A building materials request for quotation, or RFQ, should let every supplier price the same scope. For a US construction or renovation project, that means connecting your drawings to a clear product list, quantities, specification decisions and delivery requirements.
You do not need a finished presentation to start. You do need to distinguish confirmed information from estimates. This checklist helps contractors, dealers and project buyers prepare a useful first inquiry and compare the quotations that come back.
Quick start: send one project brief, one item list and one current drawing set. Keep unknowns marked “to confirm,” and ask each supplier to return the same item IDs with inclusions, exclusions and alternatives separated. The examples below show how to do that.
Start with one short project brief
Put the project context at the front of your inquiry. A supplier should be able to understand what you are buying before opening a collection of drawings.
- Project and location: project name or reference, city and state, and whether the order is for one property, multiple units or dealer stock.
- Buyer and contact: company, your role, and the person who will answer specification questions.
- Scope: the product categories you want included, plus any categories purchased elsewhere.
- Stage: early budgeting, design coordination, quote comparison or final order preparation.
- Timing: target site dates and any intended delivery phases. Ask the supplier to confirm a feasible schedule after reviewing the scope.
- Delivery basis: the destination and the point to which you want the supplier to quote. Identify who will confirm freight, import arrangements and onward delivery.
State the currency you want used. If you provide a budget, explain whether it is a product budget or includes packing and transport. Those are different comparison bases.
Build a product list that can be checked against the drawings
A bill of quantities, often shortened to BOQ, is a structured list of items and quantities. It is useful even when you are buying only two or three categories. Keep the same item reference in the BOQ, drawing and quotation.
Swipe or scroll horizontally to read the full table.
| Information | What to include | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Item reference | Opening, room or product code | Connects the price to the correct location |
| Description | Product category, intended use and selected reference | Separates similar-looking items |
| Quantity and unit | Number of sets, pieces or area, as applicable | Prevents unlike units being compared |
| Size basis | Dimensions, units and what was measured | Distinguishes an opening from a finished product |
| Specification | Material, finish and required components | Makes the proposed construction reviewable |
| Drawing reference | Sheet number, detail and revision | Shows which design the quote follows |
| Open decision | What is still to be selected or confirmed | Keeps assumptions visible |
For doors and windows, use opening IDs rather than relying only on room names. Two windows in one room may have different operation, glazing or dimensions. For repeating apartment or hotel layouts, show both the quantity per layout and the number of layouts.
What a filled RFQ row looks like
This fictional row is for a budget inquiry. Its rough-opening dimensions are not approved door or frame sizes.
Swipe or scroll horizontally to read the full table.
| Field | Example entry |
|---|---|
| Item and quantity | D-04 / Bedroom 2 / 1 door assembly |
| Dimensions | 38 in wide × 86 in high; estimated rough opening |
| Base scope | Interior door leaf, frame, trim and privacy hardware set H-02 |
| Finish and drawing | Painted white; sample reference W1 pending; sheet A-601, revision B |
| Open decisions | Final site dimensions, frame detail, core construction and hardware models |
| Supplier response requested | Price the base scope; list proposed construction and all exceptions against D-04 |
“One door” would leave the frame, hardware and measurement basis unclear. This row gives the supplier something specific to return, without turning unresolved choices into approvals.
Send a controlled drawing and reference package
Choose one drawing revision for the inquiry. Put its date or revision code in the file name and in your message. If an older drawing is included for background, label it as reference only.
Photographs and catalog images are useful for appearance. Add a note describing what you want to match: color, panel pattern, handle style or overall proportion. An image does not confirm the underlying material, exact dimensions or a performance rating.
A practical attachment pack may contain:
- The short project brief and product list.
- Plans, elevations or opening schedules relevant to the requested products.
- Finish references labeled with the matching item codes.
- Project specifications and any required supporting documents.
- A list of unresolved questions, kept separate from approved selections.
Keep a copy of the exact package you sent. When a revision changes quantities or specifications, issue a replacement list and identify the changed rows.
Separate requirements from acceptable alternatives
Tell the supplier which items are fixed and where alternatives are welcome. Otherwise, a lower total may simply reflect a different product.
For example, you might require a particular opening arrangement while being open to two finish options. Ask for the base quotation first, with alternatives listed separately. Each alternative should explain what changed and which item references it affects.
