Most renovation quotations in Malaysia are one page with a dozen lines and a total. That format hides everything that matters. Here is what to look for and what to ask for instead.

## The lines that mean nothing

"Kitchen cabinet — RM45,000." No carcass material, no board thickness, no hardware brand, no dimensions, no worktop specification. This line can be honoured with a product worth a third of the price.

"Electrical works — RM18,000." How many points? New distribution board or reuse? Rewiring or extending? Who certifies it?

"Hacking and disposal — provisional." Provisional means unpriced. Anything provisional is a number that will grow.

"Miscellaneous / general works." A contingency the contractor controls and you pay for.

## What a proper quotation contains

- Quantities with units: square metres of tiling, linear metres of cabinet, number of power points
- Materials named by brand and model, or a stated supply allowance per item
- Labour and material separated — which also determines the taxable value on non-residential work under the service tax rules
- Exclusions listed explicitly
- Payment schedule tied to milestones
- Validity period for the price
- Company registration and CIDB details on the letterhead

## The comparison trap

When three quotations arrive at different totals, the instinct is to look at the bottom line. Look at the exclusions instead. The cheapest quote usually excludes hacking, disposal, making good, scaffolding or air-conditioning — items that reappear later as variations at a price you can no longer negotiate, because the walls are already open.

## Ask for the exclusions in writing

A single email: "Please confirm in writing what is excluded from this quotation." The quality of the reply tells you more about the contractor than the price does. Vagueness at this stage becomes vagueness on site.

## One more check

Confirm whether the quoted total is inclusive or exclusive of service tax, and on what basis. For residential work the construction works exclusion generally applies; for commercial work the 6% does. A quotation that is silent on tax is a quotation that will surprise you at the first claim.

## Talk to CRITANS — Free Preliminary Consultation

CRITANS Building Services is a CIDB-registered general contractor (0120231107-SL127438) based in Ampang, Selangor, serving Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley. We handle residential, commercial, retail, hospitality, industrial and educational projects end to end.

Send us your floor plan, photos or a rough idea and we will come back with a realistic scope and budget. Consultation is completely free.

WhatsApp us now: +6016-610 4189

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