Proposal A
$28,400600 sq. ft. patio
Demolition included
$1,500 lighting allowance
HOMEOWNER FREE TOOLS / BETA SAMPLE
Understand the proposal.
Before you choose the contractor.
Different prices can hide very different projects. See what’s included, what’s unclear, and what to ask—so you can make your own informed decision.
Explore the sample during beta. Personal proposal uploads and reports are coming later.
Explore LANDOVA’s six-stage process ↓Clarity before commitment
Same project?
Look a little closer.
A few details can change the whole comparison.
Sample scopeProposal AProposal B
Patio area600 sq. ft.480 sq. ft.
DemolitionIncludedExcluded
LightingAllowanceOptional
The lowest number doesn’t always cover the same work.
Fictional example · not a contractor recommendation
Fictional example · not a contractor recommendation
BETA PREVIEW
The sample report is ready to explore. Personalized proposal analysis is coming later. You can try the setup below; no files are uploaded, analyzed, or sent to LANDOVA during this beta.
Explore the report
Three proposals.
A clearer conversation.
Follow a fictional patio, drainage and lighting project to see the report format in action.
ILLUSTRATIVE SAMPLEFictional proposals and prices · not generated from your files
LANDOVA / Proposal Comparison
Your proposal comparison at a glance
Project: backyard patio, drainage & lighting
Documents: Sample Proposals A, B and C. View each source from the comparison below.
Partially comparable. Proposal B covers a smaller patio and excludes demolition. Lighting and permit treatment also differ. The three quoted totals are not a like-for-like price comparison.
This report explains the documents. It does not score contractor workmanship, recommend a winner, or fill missing scope with assumptions.
Start with the differences that matter.
The amount at the bottom of each proposal is only useful when you understand the work behind it.
Proposal B
$25,750480 sq. ft. patio
Demolition excluded
Lighting optional, +$2,400
Proposal C
$31,100600 sq. ft. patio
Demolition included
4 lights + transformer included
- Check the project size.Proposal B includes 120 fewer square feet. Ask for the same layout and dimensions before comparing price.
- Separate included from optional.A carries a lighting allowance; B adds lighting outside its base price; C names a fixture count but not models.
- Close the documentation gaps.Drainage outlets, permit responsibility, final product choices, and warranty exclusions need written clarification.
“Not stated” does not mean “excluded.” It means the supplied document does not answer the question. Ask the contractor to clarify it in writing.
How to read your comparison
Each finding connects what a proposal says, why the difference matters, and what to ask next. In the completed service, findings will link back to the relevant proposal evidence. This preview links to the fictional source excerpts used here.
Side-by-side scope & specifications
Read across each row. A missing detail is a question to resolve, not proof that the work is excluded.
SpecifiedIncludedDetails unclearAllowanceOptionalExcludedOwner responsibilityNot stated
On a smaller screen, scroll the table sideways. Source links open the fictional proposal text.
| Scope item | Proposal A | Proposal B | Proposal C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patio area | 600 sq. ft. Specified | 480 sq. ft. Specified | 600 sq. ft. Specified |
| Paver specification | Concrete pavers; product and color to be selected. Details unclear | Concrete pavers; product to be selected. Details unclear | 60 mm concrete pavers; final product and color pending approval. Details unclear |
| Aggregate base | 4-inch compacted base. Specified | Base depth not specified. Not stated | 6-inch compacted base. Specified |
| Demolition & debris | Existing patio removal and debris disposal. Included | Existing surface removal by owner. Excluded | Existing patio removal and debris disposal. Included |
| Drainage | 2 catch basins; discharge location to be confirmed. Details unclear | No drainage scope described. Not stated | 2 catch basins + 40 linear feet of pipe; final outlet subject to review. Details unclear |
| Lighting | $1,500 lighting allowance in total. Allowance | $2,400 optional lighting package, outside base total. Optional | 4 path lights + transformer; fixture models not listed. Details unclear |
| Permits | Applications and fees by owner. Owner responsibility | Permit responsibility not described. Not stated | $750 permit allowance; responsibility to be confirmed. Allowance |
| Installation warranty | 2 years; exclusions not listed. Details unclear | Material warranty only; installation warranty not stated. Not stated | 1 year; exclusions not listed. Details unclear |
| Payment schedule | 40% / 40% / 20%; milestones described in source. Specified | 50% deposit / balance on completion. Specified | 30% / 40% / 30%; milestones described in source. Specified |
| Timing & validity | Schedule to be agreed; quote validity absent. Not stated | Schedule to be agreed; quote validity absent. Not stated | Schedule to be agreed; quote validity absent. Not stated |
The finished report will also distinguish separate-trade responsibility, conflicting statements, items that cannot be determined, and items that do not apply when the source documents support those labels.
