Is this quote correct?

You've just received a quote for your roof, your bathroom, a renovation, a heat pump or new window frames.

You look at the total: €18,750, €34,200, €67,000… And one question immediately comes to mind: 'IS THIS QUOTE CORRECT?'

This is probably one of the most difficult questions to answer when you don't work in the construction industry yourself.

Because a quote can be correct without being the cheapest. It can also look very professional while containing inconsistencies. And most importantly, a quote can show a reasonable price while being incomplete.

To determine if a building quote is correct, you need to look at more than just the final amount. Here is a simple method.

1. A correct quote must be explainable

First test. Take your quote and pick the three most expensive items.

For example: Roofing: €18,400 — Insulation: €7,600 — Zinc work: €4,800.

Can you understand what justifies each of these amounts? If so, that's a good start. If no one can explain why the zinc work costs precisely €4,800, the question is worth asking.

A serious quote should allow you to connect: a price → to a quantity → to a product → to a task. The higher the amount, the more visible this logic should be.

2. Do the 'impossible' price test

A quote can be suspicious because it's too high. But it can also be suspicious because it's unusually low.

Imagine three quotes for the exact same renovation: Company A: €38,500 — Company B: €41,200 — Company C: €24,900.

Perhaps the best question is: 'How can the third company do the same work for €14,000 less?'

A significant difference can be due to different materials, a missing service, a different quantity, a different working method, lower overheads, subcontracting or simply a calculation error.

A very low price deserves as much explanation as a very high one.

3. The final amount must reflect the reality of the site

Let's take two houses, each with a 150 m² roof. The first has a simple roof, easy access, few cuts and no chimney. The second has three dormer windows, two chimneys, several junctions, difficult access and complex zinc work.

Therefore, just comparing the price per m² for the roof can be misleading.

The same reasoning applies to a bathroom. Renovating an empty 8 m² room is completely different from a renovation that requires moving all the pipework, electrics and drains.

A correct quote is one that is tailored to the actual site, not just based on an average found on the internet.

4. Do the 20% test

Suppose three contractors offer quotes of €28,700, €30,900 and €32,400. All three offers are in a relatively close range. This doesn't prove they are correct, but it creates an initial benchmark.

Now consider €19,800, €31,500 and €47,000. There is clearly something to understand here.

When one quote is a significant outlier, don't automatically dismiss it. Ask: WHY?

5. Beware of outdated internet prices

You type 'house renovation price per m²' and find an article published in 2020. The problem is that building prices have changed considerably.

Eurostat indicates that between 2015 and 2025, construction prices for new residential buildings in the European Union increased by 48.2%.

The increases reached +5.8% in 2021, +12.2% in 2022 and +6.9% in 2023, before slowing to +2.3% in 2024 and +1.3% in 2025.

In 2026, compare as much as possible with recent benchmarks for your country, your region and the same type of service.

6. A correct quote must specify what you are buying in sufficient detail

Imagine this line item: 'Supply and fit PVC windows: €14,800'. Is this correct? Impossible to say.

It could be missing the number of windows, dimensions, manufacturer, model, glazing, thermal performance, colour, finishes, removal of old windows, disposal and making good.

Two quotes that both mention 'PVC windows' can refer to very different products and services.

The more a product influences the price, the more identifiable it should be.

7. Check the ratio of materials to labour

A building quote is generally made up of: MATERIALS + LABOUR + EQUIPMENT + TRANSPORT + OVERHEADS + PROFIT MARGIN.

It is therefore normal that a product sold for €5,000 in a shop does not result in a final quote of €5,000.

It may need to be transported, the old equipment dismantled, the surface prepared, installed, connections made, waste removed, adjustments carried out and the warranty provided.

Conversely, if a piece of equipment commonly sold for around €3,000 appears at €9,000 excluding installation, an explanation may be needed.

8. A good quote should stand up to a very simple question

Ask the contractor: 'What else could increase the final price?'

The aim is not to demand that a contractor predict the unpredictable. The aim is to know how the unpredictable will be charged.

9. Check the actual amount payable

You see TOTAL: €35,000. But is that €35,000 including VAT or €35,000 + VAT?

In Belgium, certain renovation works carried out in a private dwelling over 10 years old may, under certain conditions, benefit from a reduced VAT rate of 6% instead of 21%.

On a basis of €30,000 excluding VAT: at 6% = €31,800; at 21% = €36,300. That's a difference of €4,500.

Please note: in Belgium, if you buy the materials yourself, they are in principle still subject to the 21% rate, even when some work carried out and invoiced by the contractor may benefit from the reduced rate.

10. Look at the deposit amount in relation to the project

Suppose a quote is for €50,000. One company asks for a €5,000 deposit. Another asks for €25,000. Same project, same price, but certainly not the same financial risk for the client.

Ask: 'How much do I have to pay before the corresponding work is actually carried out?'

A payment schedule that is consistent with the progress of the work generally reduces your financial exposure.

