FREE PREPARATION RESOURCE
General contractor project brief and proposal comparison worksheet
Free fillable general contractor worksheets to organize a multitrade project, clarify responsibilities, prepare questions and compare proposals against the same scope.
View the checklist and download the fillable PDF ↗FREE PREPARATION RESOURCE
Washington contractor lookup and local-question workbook
Free fillable Washington contractor worksheets for dated L&I lookup notes, uncertain record matches, separate trade questions and local-authority follow-up.
View the checklist and download the fillable PDF ↗FREE PREPARATION RESOURCE
Maryland home-improvement license and contract-party record workbook
Free fillable Maryland worksheets to keep proposal-party labels, dated MHIC contractor or salesperson lookup references, contract-party questions and unresolved official-route questions aligned before comparing providers.
View the checklist and download the fillable PDF ↗FREE PREPARATION RESOURCE
Idaho contractor registration and consumer-route organizer
Free fillable Idaho contractor worksheets to separate the Contractors Board registration-search route, Attorney General consumer route, proposal roles and unresolved questions without copying identities, results, complaints or project details.
View the checklist and download the fillable PDF ↗FREE PREPARATION RESOURCE
Tennessee contractor license and complaint-route organizer
Free fillable Tennessee contractor worksheets to keep the Board program hub, public contractor and qualifying-agent search, complaint-information route and provider proposal in separate dated references without copying identities, search results or project details.
View the checklist and download the fillable PDF ↗FIND HELP. COMPARE OFFERS. YOU CHOOSE.
General Contractor
Tell us what you need. Pros can review your request and send you offers. You decide who to hire.
Start my requestFree to request. No need to hire anyone.
What kind of help do you need?
Choose an option to learn more. Not sure? You can describe the problem in your request.
What information helps?
Share what you know. You do not need to know every detail.
- The problem or the result you want
- Where you need the service
- When you would like help
- Your budget, if you have one
Do not guess measurements or costs. You can ask a pro to check them.
Want to learn more before you start?
Open the guide for costs, useful questions and planning tools. You can start your request without reading it all.
Construction · THE PROJECT GUIDE
General Contractor.
Get the details right.
A multitrade renovation needs clear boundaries between design, construction and owner-supplied items. Compare allowances and responsibilities before comparing the contract sum.
Explore freely · Compare thoughtfully · You choose the professional
THE WORK BEHIND THE WORDS
Choose the work you actually need.
Explore a specific project type for a more focused brief. Related tasks may belong in one combined request; separate them in the scope so providers can explain the price.
Whole-home renovation
Define rooms, phases and occupancy during work.
Plan this service ↗Home additions
Coordinate design, structural work and existing-building connections.
Plan this service ↗Garage conversions
Confirm intended use, utilities and approval responsibilities.
Plan this service ↗Accessory dwelling units
Separate feasibility, design and construction scopes.
Plan this service ↗Multitrade renovations
Identify the lead coordinator and subcontracted work.
Plan this service ↗Occupied-home remodeling
Plan access, dust control and temporary services.
Plan this service ↗| Detail | Get this in writing | Keep the comparison fair |
|---|---|---|
| Existing conditions and project definition | Record rooms, assemblies, utilities, structure, damage, retained items, occupancy and unresolved investigations on a measured base set. | Give every provider the same survey, photographs, testing results and explicit unknown-condition list. |
| Design, approvals and selections | List drawings, engineering, zoning or permit tasks, product and finish schedules, owner-supplied items, allowances and alternates. | Compare proposals at the same document maturity and assign every approval, revision, fee and long-lead decision. |
| Trade coordination and quality checkpoints | Map each trade, interface, sequence, submittal, fabrication check, inspection, test and concealment hold point. | Use one responsibility matrix and milestone schedule so omitted interfaces do not appear as a lower price. |
| Site logistics, changes and closeout | Define access, protection, temporary services, waste, payment milestones, change approval, commissioning, cleanup and handover records. | Apply the same occupied-home, documentation, acceptance and completion assumptions to every proposal. |
UNDERSTAND THE PRICE
See the parts. Then compare the total.
A useful budget explains what the money covers. Keep these cost areas visible rather than relying on a package name or headline figure.
Products and installation
Access, disposal and reinstatement
Approvals, testing and handover
What changes the scope?
A multitrade renovation needs clear boundaries between design, construction and owner-supplied items. Compare allowances and responsibilities before comparing the contract sum.
Ask providers to explain how drawings and scope and trade responsibilities affect their assumptions. Separate confirmed information from items still awaiting assessment.
What does the chart show?
The planning tool compares amounts you enter over the same period. Fixed charges, rate × quantity, monthly charges and extras stay separate. Its cumulative-cost graph makes different upfront and recurring arrangements easier to understand.
Published references, where available below, show their own units, source and period. They remain separate from your calculator inputs. Employee wages and producer-price indexes are context, not the price a provider will charge. Ask for current proposals for your actual scope.
YOUR PLANNING DESK
A clearer brief. A better starting point.
Build your request, compare entered costs and download a branded planning pack. Your selections stay here until you choose to continue.
