Crawl Space Proposal Comparison Worksheet
Put two written scopes beside the same property observations. This factor-only worksheet helps you ask clearer questions before comparing a total.
Compare the work against the condition, not the label
One proposal may use a broad term such as encapsulation, waterproofing, repair, or drainage while another lists each component. That does not make either scope right or wrong. It means the descriptions need to be normalized before the totals can be compared fairly.
Start with the evidence: what was observed, when it happens, what was accessible, and what remains uncertain. Then ask each company to connect its recommendation to that evidence. A new liner does not explain a water path. A pump does not describe how water reaches the basin. Repairing a material does not establish what caused the damage.
Use this page privately. It does not submit, save, or send your notes anywhere. When you are finished, print it or save a PDF from your browser and keep it with the proposals, photographs, and inspection checklist.
What should a clear crawl space scope show?
A useful scope makes the sequence visible. It identifies active water or moisture conditions, explains preparation and access, states coverage boundaries, names equipment and drainage paths, separates moisture work from repair, and records what is excluded or requires another qualified trade.
The comparison library separates common choices that sound interchangeable. The cost-factor center explains why scope variables change a proposal without publishing a remote price. Use both as context, then ask the inspector to confirm what is actually visible at your property.
If water, power, sewage, exposed wiring, animals, unstable access, or structural movement makes the crawl space unsafe, do not enter to complete a worksheet. Record only safe observations from the access opening and explain those limits during the inspection.
Mark the details you can verify in each proposal
Check the items a written scope addresses, then use the notes area for the exact wording, missing detail, or question to ask. A checked box means the scope mentions the item, not that the condition has been independently confirmed.
Questions that make a proposal easier to understand
Ask what condition each line item addresses, which observations support it, what must happen first, and what would be visible when the work is complete. Ask how water is collected and discharged, where equipment will sit, how it will be powered and serviced, what access remains, and how maintenance is handed off.
For repairs, ask what component is affected, what condition was observed, what source-control work is separate, and whether another qualified trade must review the condition. For cleaning or insulation, ask how the underlying moisture condition is being addressed before material is replaced.
What should stay with the final worksheet?
Keep the dated proposals, inspection reports, safe photographs, equipment information, change records, and any relevant authority or trade notes together. If a recommendation changes after an additional observation, record what changed and why instead of relying on memory.
For a water or humidity concern, add entries from the moisture observation log. That timing information can help an inspector distinguish a rain-linked pattern, a mechanical or plumbing clue, and a condition that needs more evidence before a scope is finalized.
Proposal Comparison Worksheet Questions
Does this worksheet create a quote?
No. It is a private planning worksheet, not a price calculator or remote diagnosis. Use it to compare written scopes and bring questions to a property-specific inspection.
What should I compare before comparing totals?
Compare the observed condition, preparation, water management, ground coverage, walls and piers, openings, equipment, drains, insulation, repairs, access, exclusions, documentation, and change process. Two proposals with the same label may cover different work.
Should I choose the proposal with the most line items?
Not automatically. A useful scope connects every line item to an observed condition and states what is included and excluded. Ask why each item is needed, what comes first, and what evidence would change the recommendation.
Can I save the information entered here?
This page does not send or store what you enter. Use Print or Save as PDF from your browser if you want a copy, then keep it with the written proposals and inspection notes.
When should I request clarification?
Request clarification when a proposal uses a broad label without coverage details, does not explain a water path or discharge route, leaves equipment or access undefined, combines repairs with moisture correction, or does not state exclusions and concealed-condition procedures.
Want to Review a Crawl Space Scope in Person?
Schedule a free inspection and bring the proposals, photographs, and questions you have organized.