Living-wall bid comparison
Compare two bids against the same wall scope, not just the number on the cover. Record what each supplier includes, what the owner must supply, and what remains unresolved before comparing upfront and annual costs.
Download bid-comparison workbook (.xlsx)Free editable template · No sign-in required · November 11, 2026
Establish the same scope first
- Open Blank Comparison. Record the project, currency, both bid identities, wall area and units. Match the system, planting, initial coverage and performance required.
- Enter each quoted upfront base unchanged and a separate annual service base. Enter a confirmed zero explicitly; leave an unknown price blank.
- For every material row, record the required scope or quantity, status, cost where additional, and evidence or responsible party. Specify visits per year and replacement exclusions, not simply “maintenance included.”
- Resolve delivery, installation, irrigation, drainage, waterproofing, electrical, lighting, access equipment, warranty and owner-supplied work. Confirm equivalent scope only after those interfaces are agreed.
- Compare adjusted upfront and annual totals, then the five-year undiscounted total. The workbook withholds complete totals and cost ranking while material inputs remain unresolved.
Five statuses, different cost consequences
- Included in base bid
- Document coverage; add nothing. Annual rows refer to the annual base, never the upfront base.
- Priced separately
- Add the confirmed incremental cost once to the appropriate upfront or annual total.
- Owner supplied
- Identify the responsible party and add the owner’s confirmed cost. A blank amount remains unresolved.
- Excluded
- Material scope is missing. Obtain a revised bid or assign and price owner-supplied work; do not silently omit it.
- Unknown
- Coverage or price has not been established. Resolve it before identifying a lower-cost complete bid.
The “known additions only” subtotal is not a complete project price. An amount beside an included item is ignored to prevent double counting. Evidence and required scope are still needed for included items.
Illustrative example: the same 200 sq ft scope
Hypothetical USD amounts, not supplier quotes or market rates. Both bids cover the same modular planted assembly, coordinated water and electrical interfaces, lighting and access equipment. Annual care includes 12 visits, replacements, irrigation checks and a utilities allowance. The example assumes tax-inclusive bases and no additional owner work; confirm actual products and terms for your project. Bid A includes installation in its $24,000 upfront base. Bid B quotes $22,500 plus $1,500 for installation.
| Cost (USD) | Bid A | Bid B |
|---|---|---|
| Quoted upfront base | $24,000 | $22,500 |
| Additional installation | Included — no addition | $1,500 |
| Adjusted upfront | $24,000 | $24,000 |
| Annual recurring cost | $2,400 | $2,400 |
| Five-year undiscounted total | $36,000 | $36,000 |
Five-year arithmetic: $24,000 + 5 × $2,400 = $36,000 for each bid. The workbook assumes flat annual costs, no inflation or discounting, no residual value and no benefit offsets. Taxes and owner work belong in the entered scope. These totals are not a lifecycle forecast.
If the owner must provide electrical work but its cost is unknown, select “Owner supplied,” leave the amount blank and record who will obtain the quote. The complete comparison remains “Unresolved”; no cheaper complete bid is identified.
Questions to resolve with the team
- Which cost components need separate quotes? Use the existing cost guide to identify components; obtain current project-specific bids rather than copying general allowances.
- Who coordinates water containment and building fabric? Discuss the interfaces with the responsible consultant; confirm the actual assembly and testing requirements for the selected system.
- Who maintains and replaces the planting? Agree visits, tasks, exclusions, access and remedy responsibility in the service contract.
Carry the resolved scope into Proposal Builder. The comparison workbook does not approve installation details or validate certification.