How to Bid Your New Build
- Dani
- Nov 7
- 3 min read
Building a home is one of the most exciting ( and overwhelming ) projects you’ll ever take on. Between floor plans, finishes, and all the decisions in between, it’s easy to lose track of costs or forget key details. That’s exactly why I created my free Budget Tracker — to help you organize, plan, and confidently bid out your new build without the stress or guesswork.
*I am not selling this nor making money from this. Just simply providing to help the next on their journey who doesn’t know where to start like we did. It was once our dream too. Why not it be yours?
1. What “Bidding” Really Means
When you’re building a home, “bidding” refers to collecting quotes from different vendors or contractors for each phase of the project. Think of it like shopping for the best combination of price, quality, and trust.
You’ll typically get bids for categories like:
Foundation & framing
Roofing
Windows & doors
Electrical, plumbing, HVAC
Cabinets & countertops
Flooring, paint, and trim
Landscaping and exterior finishes
Each bid should include labor, materials, and time estimates, so you can make an apples-to-apples comparison before committing.
2. Why You Need a System (and Not Just a Pile of Quotes)
If you’re managing your own build or simply want to stay informed, a clear system for tracking bids and budgets is a game changer. Without it, things get overwhelming fast... numbers blur together, contractors make revisions, and before you know it, your “ballpark estimate” has doubled.
A good tracker (like the one we made) helps you:
Keep every bid organized by category
Compare contractor quotes side-by-side
Track deposits, payments, and changes
Forecast total cost before breaking ground
3. How to Use My Free Budget Tracker
Once you access the free tracker from my blog, here’s how to make the most of it:
Start Broad: Fill in your estimated budget for each category (or use averages if you’re early in the process).
Request Bids: Gather 2–3 bids per category. Input them in the tracker and note the scope differences.
Compare & Decide: Look beyond price — pay attention to quality, timelines, and reviews.
Update as You Go: Every time a bid is accepted or changed, log it in the tracker.
Track Actuals: As invoices roll in, enter real numbers so you can see how closely you’re staying to plan.
Square Footage Price: At the bottom of the tracker, you can input your square footage to help gauge your square footage price point.
By the time you’re mid-build, you’ll know exactly where every dollar is going and have fewer financial surprises waiting around the corner.
4. Tips for Collecting Bids (and Avoiding Common Mistakes)
Here are a few things I wish I’d known early on:
Ask for detailed breakdowns. “$15,000 for trim work” means nothing unless it includes materials, labor, and finish details.
Clarify what’s included. Many bids exclude cleanup, hardware, or finishing touches. (We did all the clean up ourselves).
Don’t rush. A low bid might look great until you realize it doesn’t include quality materials or realistic timelines.
Keep everything documented. Email confirmations (or text) are your best friend.
Plan for 10–15% overage. Almost every build runs slightly over budget, so cushion for it from the start.
5. Staying Sane Through the Process
The bidding phase can feel tedious, but remember: this is where you set the tone for your entire project. Getting clear, honest, and well-documented bids now will save you time, money, and stress later. And with a budget tracker doing the heavy lifting, you can spend less time crunching numbers and more time focusing on the fun parts — like designing your dream kitchen or picking the perfect front door color. : )
Building your dream home doesn’t have to mean losing sleep over spreadsheets.
Download my free Budget Tracker, stay organized, and take control of your build with confidence.
Access the FREE budget tracker it here:
(Go to File > "Make A Copy")
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