Is your contractor quote fair? Check it by trade.
You have a quote in front of you and a nagging question: is this number reasonable, or are you about to overpay? Quotes for the same job routinely vary by 50% or more, and most homeowners only ever get one. This is the place to sanity-check yours — pick your trade below for what fair pricing looks like and which line items get padded most, or paste the whole quote into the checker for a line-by-line read against typical regional rates.
Informational only — not professional construction or appraisal advice. Always get at least one more quote from a licensed local contractor.
Check a quote by trade
Each guide covers what a fair price looks like for that trade, the line items contractors most often pad, and how to read the quote you were handed. Pricing shifts by region, so each one starts from a representative state — your own zip is built into the $9.99 check.
- Roofing quotes in Texas →Typical roofing runs $5,000–$15,000. See what's fair and what's padded.
- HVAC quotes in Florida →Typical HVAC runs $3,500–$12,000. See what's fair and what's padded.
- Plumbing quotes in California →Typical plumbing runs $300–$6,000. See what's fair and what's padded.
- Electrical quotes in New York →Typical electrical runs $400–$7,500. See what's fair and what's padded.
- Kitchen Remodel quotes in California →Typical kitchen remodel runs $15,000–$55,000. See what's fair and what's padded.
- Bathroom Remodel quotes in New Jersey →Typical bathroom remodel runs $7,000–$30,000. See what's fair and what's padded.
- Siding quotes in Illinois →Typical siding runs $6,000–$20,000. See what's fair and what's padded.
- Window Replacement quotes in Ohio →Typical window replacement runs $3,000–$15,000. See what's fair and what's padded.
- Flooring quotes in Georgia →Typical flooring runs $3,000–$12,000. See what's fair and what's padded.
- Painting quotes in Arizona →Typical painting runs $1,500–$6,500. See what's fair and what's padded.
- Solar Panels quotes in California →Typical solar panel installation runs $15,000–$35,000. See what's fair and what's padded.
- Foundation Repair quotes in Texas →Typical foundation repair runs $2,000–$15,000. See what's fair and what's padded.
Different trade or state? The checker handles any residential job in any US zip — paste your quote and get the comparison.
Guides: how contractor pricing actually works
Free plain-English walk-throughs — reading line items, spotting markups, cost-plus vs. fixed price, lien waivers, and what a fair quote includes. Read first, or skip to the $9.99 checker.
Shower remodel cost in 2026: what drives the price
Shower remodels cost $2,500-$15,000 depending on whether you replace or refinish, change dimensions, and what tile and fixtures you choose. Here's a full cost breakdown.
Retaining wall cost in 2026: by material and height
Retaining walls cost $25-$75 per square foot of face, depending on material and height. A 4-foot tall, 20-foot long wall runs $5,000-$15,000 installed. Here's a full cost breakdown by material.
Interior painting cost in 2026: per room and whole house estimates
Interior painting runs $2-$6 per square foot of wall area, or $400-$1,200 per average room. Here's what drives the price, how to read a painting quote, and what low bids are missing.
Foundation repair cost in 2026: what to expect by repair type
Foundation repairs range from $500 for minor crack sealing to $25,000+ for full underpinning. Here's how to identify what type of repair you need and what it should cost.
Attic insulation cost in 2026: by type and square footage
Attic insulation costs $1.50-$4.50 per square foot installed. Blown-in fiberglass is the most common and affordable. Spray foam costs 3-5x more but seals air leaks. Here's how to choose and what to budget.
Insulation installation cost in 2026: by type and area
Insulation installation costs $1,500-$6,000 for most homes in 2026. Here's the cost per square foot by insulation type, where it matters most, and how to read an insulation quote.
Inground pool cost in 2026: what you'll actually pay
Inground pool installation costs $35,000-$100,000+ in 2026 depending on type and size. Here's the full cost breakdown, what's not included, and how to read a pool quote.
Electrical panel upgrade cost in 2026: what to expect
Electrical panel upgrades cost $1,500-$4,000 for most homes in 2026. Here's what drives the price, when you need one, and how to evaluate a quote.
Concrete patio cost in 2026: per square foot breakdown
Concrete patio installation costs $6-$20 per square foot in 2026. Here's what drives the price difference, how to read a quote, and whether pavers or stamped concrete are worth the premium.
Carpet installation cost in 2026: what to expect
Carpet installation costs $3-$11 per square foot installed in 2026. Here's what drives the price, how to read a quote, and what hidden costs to watch for.
