items and reprice, so all three finally cover identical work.
- Then compare the totals. Only now does the bottom line actually mean something.
It helps to walk in with a realistic price anchor so you can tell a fair bid from a fantasy one. Our breakdown of what a house remodel actually costs gives you that baseline before the numbers start coming in.
How to Spot a Lowball Quote
A bid that comes in far under the others is not a bargain to celebrate. It is usually a signal to slow down.
The lowball is a known tactic: quote low to win the signature, then rebuild the real price through change orders once the walls are open and you are committed. Watch for these red flags:
- A total far below the rest with no explanation for why it is so much cheaper.
- Vague line items you cannot break down, or a scope that is thinner than the others.
- A deposit demand larger than a third of the price, or any request for money before you sign a contract.
- Cash only pricing or pressure to skip the paperwork.
- No registration number, no proof of insurance, no written scope.
- Pressure to sign today before the “discount” disappears.
What a cheap bid leaves off the page does not disappear. It shows up later as extras. Many of these are the same surprises in our list of hidden remodeling costs nobody warns you about, and a padded bid quietly counts on you not seeing them coming.
Know Your Rights as a Pennsylvania Homeowner
Pennsylvania gives homeowners real protection through the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act. Knowing these rules makes it much harder for a bad actor to pressure you, and it tells you what a legitimate contractor’s paperwork should look like.
- The contract must be in writing, signed and dated by both you and the contractor.
- Registered contractors carry a number. Anyone doing more than $5,000 of home improvement work a year must register with the Pennsylvania Attorney General and put their Home Improvement Contractor number on the contract. 570 Remodeling is licensed and insured, and works to the local codes in Wilkes-Barre and Luzerne County.
- No money changes hands before you sign. A contractor cannot demand or accept any payment before the contract is signed.
- Your deposit is capped. On a contract over $1,000, the deposit cannot be more than one third of the total price, plus the cost of any special order materials. A contractor asking for half up front is outside the rules.
- You get three business days to cancel. After you sign, you have three business days to cancel a home improvement contract, and that right applies no matter where the contract was signed. You do not even have to cancel in writing, as long as the contractor clearly hears that you are cancelling within that window.
Choosing the Best Estimate, Not the Cheapest
Once the bids cover the same work, pick the one with the most complete scope from the contractor you trust to stand behind it. The right choice is rarely the lowest number.
Use a simple rule:
- If two bids are close and one is far lower, treat the low one as a warning, not a win, and ask what it leaves out.
- If the highest bid is the only one that includes permits, cleanup, and a real timeline, it may simply be the honest one.
- Weight the contractor, not just the price. Reviews, registration, insurance, clear communication, and a walkthrough that felt thorough all tell you how the project will actually go.
An accurate estimate and a contractor who earns your trust are worth more than a few hundred dollars saved on paper, because the cheap bid that turns into a change order nightmare is the most expensive remodel of all.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many estimates should I get for a remodel?
Get at least three. Three bids on the same written scope give you a real range and make it obvious when one is unusually high or suspiciously low. Fewer than that and you have nothing to measure against.
Are remodeling estimates free?
For most standard projects, yes, many contractors provide a free estimate to earn your business, and 570 Remodeling offers free quotes. On very large or complex jobs, some contractors charge for a detailed design and estimate, and often credit that fee toward the work if you hire them. Ask up front so there are no surprises.
Why are my contractor estimates so different?
Because they are usually pricing different work. Differences in scope assumptions, material grade, overhead, and how carefully each contractor assessed the job can move a bid by thousands. Put everyone on the same written scope and the numbers pull much closer together.
Should I always choose the lowest bid?
No. The lowest bid is often the one missing line items, using cheaper materials, or planning to make up the difference in change orders later. Compare on completeness and trust, not on the bottom line alone.
Is a contractor’s estimate legally binding?
A rough estimate usually is not binding on its own. A fixed price quote that you accept and sign becomes part of your contract and is binding. That is why a firm, itemized, written price is worth far more than a casual ballpark.
How much of a deposit is normal for a remodel in Pennsylvania?
On a contract over $1,000, Pennsylvania law caps the deposit at one third of the total price, plus the cost of any special order materials. No contractor should ask for money before the contract is signed, and a demand for half up front is a red flag.
What should be included in a remodeling estimate?
Labor and materials listed separately, material grades or allowances, demolition and disposal, permits, site protection and cleanup, project management, a timeline, a milestone based payment schedule, and the contractor’s Pennsylvania Home Improvement Contractor registration number.
Can I cancel a remodeling contract after I sign it?
Yes. In Pennsylvania you have three business days after signing to cancel a home improvement contract, regardless of where you signed it. You do not need to cancel in writing, as long as you clearly tell the contractor within that window.
Ready for an estimate you can actually trust? 570 Remodeling gives Wilkes-Barre and Luzerne County homeowners a free on site visit and a detailed, fixed price quote with a clear scope of work, so you know exactly what you are paying for before anything begins. Call us at (570) 938-4541 or request your free quote today.
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