How to Compare Interior Fit-Out Quotations in Kenya

Two interior fit-out quotations can describe the same room and still price very different work. One may include services coordination and furniture; another may cover only finishes. One may name a material precisely while another allows a sum for a later choice. Before comparing totals, establish what each proposal actually includes and what would remain your responsibility.

The aim is not to find the longest quotation. It is to make the scope, assumptions and commercial terms understandable enough to support a decision. This guide offers practical questions rather than market prices, tax advice or a prescribed form of contract.

Give every company the same starting scope

Prepare a common brief, drawings where available and a list of required items. Include the premises, intended use, client-supplied equipment and the target programme. If a quotation is based on a site visit, ask what conditions were observed and which assumptions still require confirmation.

Create a simple comparison schedule with one row per work package. Typical headings might include partitions, ceilings, flooring, painting, joinery, lighting, service alterations and loose furniture. Mark each package as included, excluded or awaiting clarification. Do not assume an item is included merely because it appears in a reference image.

Check quantities and specifications

Look for measurable descriptions: area, length, number of units or a clearly described lump-sum scope. Ask how quantities were established and whether they will be checked before an order or installation. A unit rate is not useful if the quantities or the method of measuring differ between proposals.

Specifications should explain the proposed material or system sufficiently to compare it. Thickness, finish, construction details, fittings and installation method can all change the result. Ask for a reference detail or sample where words leave uncertainty. Record answers in writing so revised quotations can be compared against the same information.

Separate quality choices from genuine alternatives

A lower-cost alternative can be appropriate, but understand what changes. Ask about appearance, suitability for the intended use, moisture exposure, maintenance and availability as confirmed by the supplier. Avoid treating all products with the same broad name as interchangeable.

For joinery, compare the cabinet construction, edge treatment, hardware and finish rather than only the visible colour. For floors and walls, ask what preparation and supporting layers are included. If alternatives are offered, keep the original specification and the proposed substitution side by side. This makes the trade-off visible instead of hiding it in a revised total.

Read exclusions and provisional sums carefully

An exclusion is a task or item outside the quoted scope. A provisional sum or allowance may represent work that cannot yet be defined or a selection still to be made. Ask what each allowance covers, how its final value will be established and what happens if the agreed selection exceeds it.

List likely interfaces: landlord charges, IT, appliances, specialist equipment, signage, design work, transport, protection or disposal where relevant. Their treatment will differ between projects. Ask who coordinates excluded work with the contractor’s programme. An exclusion can be manageable when responsibility is clear; it becomes a problem when nobody has planned for it.

Compare VAT treatment as stated

Check whether each quotation states that VAT is included, excluded or to be added. If it is unclear, ask the issuing company for a clarified total and the basis used. Compare like-for-like totals rather than placing a tax-inclusive amount beside an amount with tax excluded.

Do not infer a tax rate or a company’s tax position from the appearance of a document. Where you need accounting or tax advice, consult the appropriate adviser. The practical goal at quotation stage is to understand what the supplier says is payable and to keep that treatment visible in your comparison.

Examine programme assumptions

Ask what the proposed duration starts from: appointment, access to site, approved drawings, deposit or material delivery. Identify lead-time assumptions and the client decisions needed to maintain the programme. Clarify whether work can happen during normal building hours or requires restricted access.

A shorter duration may exclude procurement or approvals rather than represent a faster complete project. Request a sequence that includes coordination, fabrication, installation, testing and snagging. If the date is critical, ask what happens when access, information or a client-supplied item is delayed. Our office briefing guide can help you assemble these inputs.

Understand payment stages and variations

Review each payment milestone and what it relates to. Ask which amounts are linked to orders, materials, work completed or handover, and how progress will be documented. Avoid comparing only the initial payment while overlooking later commitments.

Discuss how changes will be instructed and priced. Agree who can approve a variation and how its effect on cost and time will be recorded before work proceeds. If a quotation contains assumptions about site conditions, ask how departures will be assessed. Clear records help both parties distinguish a new request from work already included in the original scope.

Define handover and close-out

Ask what inspections, testing, cleaning and documentation are included. Establish how incomplete or defective items are recorded and the process for addressing them. Where warranties or product information are offered, ask for their actual terms; do not assume every contractor provides the same cover.

Consider who will explain installed equipment and what drawings or schedules you need for maintenance. Handover should reflect the scope you are buying, not a generic list copied from another project.

A useful comparison checklist

• Common scope and current drawing revision.
• Quantities, materials, hardware and installation details.
• Exclusions, allowances and coordination responsibilities.
• VAT treatment and comparable stated totals.
• Programme start point, access and decision assumptions.
• Payment milestones and variation approval process.
• Testing, snagging and handover inclusions.

Send unresolved questions back to each company and compare the clarified proposals, not your assumptions. When ready to discuss a defined scope, browse the interior design and fit-out directory and use the company’s contact options.