How to compare roofing quotes in 2026: what to look for in each line item
A practical guide to comparing roofing quotes side by side — what fair markup looks like, which line items inflate most, how to read shingle specs, and the red flags that separate a reasonable roofing quote from a padded one.
Kitchen remodel quote in 2026: what's fair, what's inflated, and what to cut
A line-by-line guide to evaluating a kitchen remodel quote — fair pricing for cabinets, countertops, appliances, labor, and the specific line items that inflate most on residential kitchen remodels in 2026.
HVAC quote breakdown in 2026: what each line item costs and which ones get inflated
A line-by-line guide to reading an HVAC quote in 2026 — fair pricing for equipment, labor, refrigerant, electrical, and the specific line items that contractors routinely inflate on central air and heat pump installs.
Heating quote breakdown in 2026: fair pricing by system type and what to push back on
A line-by-line guide to what a fair home heating quote looks like in 2026 — pricing for furnaces, heat pumps, boilers, and ductless mini-splits, with markup ranges and the line items that routinely get inflated.
Window replacement cost in 2026: pricing by type, frame material, and glass package
A complete 2026 breakdown of window replacement costs — vinyl, fiberglass, wood, and aluminum frames, single-hung vs double-hung vs casement, double-pane vs triple-pane glass, with installed pricing per window and full-house ranges.
Plumbing cost in 2026: pricing by job type, hourly rates, and the markups that quietly inflate quotes
A complete 2026 plumbing cost breakdown — service-call rates, fixture install pricing, repipe project costs, water heater replacement, drain cleaning, and the line items most commonly inflated in plumbing quotes.
Landscaping quote breakdown (2026): fair markup, common overcharges, and pricing by service
A line-by-line guide to what a fair landscaping quote looks like in 2026 — typical pricing for lawn install, mulch, hardscape, sod, irrigation, and tree work, with markup ranges and the specific line items that get padded.
Kitchen remodel cost in 2026: complete pricing breakdown by scope
A line-by-line guide to kitchen remodel pricing in 2026 — cabinet, countertop, appliance, and labor ranges for IKEA-tier, mid-range, and high-end builds, plus the markup categories that quietly inflate kitchen quotes.
Fence installation cost in 2026: pricing by material, height, and state
A complete fair-price guide to fence installation in 2026 — wood, vinyl, aluminum, chain link, and composite, with per-linear-foot ranges by height and state, plus the markup categories that quietly inflate quotes.
Driveway paving cost in 2026: asphalt, concrete, paver, and gravel pricing
A complete 2026 cost breakdown for driveway paving — asphalt, concrete, pavers, gravel, and chip seal with per-square-foot ranges, prep work, drainage costs, and the line items most commonly inflated in driveway quotes.
Deck installation cost in 2026: pricing by material, size, and height
A line-by-line guide to deck building costs in 2026 — pressure-treated, cedar, composite, and PVC decking with per-square-foot ranges, plus the labor markup, permit costs, and railing systems that determine total price.
How much does HVAC replacement cost in 2026? (By tonnage, SEER, and fuel type)
A working cost breakdown of HVAC replacement in 2026 by system size, efficiency rating, and fuel type — plus the labor markup, equipment markup, and quote red flags that decide whether you're paying fair or paying $4,000 too much.
How Much Does a New Roof Cost in 2026? (By Material + Square Footage)
Average roof replacement cost in 2026 is $8,500-$15,000 for asphalt shingles. But your real cost depends on material, pitch, square footage, and where you live. Data by state.
Contractor markup ranges by trade in 2026 — what's normal and what's predatory
The actual markup ranges on labor, materials, permits, and disposal for the 8 most-quoted residential trades in 2026. Side-by-side with the numbers and line items most commonly inflated.
The homeowner's guide to reading a contractor quote (without getting screwed)
A line-by-line breakdown of what a fair contractor quote looks like in 2026 — the markup ranges that are normal, the line items that get padded, how to verify material prices yourself, and what a good payment schedule looks like.
Is my contractor quote fair? A 5-minute zip-code check for homeowners
How to spot an inflated contractor quote in five minutes without getting three more quotes. Covers the markup ranges that are normal vs. predatory, line items to watch, and a free pushback script.
Bathroom Remodel Cost in 2026: What You Should Actually Pay (by Zip Code)
Bathroom remodel cost 2026 — fair pricing ranges from $6,500 to $42,000 depending on zip code. See the real bathroom renovation cost breakdown and spot padded quotes.
Got the quote in hand? Check it now.
Paste the quote, drop your zip, and get a line-by-line comparison against typical regional pricing plus talking points to adapt for the contractor — in about 30 seconds.
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