On Dec 11, 10:49*am, wrote:


I have written quotes now from 2 contractors, price only from #3,
waiting for #4.
I brought up the lines with the first contractor, Carrier guy, and he
said they
needed to be replaced and were in his quote. * From then on, I didn't
even
think to ask, because I guess I figured they all would replace them.
None of the
other guys said anything one way or the other. *But the other written
quote
calls out flushing the existing lines.


Yeah, this sort of thing happens, OFTEN, because many homeowners
have never heard of something called a RFP (Request for Proposals)
or Bid Specifications Packet...

If you call in 4 companies to look over your project and aren't very
specific AND very identical in what you tell them during your walk
around with each companies representatives, you are in actuality
getting 4 different quotes on 4 different projects which will include
differing options at the discretion of the companies involved and
will most definitely have vastly different scope of work factored
in...
In your example, which ones say in the bids that the lines will
definitely be replaced versus the ones that say nothing about them ?

The more detailed the description of work you give the bidders,
the more accurate your bids will be and the contractors will know
what needs to be replaced to accomplish your work... Everyone
will be on the same page... Differences in bids often result from
poorly defined scope of work and not specifying what equipment
you desire to have installed (different companies can get different
brands cheaper than others) and therefore what you end up with
is having to choose between bids in a large range from high to low
without having a very detailed breakdown of what you will be
getting for your money...

~~ Evan