Bill of quantities vs estimate: what is the difference and what to give a contractor

Short answer: a bill of quantities answers how much (m² of lawn, meters of paths, number of objects). An estimate answers how much it costs (labor + materials using local prices). At the start, give the contractor the quantity schedules and the plan; the contractor prepares the estimate alone or together with you using their own rates. FormSpace already covers quantity schedules in block 1,7; automatic estimates with regional prices are on the roadmap.

If you do not yet know what belongs in the project package, start with what a landscape project includes.

Why Separate The Terms

The confused request "send us an estimate" often means "send numbers out of thin air without a plan." Without a bill of quantities, an estimate is guesswork. With quantities, the contractor can:

• see the volumes;
• apply their own price list;
• discuss specifics ("you have 48 m of path, not 80").

Comparison

What To Give The Contractor At The Start

1. Boundary and scale (1,2-1,3).
2. Zone scheme (1,5).
3. Working 2D plan with materials (1,6).
4. Quantity schedules for areas and lengths (1,7).
5. Object list (terrace, parking, planting, by name).

Prices in the FormSpace table are not required: a reliable contractor will take the quantities and calculate the cost.

Common Mistakes

• Asking for a "turnkey estimate" from one attractive image without measurements.
• Mixing "lawn 210 m²" and "paver installation 4500 per m²" in one table before confirming the volume.
• Changing the plan after approving the estimate and expecting the same final number.

How To Build A Bill Of Quantities In FormSpace

1. Close the boundary and check the area.
2. Draw zones and the working plan.
3. Open the legend / export (1,7): surface areas and path lengths.
4. Send the PDF/table to the contractor as an attachment to the contract.

More on the stages: sketch, plan, and visualization. On presentation vs plan: beautiful presentation or plan.

FAQ

Can you build from an estimate only, without a plan?

It is risky: "by eye" quantities almost always diverge on site.

Does FormSpace calculate money?

For now, it calculates quantities and composition. Regional prices are planned; until then, the contractor provides the price list.

Does a family need an estimate before choosing a crew?

An order of magnitude is enough: quantities multiplied by approximate rates. The final estimate comes after choosing the contractor.

What if the contractor does not accept a "browser bill of quantities"?

Give them the same package: plan + m²/m table. If PDF/Excel is more familiar, export it and attach it.

Bottom Line

A bill of quantities is the language of meters. An estimate is the language of money. First measure in FormSpace (1,6-1,7), then price with the contractor. Next in the funnel: designer and visualizer in one project or draw your plot in one evening.