Do not compare the headline unit price
Two quotations can use the same product name while covering different steel members, panel skins, insulation, floor build-ups, electrical scope, bathrooms, accessories, packaging and site work. The lowest unit price may simply contain the most exclusions.
Normalize the building specification
Create one comparison schedule covering external and internal dimensions, structural members, coatings, wall and roof build-ups, floor layers, doors, windows, services and finishes. Each supplier should respond against the same schedule and identify deviations.
Separate the six cost layers
| Factory building | Structure, enclosure, openings, finishes and selected factory work. |
|---|---|
| Options | Bathrooms, HVAC, furniture, upgraded materials and accessories. |
| Packing and inland logistics | Factory loading, packages, local movement and export handling. |
| International freight | Freight basis, insurance, port and destination charges. |
| Site work | Foundations, unloading, lifting, labor, utilities and external works. |
| Compliance and contingency | Local professional review, permits, inspections and unpriced risk. |
Check the documentation
Ask for the applicable drawing, specification, component list, material information, inspection plan, packing list and installation documents. A report for one wall component should not be presented as proof that every complete building configuration is certified.
Confirm responsibilities
Write down who handles site survey, foundations, freight, customs, unloading, cranes, assembly, utility connection, commissioning and local approvals. Mark anything unpriced as an allowance—not zero.