Two hardwood flooring quotations arrive for what looks like the same floor. One is noticeably lower. Before that difference means anything, both quotes have to describe the same product, delivered on the same basis. Very often they do not: one quotes a thinner wear layer, another a narrower face width, a third a different grade name or a trade term that leaves out the haulage to port. This article sets out a method for comparing two flooring quotes line by line, so that the price comparison at the end is a fair one. It does not discuss prices; it is about making them comparable.
Start from your own specification
The comparison is only as good as the reference you compare against. Before reading either quote, write down the specification you asked for, line by line, in the same order a factory builds the floor: construction, thickness and wear layer, species and grain, format, width, length, grade, profile, texture, sheen, finish system, color, packing, quantity and delivery. Our RFQ checklist lists each line and what a complete answer looks like.
Then put both quotes into the same table, with your specification in the first column. Every blank, every vague word and every difference becomes visible at once.
The comparison table
| Line | Your specification | Quote A | Quote B | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 2-layer engineered | Solid, 2-layer or 3-layer, and the core type | ||
| Overall thickness | 3/4” (20mm) | Imperial and metric both stated | ||
| Wear layer | 6mm sawn | Thickness and how it is cut | ||
| Species and grain | French White Oak, grain open | Species named, grain stated or left open | ||
| Format | Plank | Plank, herringbone, chevron or parquet | ||
| Face width | 7-1/2” (190mm) | Face width, not overall width | ||
| Length | Random 12” to 86” (300 to 2200mm) | Range, and how the mix is described | ||
| Grade | Natural | Grade name and written definition | ||
| Profile | T&G four sides | Edge detail stated | ||
| Texture and sheen | Medium Wire Brushed, Extra Matte | Both named, not “natural” | ||
| Finish system | Color UV | Clear UV, Color UV, Color and Effect UV or unfinished | ||
| Color | Library code or approved reference | Sample route stated | ||
| Packing | Labeled cartons, palletized | Carton content, labels, pallet build | ||
| Quantity | Sq ft per SKU | Unit of quantity | ||
| Trade term | Named term and place | Term, place and edition |
Fill in the quote columns exactly as each quote is written. Do not complete a blank with what you think the supplier meant. A blank is a question.
Construction, thickness and wear layer
These three lines account for many of the largest price differences, and they are easy to blur.
- Construction. A 3-layer board and a 2-layer board of the same overall thickness are different products with different cores. If a quote says only “engineered”, ask which.
- Overall thickness. Rounding between inches and millimeters can hide a real difference. Ask for both units.
- Wear layer. The oak above the tongue is what can be sanded and refinished over the life of the floor. A quote that gives the overall thickness but not the wear layer has left out the line that most affects long-term value. Also ask how the wear layer is cut. Our wear layer guide explains why both points matter.
Width and length
Width is quoted in two ways in the trade: the face width you see on the floor, and the overall width including the tongue. Both are legitimate, but they are not the same number. Make sure both quotes describe face width, or the floor with the “same” width will cover a different area per board.
For length, a range such as random 12” to 86” (300 to 2200mm) says little about the mix inside that range. A floor with mostly short boards looks and installs differently from one with mostly long boards. If the length mix matters to you, ask each supplier how it is described and controlled. For pattern floors, compare block length and width against your drawing, not against a generic size.
Grade and grain
Grade names are not standardized across suppliers. One supplier’s “Select” may sit close to another’s “Natural”. Ask each supplier for the written definition of the grade quoted: knot size, color variation and filled features. Our definitions are set out in oak flooring grades explained.
Grain is a separate line. If one quote assumes rift and quarter and the other plain sawn, the floors will look different and the material cost will differ, whatever the grade name says.
Finish: four lines, not one
“UV finish, matte” is not enough to compare. A finish is four decisions: finish system, color, texture and sheen. A Clear UV floor and a Color UV floor are different routes. Matte, Extra Matte and Ultra Matte look different on the floor. A Light Wire Brushed surface and a Wire Brushed surface take different work. If either quote combines these into one word, ask for each line separately.
Also ask whether the sample will be made with the intended production finish. A sample finished by a different process is not a fair basis for comparing two suppliers.
Packing and quantity basis
Check how each quote counts the floor:
- Unit. Sq ft of coverage per carton, or a board count? Make sure both quotes use the same unit for the same quantity.
- Carton and pallet. Is the price for labeled cartons on wrapped pallets, or something less? Are private-label cartons included or quoted separately?
- Pattern floors. For herringbone, are left and right blocks quoted as pairs?
Trade term and what it includes
The same floor quoted EXW and FOB covers different work. Under one term the buyer arranges loading, haulage to port and export clearance; under the other the seller does. Check that each quote names the term, the place and the edition, and compare quotes on the same term or convert them before comparing. The differences are explained in EXW vs FOB for hardwood flooring.
Documents and inspection
Two quotes can differ in what comes with the floor. Note on each line of your table:
- Compliance documents for your market, such as a CARB Phase 2 statement for engineered products entering the U.S. market.
- How quality is checked, and at which stages.
- Whether you or a third-party inspector can inspect before loading.
Closing the gaps
Once the table is filled in, send each supplier a short list of the blanks and differences, and ask them to requote on your specification exactly. When both quotes describe the same construction, wear layer, face width, length, grade, grain, finish, packing and trade term, the price comparison means what it appears to mean. When they still differ in one line, at least the difference is now visible and can be judged on its merits.
Which specification lines move a price is set out in engineered oak flooring cost drivers.
Checklist before comparing prices
- Both quotes state construction and core type
- Overall thickness and wear layer in both units
- Face width, not overall width
- Length range and how the mix is described
- Grade with a written definition, and grain stated
- Finish system, color, texture and sheen as separate lines
- Same quantity unit, same packing scope
- Same trade term, place and edition
Working with Vu Uy Wood
Vu Uy Wood manufactures solid and engineered French White Oak flooring to buyer specification in Song Than 3 Industrial Park, Ho Chi Minh City, and has done so since 2006. We review each specification and reply with a written quotation, and if a line is missing we ask rather than assume. The Specify page turns your selections into a written specification you can send to every supplier you are comparing. We normally reply within one working day.