Price, allowances & potential gaps
Quoted totals are shown as written. Allowances already in a total are not added again. No missing-work prices or adjusted “true totals” are invented.
| Price item | Proposal A | Proposal B | Proposal C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quoted base total | $28,400 | $25,750 | $31,100 |
| Allowance in total | $1,500 lighting | None stated | $750 permits |
| Option outside total | None stated | Lighting: +$2,400 | None stated |
| Unpriced / unresolved | Owner permit fees; final lighting selections; drainage outlet | Demolition; drainage; permits; equivalent patio size | Permit allowance adequacy; drainage outlet; final product selections |
| Adjusted equivalent total | Not calculated | Not calculated | Not calculated |
What does an allowance actually cover?
An allowance is a placeholder amount, not a confirmed final selection. Ask what labor, materials, tax, delivery, and installation it includes, and how differences will be priced.
In this sample: A’s $1,500 lighting allowance and C’s $750 permit allowance are already included in their stated totals. Their adequacy cannot be determined from these excerpts.
What changes the price comparison?
B’s smaller area and excluded demolition change its scope. Adding the optional lighting price alone would not make B equivalent to A or C.
Request revised proposals against one agreed design and written scope before drawing a price conclusion.
What about payments and timing?
A: 40% deposit, 40% after base preparation, 20% at completion.
B: 50% deposit, balance at completion.
C: 30% deposit, 40% after base preparation, 30% at completion.
All three leave the schedule to be agreed and omit quote validity. Ask for clear start and completion expectations, payment milestones, change-order procedures, and a price-validity date. This report does not determine whether a contract complies with local requirements.
Turn uncertainty into written answers.
For all three contractors
What the proposals say: Final product selections, drainage details, and scheduling are incomplete.
Why it matters: You may be comparing different materials, responsibilities, or completion expectations.
- Will you revise your proposal to match the same approved layout, patio area, and written scope?
- Which product names, models, quantities, base depths, and installation details are included?
- Who handles permits, drainage discharge, site access, restoration, and any separate trades?
- What is excluded, optional, or covered by an allowance? How will changes be approved and priced?
- What are the start and completion expectations, payment milestones, warranty exclusions, and quote-validity date?
For Proposal A: define the allowances and responsibilities
What it says: $1,500 lighting allowance; permits by owner; drainage outlet to be confirmed.
Why it matters: The final lighting scope and outside costs are not settled.
- What fixtures, transformer, wiring, installation, and tax does the $1,500 allowance cover?
- Which permit tasks and costs would I be responsible for?
- Where will the catch basins discharge, and is all required piping included?
For Proposal B: bring the scope into alignment
What it says: 480 sq. ft.; demolition excluded; lighting optional; drainage not stated.
Why it matters: Its base price covers a different project.
- Will you price the same 600 sq. ft. layout with demolition and debris removal included?
- What base depth, drainage work, and permit responsibilities are included?
- What fixture count and models are included in the $2,400 lighting option?
- Do you provide an installation warranty separate from the material warranty?
For Proposal C: confirm the remaining selections
What it says: 4 lights, 40 linear feet of pipe, and a $750 permit allowance.
Why it matters: Listed quantities still leave product and responsibility questions.
- Which lighting models and final paver product are included?
- Where will drainage discharge, and how would extra piping be handled?
- Who obtains permits, what does the $750 allowance cover, and how are differences handled?
Before you choose a contractor
Use the comparison to improve the proposals, then make the decision that fits your project.
- Confirm one shared scope. Resolve dimensions, design requirements, quantities, materials, and responsibilities.
- Request written revisions. Have clarifications incorporated into the proposal and eventual contract.
- Check the company independently. Verify applicable licensing, insurance, references, and standing with the relevant sources.
- Review the complete agreement. Understand payments, schedule, warranties, exclusions, change orders, and who is responsible for each trade.
- Choose freely. Seek as many additional proposals as you want. LANDOVA does not select or contract with a builder on your behalf.
No automatic winner. A better-documented proposal is easier to understand; it does not prove better workmanship, a fair market price, or a better contractor.
