How to compare electrical quotes without missing the scope

Give every contractor the same starting information

Use one brief with the address or municipality, property type, desired outcome, current drawings and known restrictions. Include selected equipment information and note what remains undecided. When a decision changes, send the revision to every contractor still pricing the project. Otherwise a detailed proposal can look expensive beside an earlier estimate that assumes a different charger, fewer fixtures or a shorter route. Date the brief so the basis of each price is clear.

Build a simple comparison of inclusions

Compare the electrical scope, equipment models, quantities, labour and material treatment, permit responsibility, utility coordination and completion documentation. Add access equipment, excavation, surface repair, disposal and travel where relevant. Mark an item as included, excluded, provisional or unanswered rather than assuming a blank means included. This is also useful when comparing a small repair with a proposal for wider replacement: ask which option solves the original problem and why additional work is recommended.

Separate a price from its assumptions

Ask whether the proposal is a fixed scope, an estimate, an hourly arrangement or an allowance awaiting further assessment. Confirm tax treatment, payment stages and quote validity. If concealed conditions could change the work, agree how they will be documented and when approval is required. Avoid turning an uncertain problem into a false fixed price; a defined diagnostic stage can be a better starting point than a promise that cannot yet be supported.

Compare the proposed technical approaches

If one contractor recommends a larger service and another proposes managed EV charging, ask each to explain the assessment and daily operating implications. BC Hydro encourages capacity review and consideration of alternatives, but the suitable approach is property-specific. Similarly, a partial rewire and a complete rewire are different scopes. Request enough explanation to understand the decision, while leaving design and installation calculations to the qualified professional.

Check the people and the completion process

Verify the contractor identity through the appropriate registry and ask who will supervise, communicate and return if something needs attention. Discuss relevant insurance, warranty terms and how equipment warranty differs from labour coverage. Confirm the permit and close-out arrangements. The most usable proposal tells you both what will be built and how you will know it is complete. Keep the accepted version and approved changes with the final records so there is one clear account of the agreement.

Your project checklist

• Same brief and drawing revision supplied to each contractor.
• Equipment models and quantities match.
• Permit, utility and related-trade responsibilities are clear.
• Provisional sums and exclusions are visible.
• Changes require an agreed approval step.
• Payment, completion records and warranty terms are written.