What's the difference between a Beams estimate and a builder quote?

An estimate and a quote are different things, and the difference matters. The estimate is our view of what your project might cost. The quote is your builder's binding price for the work. The estimate gets you started; the quote is the number you decide on.

What the estimate is

When you first describe your project to us — through the questionnaire, on the planning call, or in the dashboard — we'll give you an estimate. It's a best view of what a project of your shape and scope tends to cost in your area.

The estimate is helpful for working out whether the project is in the right ballpark for your budget. It's not a binding number, and it's not the price you'll end up paying.

A few things shape why the estimate is approximate:

We haven't been to your home yet. Site conditions can change a number materially.
Some items are provisional — they're included as a placeholder amount until the builder has seen them.
Some items aren't yet known. Specific finishes, fittings, and materials choices typically come later.

If your estimate feels low, the most common reason is that something material — rewiring, replumbing, structural work — wasn't apparent at the planning stage. The estimate isn't a promise; it's a starting point.

What the quote is

A quote is your builder's binding price for the work. It comes from a builder who has visited your home, taken measurements, looked at the structural reality, and seen what's actually there. It's based on the scope of work you and the builder have agreed.

You'll typically receive up to three quotes from different builders. They sit side by side on your dashboard, and you choose which one to work with. You're under no obligation to accept any of them.

When you accept a quote and pay the build deposit, that price is the price. The final build cost can still change after that — for example if the design firms up after the quote was submitted, or if something on site needs a different approach mid-build. Those changes go through formal processes, so you stay in control: the article How quotes change after design is locked covers the post-quote, pre-build update; What is a change order covers the mid-build process. Each change is priced, scoped, and signed off by you before it happens.

Why the two numbers differ

The estimate and the quote often differ. Sometimes the quote is higher because something material was missed at the planning stage. Sometimes it's higher because the builder is pricing in a buffer for risk. Sometimes it's lower, because the home is in better shape than expected or the scope has narrowed.

A meaningful difference is normal. A very large difference is a flag — it usually means the estimate was missing something, the quote is pricing in caution, or the scope has shifted between the two. Your build advisor or planner can walk you through what's driving it.

Why we do it this way

The estimate exists so you can make a yes-or-no decision about whether to keep going at all. We could refuse to give you any number until a builder has visited, but that would mean every customer has to commit to site visits before they know whether the project is even close to their budget. We don't think that's a fair shape of the conversation.

The trade-off is that early numbers are imprecise. We're up-front about that.

What this means for you

Treat the estimate as a starting point, not a budget. Use it to decide whether the project is feasible, then refine it through the design phase and the site visits. The number to plan against is the builder's quote, after the site visit.

If the quote comes back materially higher than the estimate, talk to your build advisor or planner. There's almost always something to unpack.

How we work out your initial estimate
How to get builder quotes
How quotes change after design is locked
What is a change order