Compare quotes on scope, then on price

How this tool reaches its answer

The rules below are the rules the tool evaluates. There is no second copy, no weighting you cannot see, and no scoring model behind the answer. A rule either fires or it does not, and when it fires you are shown the same sentence the code carries.

How completeness is scored

Each checklist item carries a published weight of 1, 2, or 3, shown against the item. A quote scores the weight of every item it addresses — whether it includes the item or explicitly excludes it, because an explicit exclusion is information and a silence is not. Completeness is that score as a percentage of the total available weight. There is no hidden factor and no adjustment for price.

Privacy

Nothing you enter is transmitted. The comparison runs entirely in your browser, and the tool asks you to label quotes rather than name contractors so that a printed summary carries no accusation.

The published rule set

1. area-defined — The area is defined well enough to identify on the ground (weight 2). An acreage figure is not a boundary. Without a defined area, the contractor clears what they understood and you receive what they understood.
2. what-is-kept — States what is being kept as well as what is removed (weight 2). Trees removed by mistake are not recoverable. If nothing in the quote says what stays, nothing protects it.
3. method — States the method and what equipment it implies (weight 2). Method determines what the ground looks like afterwards. Two quotes using different methods are not competing on price.
4. material-destination — Says where the cut material goes (weight 3). This is the largest unstated variable in most clearing quotes and the most common reason two prices differ by a factor of two or more.
5. disposal-fees — If hauling: states whether loading, trucking, and disposal fees are all included (weight 3). Hauling is three costs. "Haul-off included" that turns out to exclude the tipping fee is a common and expensive surprise.
6. below-grade — States what happens below the ground line, and over which areas (weight 3). Below-grade work is a different trade at a different price. Most clearing quotes exclude it, and most do so silently.
7. grinding-depth — If grinding: states the depth in inches below existing grade (weight 2). "Below grade" covers everything from removing a trip hazard to preparing for turf. Without a number there is nothing to inspect against.
8. holes-and-grindings — Says what happens to grindings, extracted material, and any holes (weight 2). Backfill and disposal are frequently outside the base price, and loose backfill settles under anything placed on it.
9. finished-condition — Describes the condition of the ground on the last day (weight 3). "Cleared" means whatever the contractor assumed. A described finished condition is the only thing that makes completion checkable.
10. grading — States whether grading is included, and to what specification (weight 2). A stated tolerance is earthwork; "level it out" is an intention. The gap between those is a substantial amount of money.
11. exclusions — Lists what is excluded, explicitly (weight 3). A quote listing nothing as excluded has not thought about the boundaries of the job, which means you will discover them together, later.
12. pricing-basis — States whether the price is fixed, time-based, or unit-rate (weight 2). A time-based quote and a fixed quote allocate risk differently. Comparing them without knowing which is which compares nothing.
13. mobilisation — States mobilisation and any minimum charge (weight 1). Mobilisation is largely fixed and dominates small jobs. It also explains a price gap between a local contractor and a distant one.
14. change-orders — States the change-order process in writing (weight 2). Rock, wet ground, and denser vegetation than described are all normal. Without terms, the quoted price is provisional in a way you cannot see.
15. weather-terms — Says what happens if the ground is unworkable on the scheduled day (weight 1). Clearing is outdoor work on ground nobody has X-rayed. Someone bears the cost of a wasted mobilisation, and it should be agreed in advance.
16. access-damage — Addresses the condition of gates, drives, and crossings used for access (weight 1). Some damage is unavoidable when heavy machinery uses a residential drive. The time to set expectations is before, not after.
17. insurance — Provides insurer details you can verify independently (weight 3). Certificates are easy to produce and a lapsed policy still has a valid-looking one. Verification means contacting the insurer.
18. payment-terms — States payment terms and any deposit (weight 2). A large payment before any written scope exists is the pattern most associated with money that does not come back.
19. timeline — States a schedule, or a window and what governs it (weight 1). Where clearing sits between other trades, the handover date is what determines whether the site sits bare through a rain event.

What this tool cannot do

• It does not rank contractors. It ranks how completely each quote describes the work.
• It does not judge whether a price is fair. It cannot, and neither can anything else that has not seen your land.
• It does not assess quality, competence, or reliability.
• A complete quote from a poor contractor still scores well. Completeness is a floor, not a recommendation.
• It takes your reading of each quote at face value. If an item is buried in a paragraph and you marked it not stated, that is what it scores.

This tool does not inspect your property and cannot determine whether a site is safe, accessible, buildable, or suitable for any particular machine. It organizes the questions; a qualified professional answers them on site. This site publishes general planning information. It is not legal, engineering, environmental, forestry, or arboricultural advice, and it is not a substitute for a professional assessment of your property. Platform methodology · Claim boundaries