11. Check if the figures look 'too perfect'

A quote includes: Demolition: €5,000 — Masonry: €10,000 — Insulation: €10,000 — Roofing: €20,000 — TOTAL: €45,000.

This is obviously not proof of a problem. But on a complex project, a series of large round numbers may indicate that the company has worked mainly on a fixed-price basis.

Conversely, 137 m² × €84 = €11,508 immediately makes the calculation much clearer.

12. Check the small items: they can add up

On a €70,000 quote, a €250 line item doesn't attract much attention. But twenty small line items can add up to several thousand euros.

Look out for travel, protective coverings, waste disposal, cleaning, equipment hire, consumables, administrative fees, delivery, handling and landfill charges.

These costs may be perfectly justified. The important thing is to check that they are not already included elsewhere.

13. The quote must match what was discussed

You asked for 20 cm of insulation, the quote specifies 14. You chose triple glazing, the quote simply says 'insulating glass'. You asked for full waste removal, the quote states 'skip to be provided by client'.

This kind of discrepancy is common, and not necessarily due to bad intentions.

So, reread the quote as if you had never met the contractor. Only what is correctly stated in the offer will allow you to understand what has actually been agreed.

14. A correct quote should be understandable to someone else

Give the quote to someone who doesn't know about your project. Then ask them: 'Can you explain to me what this company is going to do?'

If that person generally understands the work, materials, quantities, price and main exclusions, the quote is probably well-structured enough.

If they don't really understand what is included in the price, you may have identified the problem.

15. Correct doesn't just mean 'not too expensive'

A correct quote must show consistency between THE PRICE, THE QUANTITIES, THE MATERIALS, THE DIFFICULTY OF THE JOB, THE LABOUR, THE SERVICES and THE PAYMENT TERMS.

A quote can therefore be relatively expensive and perfectly consistent. Conversely, a cheap quote may be incomplete.

So the right question isn't 'IS IT EXPENSIVE?' but 'DOES THE PRICE TRULY REFLECT WHAT I'M GOING TO GET?'

16. Google searches that people make

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These searches reflect the exact same concern: 'I'm not a building professional. How do I know if what I'm being offered is reasonable?'

17. The problem with automatic price comparison tools

Comparing a quote against a price database can be useful. But it's not enough.

An algorithm might find: Average price: €85/m² — Your quote: €102/m², and conclude that your offer is 20% higher.

But perhaps your project requires special scaffolding, a crane, difficult access, specific protective measures, a premium material or urgent work. Or perhaps the quote is indeed too high.

The figure must therefore be interpreted in its context.

18. Europe protects the consumer, but it doesn't choose the quote for you

The European Union harmonises a significant part of consumer rights, particularly concerning the information to be provided before certain contracts are concluded and protection against unfair terms.

But national rules remain important, especially in the construction sector.

And no regulation can determine for you whether €42,000 is a good price for your particular renovation. For that, you need to analyse the project itself.

19. The 60-second ECV test

When you receive your quote, ask yourself these six questions:

1. Do I understand what I'm buying?
2. Do the quantities match my project?
3. Are the important materials identifiable?
4. Does the price seem consistent with recent benchmarks?
5. Do I know what else could be charged as an extra?
6. Do the requested payments reasonably correspond to the progress of the work?

If you answer NO to several of these questions, don't sign straight away. Ask for explanations.

20. ECV: turning an impression into an analysis

When a consumer receives a €30,000 quote, they rarely have the necessary knowledge to know immediately if the document is consistent.

Their judgement is often based on three things: the total amount + the impression the contractor made + reviews found on the internet. This is not always enough.

The logic of Euro Construct Verify – ECV is precisely to go further.

A quote can be analysed by putting into perspective: the prices + the quantities + the services + the materials + the technical consistency + the available information about the company.

The goal is not simply to say 'expensive' or 'cheap'. The goal is to identify the elements that deserve your attention before you sign.

Conclusion: a correct quote is a quote you understand

Don't necessarily look for the perfect quote. Look for a quote that is consistent and understandable.

You need to be able to know what you are buying, how much you are paying for it, what is included, what might be added, and when you will have to pay.

If you don't understand a €200 line item, ask for an explanation. If you don't understand a €20,000 line item, demand one.

Because when you sign a quote, you're not just signing for a price. You are accepting the financial and technical rules for your future project.

Sources: European and official

• Eurostat — Construction prices in the European Union, publication of 25 June 2026. Between 2015 and 2025, construction prices for new residential buildings in the European Union increased by 48.2%.
• European Commission — Consumer Rights Directive: European framework relating in particular to pre-contractual information and consumer rights in contracts concluded with professionals.
• European Commission — Unfair Contract Terms Directive: European rules on standard contractual clauses and consumer protection.
• SPF Finances Belgium — VAT renovation 2026: under certain conditions, renovation work on a private dwelling more than ten years old can benefit from the 6% VAT rate instead of 21%.