How to compare contractor quotes for a backyard project

Comparing contractor quotes for a backyard project comes down to one rule: you can only compare prices for the same scope. Three pool bids at $55,000, $68,000 and $80,000 may not be three prices for one job. One may leave out the deck, another the permit and engineering, and the third may include a screen enclosure. In Florida, the contract that comes with the winning quote also has to include specific legal notices, and the deposit and payment terms carry legal weight. This guide shows how to line quotes up, what’s often missing, and what to check before you sign.

Step 1: Give every bidder the same scope

Before the first meeting, write a one-page scope and give it to everyone:

• What you want built, with rough dimensions (for example, “12x24 pool, 1,000 sq ft paver deck, screen enclosure over pool and deck”).
• Materials or quality level you’ve already decided on (paver style, screen type, finish).
• What you want included: permits, engineering, HOA drawings, removal of the old patio, drainage, irrigation repair, sod repair, cleanup.
• Your HOA’s requirements, if any. Our HOA approval guide covers what they usually need.
• Photos and, if you have one, a concept image of the result.

Ask each contractor to price it in the same line items. If they suggest changes, ask them to quote your scope first and the alternative separately. That’s the only way to see what each change actually costs.

Step 2: Put the quotes side by side

A simple spreadsheet with one row per line item and one column per bidder does the job. Fill in the blanks with “not included” or “unclear.” The table shows the gaps that matter.

Line item	Bidder A	Bidder B	Bidder C
Main structure (pool shell, patio, pergola)
Deck or hardscape (sq ft, material)
Equipment (brand and model)
Electrical, gas, plumbing
Drainage and grading
Permits and engineering
HOA drawings
Demolition, hauling, cleanup
Sod or landscape repair
Schedule (start, duration)
Payment schedule
Warranty (what, how long)

Then ask each bidder to price their blanks. The adjusted totals are what you compare.

Common gaps in backyard quotes

Published cost data shows how far apart “the same project” can be once scope is counted:

• Pools without decks. Angi puts a typical in-ground pool in Tampa at $47,736-$91,805. Those figures usually exclude the deck, which This Old House puts at $5,000-$20,000. A pool quote that says “deck by others” isn’t comparable to one that includes it. See pool cost by city.
• Enclosures without engineering or permits. Florida builder Rainforest Pools cites $200-$800 in permit fees and $1,000-$2,000 for engineering on screen enclosures. Make sure every enclosure quote either includes both or lists them.
• Pavers without base prep or removal. Angi’s Tampa paver patio range of $2,422-$7,063 assumes a standard installation. Removing an old slab, extra grading or drainage are often separate lines. See paver cost by city.
• Allowances. “Lighting allowance $1,500” means you pay the difference if your choice costs more. Compare allowances to what you actually want.
• Equipment. “Variable-speed pump” isn’t a model. Ask for brand and model numbers so you can compare like for like.
• Exclusions in fine print. Rock, roots, buried debris, sod restoration and irrigation repair are frequent exclusions. Ask how each bidder prices surprises, by the hour, the yard or a fixed change-order fee.

Step 3: Check the terms, not just the total

Deposits. Florida doesn’t cap deposits, but s. 489.126 sets rules once a contractor takes more than 10% of the contract price up front on residential work. The contractor must apply for permits within 30 days of the payment and start work within 90 days after permits are issued, unless it has just cause or you agreed in writing to a longer period. A big up-front deposit with a vague start date deserves a closer look.

Payment schedule. Compare when each bidder wants money relative to the work. Payments tied to milestones you can see, such as excavation, steel inspection or deck poured, are easier to track than calendar dates.

Required notices. For residential contracts over $2,500, Florida law requires two notices:

• A construction lien notice under s. 713.015, in at least 12-point, bold, all-caps type, on the first page or a separate page you sign. It warns that unpaid subcontractors and suppliers can put a lien on your home even if you’ve paid the contractor.
• A notice about the Florida Homeowners’ Construction Recovery Fund under s. 489.1425, with the Construction Industry Licensing Board’s contact details.

If a contract for a job over $2,500 is missing either one, ask the contractor to add it before you sign.

Notice of Commencement. Under s. 713.13, the owner records a Notice of Commencement before work starts, signed personally, and posts a copy at the job site. It expires after a year unless it says otherwise, and the statutory form warns that payments made after it expires can mean “paying twice.” Jobs of $2,500 or less are exempt from most of the lien law, and permit offices set their own triggers for when they need the notice. Ask the contractor who prepares it.

Lien releases and final payment. Get a written release from any subcontractor or supplier who sent you a Notice to Owner before you pay the contractor. Under s. 713.06, the contractor must give you a final payment affidavit stating that every lienor who served notice has been paid, or listing who hasn’t, and you should hold the final payment until you have it.

Step 4: Weigh the non-price factors

Once the scopes match, consider:

• License and insurance. Look up each contractor on the Florida DBPR license search and ask for a certificate of insurance.
• Similar recent work. Ask for addresses or photos of jobs like yours, ideally in your area’s soil and HOA.
• Schedule realism. Compare each bidder’s start date and duration, and ask how they handle rainy-season and storm delays.
• Communication. Who is your contact day to day, and how fast did they answer during bidding?
• Warranty. What exactly is covered, for how long, and by whom (contractor or manufacturer)?

The lowest adjusted total isn’t automatically the best value, and the highest isn’t automatically the best quality. Write down why you chose who you chose.

What to ask each contractor before you sign

1. What is your license number, and which license type covers this job? (Check it yourself on the Florida DBPR license search, and ask for proof of insurance. Backyardly doesn’t check this for you.)
2. What exactly is excluded from this quote?
3. Who pulls the permits, and are permit and engineering fees included?
4. What is the deposit, what are the payment milestones, and when will you apply for permits?
5. How do you price change orders and unexpected conditions like roots or buried debris?
6. Which subcontractors and suppliers will work on my job, and will you provide lien releases with each payment?
7. What is the schedule, and what happens to it in a storm or the rainy season?
8. Does the contract include the Florida lien law notice and the Recovery Fund notice?

For the full sequence from idea to build, see how to plan a backyard remodel.

See it in your own yard first

Quotes are easier to compare when every contractor is pricing the same picture. An AI concept made from a photo of your yard gives bidders a shared reference for layout and materials, and on Backyardly you can publish it ($4.99) to request quotes from up to four local pros. It’s a visual idea, not construction drawings or a price, so still give everyone the same written scope.