Why the low number is usually the incomplete one
A drywall bid is a scope document with a price at the bottom. When three numbers come back far apart on identical drawings, the drawings are rarely the problem. One bidder carried the bulkheads, one assumed the ceiling contractor was doing them, and one priced the corridor at a finish level nobody specified.
You cannot level bids you cannot compare, so the first job is to make every bid describe the same building. That is easier when you know which lines are load bearing in a drywall proposal.
The lines that should be in every proposal
A proposal that covers this ground can be levelled in an afternoon. One that does not will cost you a week of emails.
- Drawing list with revision numbers and dates. Without this you cannot tell whether the bid predates the last addendum.
- Addenda acknowledged by number. A bid that does not name them has not carried them.
- Partition types priced, by tag. Every wall type on the schedule, listed. If a type is missing it was not counted.
- Stud gauge, depth and spacing per type. Twenty gauge at 400 on centre is a different price than twenty five gauge at 600.
- Deflection detail at the head of wall. Slip track, deflection clip or nothing at all. This is a real cost and a real code item.
- Finish level by area. Level 4 and Level 5 broken out by room or zone, not one blanket note.
- Insulation scope. Thermal, acoustic, and who supplies it.
- Fire-rated assemblies and firestopping. Which assemblies, whose scope the penetrations are, and whether the rated joints are included.
- Ceilings. Grid, tile, bulkheads and drywall ceilings each named separately.
- Hoisting, access and equipment. Scissor lifts and swing stages for high work.
- Cleanup and disposal. Bin supply and how often.
- Schedule assumptions. Crew size, sequence, and how many mobilizations are carried.
The exclusions that turn into change orders
Exclusions are not a red flag. A bid with no exclusions is the one to worry about, because it means the bidder either did not read the drawings or is planning to argue every one of these later. What matters is whether each exclusion is a deliberate scope split or a hole.
| Excluded item | Typical cost if it lands late | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary heat and hoarding | High in winter | Who is providing heat, and from what date |
| Firestopping at penetrations | Moderate and recurring | Is this the mechanical trades or the drywall scope |
| Backing and blocking for millwork | Moderate | Is in-wall blocking shown, and who locates it |
| Deflection clips at head of wall | High on a tall floor plate | Which partition types need them |
| Patching after other trades | Low each time, high in aggregate | How many return visits are carried |
| Final clean and paint prep | Low | Who dusts before the painter primes |
| Hoisting to upper floors | High on a tight site | Is a crane or hoist window included |
Questions that separate a real bid from a number
You can learn most of what you need from four questions, asked before award rather than after.
- Which partition types did you price, and can you list them by tag. A bidder who can rhyme them off has taken off the drawings. One who cannot has priced by square foot.
- What finish level did you assume where the spec is silent. The answer tells you how much risk is buried in the number.
- How many crew will be on site and for how many weeks. Compare this against your own schedule before you compare prices.
- What is your insurance limit and can I see the certificate. On a commercial site this is a prequalification item, not a formality.
The answers are usually more revealing than the price. A subcontractor who has genuinely taken off your drawings will talk about your building. One who has not will talk in generalities about their experience.
What we put in ours
Our proposals list the drawings and addenda we priced, every partition type by tag with gauge and spacing, finish levels by area, and a plain list of what we carried and what we did not. If a wall type is missing from the drawings we say so in the bid rather than discovering it in the field.
We self perform steel stud framing, boarding, taping and finishing, so the scope splits inside the drywall package are ours to manage instead of yours. Send drawings and we will come back with a number and the assumptions behind it.