This is an educational document comparison, not a site inspection, engineering review, price appraisal, legal opinion, or guarantee of construction results. Your construction agreement and project responsibilities remain with you and the contractors you hire.
One clearer view of your options
Built for the whole backyard.
And every trade behind it.
Compare 2–5 proposals for the same project. Understand differences before treating their totals as equivalent.
- Patios & hardscapes
- Landscape & turf
- Pools & spas
- Decks & structures
- Outdoor kitchens & fire
- Drainage & irrigation
- Lighting & utilities
- Fences & gates
- Whole outdoor projects
Preview the future comparison setup
Preview the tool
What would you like to compare?
Try the preparation step. Your entries stay in this tab and are cleared when you reload or leave.
Personalized reports are not available yet. The sample report uses fictional proposals and will not change based on your entries or files. No comparison is created or emailed in this beta.
While we build the analysis, explore what the report is designed to explain ↑
The LANDOVA process / Six stages
Your project. Your pace.
Start with a consultation. Approve each stage, then decide whether to continue. Pay for the next stage only when you’re ready—before that work begins. No obligation to complete every stage.
Six stages, in order. Each stage builds on the one before it. Review and approve, then choose whether to continue.
- 01
Consultation
Share your goals and review your service estimate. Initial virtual consultations are always free. In-home visits are free in our four-county area; travel fees apply elsewhere.
- 02
Site & Scope
We evaluate the site, process drone imagery and prepare your project brief. You approve the scope before layout begins.
- 03
Layout
Decide where everything goes. Approve spacing, scale and function before we develop the details.
- 04
Design & Visualization
Refine materials, finishes and features, then see your approved design through the renderings you choose.
- 05
Estimating
Review a construction cost estimate organized by trade, so you can plan your investment before requesting bids.
- 06Where this tool helps
Controlled Bidding
Invite contractors to price the same defined scope. Compare proposals and choose how to move forward.
Explore the comparison sample ↗
Design now. Build when you’re ready.
Pause between stages and return when the timing is right—even next year.
Proposal Comparison / Stage 06
Understand the bids. Make your own decision.
Proposal Comparison is designed to support Controlled Bidding by showing how proposals align with the defined scope, where they differ, and what needs clarification. You choose the contractor and may seek as many additional proposals as you like.
Read how controlled bidding keeps your design, scope and contractor questions together .
You can also use this free tool with proposals you gather independently. Purchasing LANDOVA design services is not required. The fictional sample is available now; personalized analysis is coming later.
A little clarity, up front
Useful answers.
No pressure to hire.
Can I compare proposals from any contractor?
Yes. The tool is being built for competing proposals from any contractors, across outdoor living trades. A company does not need to be a LANDOVA trade partner.
Will the report tell me which contractor to choose?
No. It will explain what the documents say, identify differences and uncertainties, and help you ask informed questions. You decide who to hire and may seek as many proposals as you like.
What if a proposal leaves something out?
Missing wording will be labeled “not stated” or “unable to determine,” as appropriate. It will not be assumed excluded or included. The report will prompt you to request clarification.
Can I use it for more than pools?
Yes. Proposal Comparison is designed for patios, landscapes, pools, outdoor kitchens, lighting, drainage, structures, and other outdoor living work. Compare proposals for a shared project scope; unrelated scopes will not be treated as equivalent.
Will LANDOVA retain submitted proposals?
Yes. When live submissions open, LANDOVA will retain the original proposals and related comparison records in a private archive. This will preserve your submission and support the comparison service.
Before you submit, you will see a clear notice explaining storage, retention, and any proposed use of the information for research or service improvement. Your documents will not be made public or shared with competing contractors.
During this beta, nothing is uploaded or retained by LANDOVA. Selecting files only previews their names in your browser.
What works during the beta?
You can explore the complete fictional sample, open its source excerpts, copy the sample questions, and try selecting local files. Your files are not read or uploaded. Personalized analysis, report generation, and email delivery will be developed later.
Your preview entries are temporary. The sample is never added to your personal outdoor project plan.
Is this free for homeowners?
Yes. Proposal Comparison is part of LANDOVA’s Homeowner Free Tools. The beta sample is available now; personal proposal reports are coming later.
Your project. Your decision.
A clearer scope starts
with a clearer plan.
Bring your outdoor ideas together before you ask contractors to price them. LANDOVA’s free tools help you build the same starting point for every conversation.
The sample comparison stays separate from your saved project ideas.