If your project specifies fire, acoustic, energy or other performance criteria, include those requirements before quotation. Ask for documents for the proposed configuration. Do not treat a category name, photograph or general brochure statement as proof for a particular assembly.
Ask for the quotation scope to be itemized
Review the price together with its inclusions. Request a clear statement of what the supplier has allowed for and what remains outside the quotation.
- Product quantities and the unit used for pricing.
- Material, finish, dimensions and specification references.
- Frames, glass, hardware, fittings and accessories included in each item.
- Any separate design, sample or preparation charges.
- Packing scope and how products will be identified.
- Freight or delivery scope, exclusions and assumptions.
- Payment terms, quote validity and the approvals needed before production.
- Proposed timing and which unresolved decisions could change it.
Use the same scope when comparing suppliers. A supply-only figure is not directly comparable with a figure that includes additional components or delivery services.
Compare quotations on the same cost basis
Illustrative arithmetic only: the amounts below are invented, not HARDWORKING prices or industry price benchmarks. Assume both options will supply 10 doors to the same approved specification; the exercise isolates missing components.
Swipe or scroll horizontally to read the full table.
| Cost item | Quote A | Quote B |
|---|---|---|
| Base quoted products | $2,500 — leaves only | $3,100 — leaves, frames and hardware |
| Matching frames | Add $600 | Included |
| Matching hardware | Add $300 | Included |
| Packing to the same agreed scope | Add $200 | Add $200 |
| Comparable product-and-packing subtotal | $3,600 | $3,300 |
Quote A starts $600 lower but finishes $300 higher after the missing scope is added. Freight, import charges, local delivery and installation are outside both subtotals, so neither number is a landed or installed cost. If an excluded cost is still unknown, mark the comparison incomplete instead of entering zero.
Next check quantities and revisions. A price for one repeated room is not a price for the whole building; a quote against revision A is not automatically updated by emailing revision B. Ask for a corrected return quote with the changed rows identified.
For international delivery, request the agreed trade term, named place or port, and rules version. ICC’s explanation of Incoterms® rules describes how they allocate delivery tasks, costs and risks. Still ask who handles each quoted leg, clearance, unloading and onward transport; “shipping included” alone is not enough to compare offers.
Copy this first-inquiry email
Replace the bracketed fields and attach only the current files.
Subject: RFQ — [project reference] — [categories] — [revision]
We are requesting [budget / firm] pricing for [project type] in [city, state, country]. Please quote in [currency] against the attached item list and drawings, revision [code/date].
Please keep our item IDs. Show quantities, proposed specifications, included components, packing, delivery scope, exclusions and separate alternatives. Identify every assumption and any missing information needed to complete the quote.
Our target site date is [date / phase]. Please state the proposed production and delivery timing, what approvals start the lead time, payment terms and quote validity.
Attachments: [brief], [item list], [drawings], [finish references], [project criteria]. Open decisions: [list]. Specification contact: [name / email].
Use the first inquiry to identify the next decisions
An early inquiry can use approximate sizes and reference images if you label them clearly. Its purpose is to establish a workable direction and identify missing information.
Before production details are approved, the parties need a confirmed product schedule, specifications and order documents. Keep responsibility for site measurements and approvals explicit. A budgeting quote is not a substitute for those checks.
For a door package, continue with our custom entry and interior door buying guide. For glazing and frame decisions, use the window specification and quote guide. Our one-stop building material sourcing service connects these product requirements within a project inquiry.
RFQ questions from project buyers
Can I request a quote without a complete BOQ?
Yes. Start with a category list, approximate quantities, available drawings and the project destination. Mark what is missing so the first discussion can focus on completing the scope.
Should I put every product into one file?
A single index is helpful, but supporting drawings can remain separate. The important part is a consistent item reference and revision across the files.
Can I request more than one material option?
Yes. Identify the preferred base option and request alternatives as separate lines. This keeps the main quotation comparable.
Ready to prepare your inquiry? Use the HARDWORKING project inquiry form to attach your drawings, BOQ or product list. Include the destination, quantities and questions you want the quotation to resolve.
Ready to organize your project requirements?
Share drawings, quantities, room sizes or reference images through the project inquiry form.