Start with the details that matter.
No account needed to plan. Keep private documents, account numbers, credentials and sensitive case details out of this brief.
Also consider: Access, occupancy and scheduling constraints. Leave unknown details for the provider to assess.
Review your starting brief
Review before continuing. You can edit the wording below. Manual edits stay in place until you choose to regenerate from your answers.
300 characters
Next, review the request in PickYourPro.ai. An account is required to complete it. This step does not send invitations or commit you to a provider. Service availability and provider participation vary.
Opt-in saves form answers only. Manual brief edits, comparison values and checklist selections are not saved. Download a copy to keep them; avoid saving on shared devices.
FROM FIRST QUESTION TO HANDOVER
Know what happens next.
- 1
Define
Describe the outcome and current condition. Mark unknown measurements rather than guessing.
- 2
Assess
Agree any visit or diagnostic fee. Ask what must be checked before the price can be final.
- 3
Compare
Use the same drawings, selections and boundaries for each proposal.
- 4
Complete
Approve changes in writing and collect the agreed completion records.
A planning sequence, not a promised duration. Actual timing depends on the service, the information available and the provider's agreed scope.
WHEN YOU WANT THE DEEPER VIEW
The details worth resolving early.
Treat a general-contracting proposal as an integration plan for design, approvals, selections, trades, existing conditions, site logistics and closeout—not as a single undifferentiated construction total. A useful comparison identifies who owns each decision and interface, what information the price assumes, which items remain allowances or alternates, and when unknown conditions can change the work. Give every provider the same drawings, room list, retained-item plan, selection status and occupancy constraints before comparing proposals.
- 01Define needs & existing conditions
- 02Complete design & approvals
- 03Procure, protect & mobilize
- 04Build, coordinate & inspect
- 05Commission, reconcile & hand over
Is the project ready to price or still being designed?
Separate feasibility, measured existing conditions, drawings, engineering, energy or accessibility work, product selections, permit documents and construction. Identify who prepares each item, who coordinates corrections and whether the proposal is a planning estimate or a price based on a defined document set. Additions, conversions and structural alterations can require zoning, utility and specialty review before a buildable scope exists. Compare providers only after the same design maturity, exclusions and preconstruction responsibilities are visible.
What is fixed, allowed, optional or unknown?
Build a selection and responsibility ledger for every major product, finish and owner-supplied item. Mark each entry as confirmed, an allowance, an alternate or excluded, and include delivery, storage, installation, accessories, tax treatment where applicable and disposal without inventing market prices. Pair it with a schedule of values and a written change process that states who documents the condition, what supporting detail is provided and who approves before affected work proceeds. A contract sum is not comparable when its assumptions remain hidden.
Who coordinates every trade interface?
Use a responsibility matrix that names the lead for demolition, structure, enclosure, plumbing, electrical, fuel, HVAC, ventilation, fire or life-safety work, insulation, finishes, testing and inspections. Show dependencies such as framing before rough-ins, rough-ins before closure and field verification before fabrication. Ask how drawings, submittals, requests for information, substitutions and failed inspections are tracked. A list of subcontractors is not the same as assigning design, coordination and completion responsibility at their interfaces.
How will the home and occupants be protected?
Define work zones, entry and parking, deliveries, temporary barriers, ventilation, shutdown notice, temporary cooking or bathing, security, children and pets, daily cleanup and emergency contacts. EPA remodeling guidance emphasizes source control, dust containment, ventilation and keeping occupants away from the work area. Decide which rooms remain usable, how exits and essential services are maintained, and when relocation is necessary. Put the protection plan, daily reset standard and responsibility for damage outside the work boundary in writing.
What changes with location and conditions?
- Licensing, insurance, contract, lien-notice, zoning, permit, inspection and certificate requirements vary by state and local jurisdiction. Ask the responsible team and authority having jurisdiction to identify the current path; do not treat a national guide as a local approval determination.
- Flood, wildfire, wind, seismic, snow, coastal, hot-humid and cold-climate conditions can change site, structure, enclosure, ventilation, material and resilience decisions. FEMA substantial-improvement rules can affect certain work in mapped flood hazard areas, so confirm the property and local floodplain review before relying on a renovation budget.
- Condominiums, multifamily buildings, historic properties and utility-constrained sites can add association, neighbor, preservation, access, shutdown and service-upgrade approvals. Confirm ownership boundaries and written permissions before demolition, fabrication or long-lead ordering.
Documents to collect at completion
- Final drawings, approved selections, responsibility matrix and complete change log
- Permit, inspection, certificate, testing, commissioning and agreed concealed-work photograph records
- Product data, operating and maintenance manuals, warranties, keys, controls and labeled spare materials
- Final schedule-of-values reconciliation, completion list, unresolved-item record and any agreed release or payment documentation
Compare these promised records before choosing a provider. Keep the originals alongside your planning pack.
PICKYOURPRO.AI · YOUR NEXT STEP
Explain it once.
Compare with more clarity.
Turn what you have learned into a focused request. Give providers the same starting information, review their responses and ask questions about differences in scope, timing and fees.
