Two quotes are only comparable when they cover the same work. Learn how to price exclusions, assign responsibilities and align the work schedule with payments.
Two contractors visit the same premises and submit two quotes. The first offers a lower price but only allows for sockets behind the counter. The second includes connecting the equipment and getting it ready to use. If you compare the headline totals alone, you may pick the cheaper-looking offer and then have to pay someone else to make the shop operational.
For your brand’s first premises in Morocco, the question is: how much will you have to commit, to whom and when, to run the shop as planned? Here is a way to make two quotes comparable and find the items that still have no price before you commit.
Start with how the shop will operate, not a list of finishes
Describe a working day: receiving goods, putting them away, preparing for service, serving customers, cleaning and closing. Turn those steps into observable requirements. Where will deliveries come in? Where will each piece of equipment connect? Will the counter need to move, or will staff need to reach equipment without emptying a cabinet? If you are still considering two addresses, start by comparing the locations in person. Getting three prices will not solve a problem that makes the planned use impossible.
Give each contractor the same brief: a dated plan, measurements, relevant photographs, an equipment list with known requirements and your proposed opening date. Ask them to separate what they have observed from what they still need to measure, and flag anything that needs a check by a suitably qualified professional. If an item of equipment is not yet chosen, record the assumption and when it must be confirmed. A quote is not a technical sign-off on the premises.
Compare the scope line by line
Separate supply, installation and testing
For each work package, record quantities, units, the finish and what the contractor will actually deliver. A line for a counter may mean the unit alone, or it may include delivery, installation and cable access. Lighting can mean wiring points without the light fittings. Ask for supply, delivery, installation, connection and testing to be stated separately when different people will do the work.
Give every exclusion an owner
Mark each item in your comparison as included, excluded but priced elsewhere, or unpriced. For an excluded item, record who will handle it, when and at what estimated cost. For an unpriced item, write down the question that needs an answer. For instance, will the delivery team carry the units all the way to the stockroom? A blank cell does not mean zero cost. If it could block opening, get a written answer before ranking the offers.
Fictional example: the cheaper quote changes places
An accessories brand is preparing its first shop. The numbers below are invented and shown on the same price basis. They are not Moroccan market prices or estimates for your project. The extra work has been priced separately against an equivalent scope.
- Quote A: MAD 68,000 on the quote, plus MAD 7,500 for connections, MAD 4,500 for light fittings and installation, and MAD 3,000 for moving and delivering the furniture. Comparable total: MAD 83,000.
- Quote B: MAD 77,000 including connections, lighting and delivery, plus MAD 2,000 for carrying the units into the stockroom. Comparable total: MAD 79,000.
A looks MAD 9,000 cheaper at first. Once the scope is equivalent, it costs MAD 4,000 more. That does not automatically make B the better choice. If its electrician comes after the furniture goes in and has to dismantle the counter to reach the cables, the sequence still needs fixing. Confirm the same deliverable, scope and price basis, including how each quote treats taxes, before you compare.
Keep two timelines: work and payments
Identify steps that other tasks depend on: getting access, taking final measurements, ordering furniture, wiring before the walls are closed, then installation and testing. Record who must confirm each date. Ask the contractor to distinguish when its own work finishes from when all essential packages can be used together. A delivered unit may not be installed yet, and installed equipment may not be ready to operate.
On a second timeline, schedule the deposit, interim payments and balance according to the written terms. Add the payments to other contractors and check the impact on your 13-week cash flow forecast. Keep unpriced risks on a separate list and assign someone to investigate each one. A contingency allowance is not a substitute for a quote for an essential connection.
Five checks before accepting a quote
- Both contractors have used the same version of the plan and scope.
- Each essential exclusion has an owner and either a confirmed price or a specific question to resolve.
- Manufacturing, delivery and installation dates can work together without a known conflict.
- Payment dates match the written terms and are in your cash flow forecast.
- You know what will be tested at the end, who will attend and how issues will be recorded for correction.
Plan a few practical tests: open a cabinet with the equipment in place, light the display area, and carry a delivery through the intended door. Record any checks essential to operations in your operations documentation so you do not have to start from scratch at the next outlet.
Frequently asked questions
Is a price per square metre enough to decide?
It can help rule out an option that is clearly outside your budget. It cannot tell you what is included, or whether the building services and fittings will meet your operating needs. Ask for quantities and a detailed scope for the actual premises.
What if neither quote fits the budget?
Defer anything that is not essential to operations or the customer promise, then ask both contractors to price the same reduced scope. If essentials still exceed the budget, revisit the premises or the format instead of removing known costs. Maroc Franchise Value supports concept planning and development; the work estimates and technical checks should come from the relevant professionals.