How to describe a job so tradespeople can quote accurately

The single biggest reason trade quotes come back wildly different — or change on the day — isn't dishonesty. It's a vague job description. A tradesperson who can't see the job properly has to price in uncertainty, and that uncertainty always rounds up. The fix is in your hands, and it takes five minutes.

Photos beat paragraphs

Three or four clear photos tell a plumber, electrician or builder more than a page of text. Show the whole area and a close-up of the problem. For a leak, show the pipe and the ceiling below it. For a socket, show the wall and the fuse board. Good light, no clutter.

A short video is even better

A ten-second clip of a running overflow, a tripping switch or a door that won't close lets a trade diagnose before they arrive — which is exactly the moment vague jobs turn into "we'll have to see when we get there" pricing. Describe what happens and when.

Give the boring details

Access (stairs, parking, is someone home?), age of the property, what you've already tried, and your rough timeframe all change the price. So does whether you want a quick fix or a proper job — say which. The more a trade knows, the tighter and more honest the number.

Ask for a like-for-like quote

If you're comparing, make sure everyone is quoting the same scope — same materials, same making-good, same guarantee. Two quotes that look £200 apart are often just quoting different jobs.

Describe it once, compare fairly

On BidsAndMore you write the job up once — with photos — and several local trades quote against the exact same description. That's the whole point: when everyone sees the same job, the prices you get back are actually comparable, and the fair one is obvious.