- 1
Build a clear brief
Describe the service, your priorities and what needs assessment.
- 2
Review responses
Compare what each provider proposes and clarify open questions.
- 3
Choose your provider
Consider relevant experience, scope and terms—not just the lowest number.
Requesting and comparing proposals is free for clients. Provider participation, availability and response times vary. Confirm any separate consultation or inspection charge. Review project unlock terms for later project stages.
GOOD QUESTIONS, CLEARER CHOICES
Before you choose.
What should I include in a general contractor request?
A multitrade renovation needs clear boundaries between design, construction and owner-supplied items. Compare allowances and responsibilities before comparing the contract sum. Include drawings and scope, trade responsibilities, allowances, change approvals where known. Leave unknowns for the professional to assess.
Can I compare prices before an assessment?
You can compare the stated assumptions, scope and fee basis. Ask what must be checked before an offer is final and whether a consultation, inspection or diagnostic visit has a separate charge. For this service, start by clarifying drawings and scope.
How should I handle a lower price?
Ask which tasks, deliverables and terms differ. Use the cost tool to compare the same period and quantities, then review exclusions and professional fit. The smallest calculated number is not a recommendation.
Does the planning pack create an agreement?
No. It records your brief and entered scenarios. You still need to review and agree the provider’s actual proposal and terms. Keep original documents and approvals.
What happens after I continue to my request?
Your reviewed brief enters the existing PickYourPro.ai request process. You will need an account and can confirm the remaining details before completing the request. Provider participation and availability vary.
Are these live market prices?
The planning calculator uses your entered figures. Published references elsewhere on the page are separate, dated observations with their own sources and limitations. Neither is a live provider quote. Employee wages are not billable labor rates, and a producer-price index is not an installed project price.
TRANSPARENT BY DESIGN
Sources and editorial notes.
Prepared by PickYourPro.ai with AI assistance · Framework published October 7, 2026. Expanded research review: October 9, 2026. These service-planning questions have not been independently reviewed by a licensed specialist. Local requirements and professional suitability need individual verification.
- FTC: hiring a contractor ↗
Background on written estimates and checking a contractor. This resource does not endorse PickYourPro.ai. See any price-reference chart for the exact unit, scope and observation date.
- DOE Building America: existing homes ↗
Public whole-house renovation background organized around occupant safety, durability, ventilation, moisture, envelope and equipment interactions; it is not a project specification. Source checked October 9, 2026. This resource does not endorse PickYourPro.ai. See any price-reference chart for the exact unit, scope and observation date.
- DOE Building America: home performance assessment ↗
Background on assessing an existing home as interacting systems before selecting upgrades; qualified project design and local requirements still control. Source checked October 9, 2026. This resource does not endorse PickYourPro.ai. See any price-reference chart for the exact unit, scope and observation date.
- EPA: best practices for indoor air quality when remodeling ↗
Federal homeowner guidance on source control, dust containment, ventilation and occupant protection during remodeling. Source checked October 9, 2026. This resource does not endorse PickYourPro.ai. See any price-reference chart for the exact unit, scope and observation date.
- EPA: Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program ↗
Federal overview of certification and lead-safe work requirements for paid work disturbing paint in most pre-1978 housing and child-occupied facilities; exceptions and authorized state programs require review. Source checked October 9, 2026. This resource does not endorse PickYourPro.ai. See any price-reference chart for the exact unit, scope and observation date.
- FEMA: substantial improvement and substantial damage desk reference ↗
Floodplain-administration background for additions, rehabilitation, improvements and damage repairs; the local floodplain administrator determines project treatment. Source checked October 9, 2026. This resource does not endorse PickYourPro.ai. See any price-reference chart for the exact unit, scope and observation date.
- EPA: construction and demolition materials ↗
Federal background on source reduction, reuse, recycling and responsible management of construction and demolition materials; available facilities and requirements vary locally. Source checked October 9, 2026. This resource does not endorse PickYourPro.ai. See any price-reference chart for the exact unit, scope and observation date.
Methodology and updates
Scope questions are organized by service and buying process. The planning calculator uses only entered values. Separately labelled reference charts use public source observations; no private PickYourPro project history is used. A permanent page address does not make a dated reference permanently current. Substantive changes should update the editorial record.
October 7, 2026: initial guide, service-specific scope, planning worksheet and cost-comparison tools published.
October 9, 2026: expanded option comparisons, project-specific buying questions, regional considerations and completion records.
KEEP EXPLORING
Related planning guides.
Kitchen Remodeling
Start with the layout and what stays. Cabinet allowances, utility relocation and surface preparation can create large differences between apparently similar kitchen proposals.
Explore ↗Bathroom Remodeling
Compare the complete bathroom assembly and fixture schedule. Tile appearance alone does not define preparation, waterproofing, plumbing or ventilation work.
Explore ↗Cabinetry & Countertops
Measure the layout and compare named materials, hardware and fabrication details. Ask where templating, removal, installation and plumbing reconnection sit in the price.
Explore ↗Architect
Define the decisions and documents you need at each stage. A concept package and a permit or construction drawing set represent different scopes.
Explore ↗