The Quote Comparison Worksheet lines up to three sewer quotes side by side. For each one you enter the total, whether tax is included, the method, metres covered, warranty years and ten inclusions such as permits, restoration and insurance. It shows a comparison table, turns every missing item into a question for that contractor, and flags when the cheapest quote is also the least complete.
- Every number the worksheet shows comes from what you type in; it never adds prices, ranges or estimates of its own.
- The inclusions score, shown as x/10, measures how complete a quote's paperwork is, not how good the contractor is.
- Missing items become ready-made questions, so the next step after the worksheet is a short email to each contractor.
- When quotes use different methods, the worksheet warns that their prices are not directly comparable.
Quote Comparison Worksheet
01 /What does the quote comparison worksheet do?
The worksheet turns up to three differently written sewer quotes — labelled A, B and C — into one comparison. You copy a few facts from each quote into the form: the total price, whether tax is included, the method, how many metres of pipe it covers, the warranty in years, and which of ten common inclusions the quote contains in writing. The worksheet then lays the quotes out in a single table, lists what each one is missing as questions, and summarises which quote is most complete and which is cheapest.
It does not estimate prices. The sewer cost estimator does that job, with planning ranges built from typical quoted prices. The worksheet only rearranges your own inputs so the gaps and differences become visible. Use the estimator to ask whether a quote is reasonable; use the worksheet to ask whether the quotes describe the same job.
02 /What do I enter for each quote?
Each quote has the same set of fields. Fill in the quotes you have; the worksheet is built for up to three.
| Field | What to enter | Where to find it on the quote |
|---|---|---|
| Total price (CAD) | The quote's total as written | The bottom line of the price section |
| Tax included | Tick if the total already includes GST or HST | A tax line, or wording such as "plus GST" |
| Method | Drain cleaning, camera inspection, spot repair, open-cut replacement, trenchless lining, pipe bursting, backwater valve, or other | The scope of work |
| Metres of pipe covered (optional) | The length the quote says it replaces, lines or cleans | The scope or the basis of the quote |
| Warranty (years) | The warranty period stated in writing | The warranty section or terms |
| Ten inclusions | Tick each item the quote includes in writing | Scope, price breakdown, exclusions and attachments |
Enter only what is written on the quote or confirmed by email. If a salesperson said the permit is included but the quote is silent, leave the box unticked. The worksheet will turn it into a question, and the contractor's written answer is what you will rely on if there is a disagreement later.
03 /What are the ten inclusions, and why do they matter?
The ten inclusions are the items most often missing from sewer quotes and most likely to become extra costs or disputes later. Each ticked box adds one to the quote's inclusions score, shown out of 10.
| Inclusion | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Permit and inspection included | Makes the contractor responsible for code compliance and puts the fee in the price |
| Utility locates arranged | Buried utilities must be located before digging, and the contractor should request it |
| Surface restoration included | The most common hidden cost after sewer excavation |
| Camera before work | Confirms the diagnosis the price is based on |
| Camera video after work | Proof the new or repaired pipe is continuous and clean, and the baseline for warranty claims |
| Cleanout included | Future access for cleaning and inspection, often added later as an extra |
| Disposal and haul-away | Removing soil, old pipe and debris is real cost if it is left to you |
| Written scope with method and length | Without it, the price cannot be checked or enforced |
| Proof of liability insurance | Covers damage to your property or a neighbour's during the work |
| WCB clearance letter | Shows the contractor's workers' compensation account is in good standing (WSIB in Ontario, WorkSafeBC in British Columbia, CNESST in Quebec) |
Not every item applies to every job. A drain-cleaning visit needs no permit or restoration, so a low score on a cleaning quote may simply reflect a small job. Read the score alongside the method, and compare scores only between quotes for the same kind of work. The sample sewer quote anatomy shows where each item usually appears in a well-written quote.
04 /What does the worksheet show?
The result has four parts: a comparison table, a list of questions, a short summary and, when they apply, two warnings.
| Column | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Price | The total you entered for each quote |
| Tax status | Included, or "add GST/HST for your province" when the box is not ticked |
| Price per metre | The total divided by the metres you entered, shown only when metres are given |
| Warranty | The number of years you entered |
| Inclusions | How many of the ten items are ticked, as x/10 |
- Questions to ask. Every unticked inclusion is rewritten as a question for that contractor — for example, whether permit and inspection fees are included and who applies, or whether a recorded video of the finished pipe will be provided. Copy them into an email.
