Lindsley Excavating / Compare the scope behind the price.
Two sitework proposals can cover different work even when they reference the same project. Before selecting a contractor, put the quantities, material responsibilities and finish conditions beside the price. This checklist helps owners and general contractors ask for a comparable offer.
Give every bidder the same drawings, specifications, addenda and scope letter. Record the revision date beside each proposal. A bid based on a preliminary grading plan may include different excavation or aggregate quantities from a bid based on the issued construction set. Ask for an updated proposal when the documents change; do not assume an earlier lump sum covers later revisions.
Excavating soil, stockpiling it on site and trucking it to an approved destination are separate activities. Ask which are included and in what quantities. Apply the same check to imported fill, stone and topsoil: purchase, delivery, placement, grading and compaction should have clear responsibilities. Owner-supplied aggregate may still require equipment and labor to move it from a stockpile to the work area.
An allowance is an amount set aside for work that has not been fully defined. Ask what quantity or condition it assumes, how actual work will be measured and how changes will be authorized. Where suitable, request unit prices for additional excavation, hauling or aggregate. A low allowance does not mean the underlying work will cost less. Compare the assumed quantity as well as the unit rate.
A separate price for asphalt surfacing, a later construction phase or a defined owner-supplied material can help fit the project to a budget. Keep the base bid intact so the effect of each alternate is visible. Changes to pavement sections, drainage or structural fill should go back to the project designer where design approval is needed. Avoid comparing an approved section with an unapproved thinner section as if they were the same product.
Confirm survey and layout, utility connections, testing, permits, temporary access, pavement striping and final restoration. Lindsley’s normal sitework pricing excludes new concrete and landscaping unless expressly included; topsoil can remain part of the agreed scope. The written proposal controls. Ask each contractor to identify exclusions rather than treating a broad phrase such as complete sitework as a promise to perform every trade.
Ask what must be ready before mobilization, which areas can remain open and how repeat visits are handled. A price based on uninterrupted access may differ from work split around tenants, deliveries or another contractor. Confirm the anticipated duration, start-date conditions and proposal validity before awarding. Send Lindsley the scope you need and any required alternates for a proposal review.
| Item | Compare in each proposal |
|---|---|
| Documents | Drawing date, specifications and all addenda |
| Earthwork | Quantity, measurement units and soil assumptions |
| Hauling | Loading, destination, disposal fees and haul responsibility |
| Materials | Supply, delivery, installation and specified section |
| Unknown conditions | Allowances, unit rates and authorization process |
| Completion | Surface restoration, access, phasing and exclusions |
Central New York and regional project inquiries are reviewed for scope, travel and scheduling. These are service areas; our business address is in Fulton, and this is not a separate branch office.
Send the location, drawings, scope and target dates to Shawn. Pricing and availability are confirmed after project review.