Put the same job and the same costs in every column before choosing the lowest quote. A low headline price can look different once required delivery, disposal or installation appears.
This example compares three fictional one-time furniture assembly quotes. It is a spreadsheet exercise, not a price guide. Keep all offers in one currency and compare identical work.
1. Match the scope before the numbers
Write one sentence describing the job: “Assemble the same two flat-pack cabinets in the same room, with packaging removal, during standard hours.” Then record what each provider includes and excludes.
A quote for assembly only is not equivalent to one including delivery and removal. If the provider has not priced a required item, write Not confirmed in your notes. Do not silently turn an unknown into zero.
Also record the quote date, expiration, payment schedule, cancellation terms and any stated limits. A deposit generally changes when you pay; do not add it again to a total that already includes it.
2. Copy this layout into a blank sheet
Use column A for the cost item and columns B, C and D for Quotes A, B and C. Enter the following numeric values without typing a currency symbol into each cell, then apply your chosen currency format.
| Row / item | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 — Base price | 240 | 285 | 260 |
| 3 — Required travel | 35 | 0 | 20 |
| 4 — Packaging removal | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 — Other mandatory fees | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 6 — Confirmed discount | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 7 — Total before tax | 305 | 275 | 295 |
In this fictional example, zero means the provider explicitly confirmed no additional charge for that line. It never means “I could not find the fee.” Keep optional upgrades in a separate section so they do not distort the required comparison.
3. Add the formula and verify it once by hand
In cell B7 enter =SUM(B2:B5)-B6. Copy it across to C7 and D7. The SUM function adds the range, then the formula subtracts the confirmed discount. The same formula works in Google Sheets and Excel.
Check B7 manually: 240 + 35 + 30 + 0 − 0 = 305. C7 should be 275 and D7 295. Quote A started with the lowest base price but finishes highest before tax.
If a total looks wrong, check for numbers stored as text, an omitted row or a discount entered with a minus sign and then subtracted again. In this layout enter the discount as a positive number.
4. Handle tax and uncertain charges separately
Add row 8 for the confirmed tax amount and row 9 for the final total, using =B7+B8 in B9 and copying across. If tax is already included in the quoted price, do not add it twice. Ask the provider how tax applies to that particular offer.
Until every required charge is confirmed, label the result Known subtotal — incomplete, rather than “final total.” A spreadsheet formula cannot detect a fee that nobody entered.
For a variable charge, record the quoted rule as well as the number: for example, a fictional provider might charge 25 per extra half-hour. Show a separate scenario with two extra units adding 50. Do not mix that possible cost into the confirmed total without labeling the assumption.
5. Ask the same questions of all three providers
- Does this cover the exact job and location described above?
- Which fees are mandatory, and is tax included?
- What triggers an additional charge?
- Is the price fixed, estimated or dependent on a site visit?
- How long is the quote valid, and what is the payment schedule?
Save the written answers with the quote. Then compare availability, scope, warranty and terms alongside the final amount. The cheapest complete offer may be worth considering, but a low number alone does not establish that the service fits your needs.
For organizing follow-up calls and deadlines, see our worked weekly planning example.
Formula references
Verified October 27, 2026: Google Sheets SUM and Microsoft Excel SUM. All quote amounts here are invented solely to demonstrate the arithmetic.
Images are AI-generated illustrations, not screenshots, product tests or evidence of a real customer quote.