- Summary. The worksheet names the quote with the most inclusions as "Most complete" and the quote with the lowest total as "Lowest price".
- Warning when the cheapest is least complete. If the lowest-priced quote also has the fewest inclusions, the worksheet says so, because the gap in price may simply be the gap in scope.
- Warning when methods differ. If the quotes use different methods, the worksheet warns that the prices are not directly comparable.
The price per metre is a plain division of the total you typed. It therefore includes everything in that total — permits, restoration, a cleanout, and tax if tax is included — so it will usually be higher than the pipe-work rate described in sewer line cost per foot. Compare per-metre figures only between quotes with similar scope and the same tax status.
05 /A worked example
Three contractors quote an 18 m lateral, using figures like those in the example worksheet in how to compare sewer quotes. These are illustrative inputs typed into the worksheet, not real quotes.
| Field | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total entered | $16,500 | $21,800 | $17,900 |
| Tax included | No | No | No |
| Method | Open-cut replacement | Trenchless lining | Pipe bursting |
| Metres | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Price per metre (total divided by metres) | About $917 | About $1,211 | About $994 |
| Warranty | 1 year | 10 years | 5 years |
| Inclusions ticked | 4/10 | 9/10 | 7/10 |
With these inputs, the worksheet would name Quote B most complete and Quote A lowest price, warn that the lowest-priced quote also has the fewest inclusions, and warn that the methods differ. The tax status for all three would read "add GST/HST for your province". Quote A's six missing items would become six questions — about the permit, restoration, the post-work video, the cleanout, insurance and the WCB letter, for example.
The next step is not to choose B. It is to send A and C their questions, add the answers and enter the updated quotes again. If A's answers add a permit, sod and a cleanout at an extra cost, A's total rises and its score improves, and the comparison becomes fair. Because the methods differ, also check that each method fixes every defect on the footage; is trenchless sewer repair worth it covers where lining or bursting cannot.
06 /What the worksheet does not do
- It does not judge prices. No planning ranges, averages or estimates are added, and no quote is flagged as high or low against the market. Use the sewer cost estimator for that.
- It does not check documents. Ticking proof of liability insurance records that the quote says so; it does not verify the certificate. Check certificates and workers' compensation status yourself.
- It does not calculate tax. It reminds you to add GST or HST where a total excludes it, but it does not add provincial tax or compute a tax-included total.
- It does not read warranty terms. Ten years of vague coverage can be worth less than three years of clear coverage; read the text.
- It does not know your scope. Two quotes with the same score can cover different start and end points. Match scope with the line-by-line comparison guide.
- It does not rank contractors. "Most complete" and "Lowest price" describe your inputs, not quality or workmanship.
07 /How to use the worksheet with the rest of the site
- Start with footage
Every contractor should price the same recorded camera inspection. See sewer camera inspection cost.
- Collect written quotes
Ask for the structure in the sample sewer quote anatomy so the fields are easy to find.
- Run the worksheet
Enter each quote and send the generated questions to each contractor.
- Check reasonableness
Test each clarified total against the sewer cost estimator.
- Read before signing
Use the 15 questions to ask and the red flags guide, and agree a payment schedule tied to milestones.
The worksheet runs in your browser. When you are ready for more quotes on the same scope, request quotes and describe the job the way the worksheet does: method, length and what must be included.
FAQQuestions people ask
How do I compare sewer quotes side by side?
Enter each quote's total, tax status, method, metres, warranty and ten inclusions into the worksheet. It lines them up in one table, lists missing items as questions, and flags when the cheapest quote is the least complete or the methods differ.
Does the worksheet tell me if a quote is too expensive?
No. It only shows your own inputs side by side. To check a quote against typical planning ranges, use the sewer cost estimator.
Why does the worksheet say prices are not directly comparable?
Because the quotes use different methods, such as open-cut and lining. Different methods fix different defects and leave different surfaces, so compare what each achieves before comparing prices.
Should I choose the quote marked most complete?
Not automatically. Most complete means more of the ten items are written into the quote. Send the other contractors their questions first, then compare again with the answers.
What is a WCB clearance letter?
A letter from the provincial workers' compensation board confirming a contractor's account is in good standing. In some provinces, a property owner who hires a contractor without clearance can be held responsible for that contractor's unpaid premiums.
Is the price per metre the same as the contractor's per-metre rate?
Not quite. The worksheet divides the whole total by the metres, so permits, restoration and other fixed items are included. A contractor's own per-metre rate usually covers the pipe work only.
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