An independent second opinion for homeowners

Something about the bid doesn't sit right?

Before you sign or pay a deposit, get an experienced contractor to show you what the proposal says, what it leaves unclear, and which questions deserve answers.

Have Jake review my bid See review options

You do not need to know exactly what is wrong. Tell Jake what is making you hesitate. He confirms the scope, fixed price, and delivery date before you pay.

Approximately 30 yearsResidential and light-commercial construction experience

Personally reviewedJake approves every customer-facing finding

Washington registeredGeneral contractor registration JTHCOC*798DU

Trust the hesitation

You do not have to prove the bid is wrong to ask for a second opinion.

Sometimes the price is the concern. Sometimes the number looks reasonable, but the scope is thin, the allowances are vague, or the payment terms feel too aggressive. The purpose of a review is to turn that uneasiness into specific questions before the commitment is made.

Tell Jake what does not sit right →

The total does not match the detail.A large number is supported by only a few vague lines, or important work discussed in person does not appear in writing.

The bids cannot be compared.Different contractors use different assumptions, materials, allowances, exclusions, and payment structures.

The answers keep moving.Responsibilities, selections, permits, cleanup, schedule, or change-order terms are still unclear when it is time to sign.

The deposit or payment schedule feels exposed.The money gets ahead of measurable progress, or the proposal does not clearly define what earns each payment.

What I review

The details most likely to become expensive later.

A low number is not a complete bid. The written assumptions, omissions, allowances, and payment terms determine what that number actually buys.

Scope

What work is actually included, what is described vaguely, and what appears to be missing.

Allowances

Whether allowance amounts identify materials, labor, quantities, selections, markups, and overage handling.

Exclusions

Work, fees, permits, cleanup, repairs, or responsibilities the proposal leaves with someone else.

Payments

Deposits, milestones, final-payment triggers, retainage, and language that should be tied to measurable progress.

Changes

How additional work is authorized, priced, documented, and approved before costs accumulate.

Closeout

Inspection, warranty, punch-list, lien-release, cleanup, and completion requirements that deserve written answers.

How it works

You see the terms before you pay.

Submitting a document does not start a clock or commit either side. Jake decides whether the request fits JTH’s scope and availability first.

Send the documents

Include the proposal, relevant photos, project location, decision deadline, and your main question.

Jake checks the fit

JTH evaluates size, completeness, service boundaries, and current availability.

Receive clear terms

JTH confirms the scope, fixed price, and delivery date in writing before requesting payment.

Get the review

Software assists with preparation. Jake verifies, corrects, applies judgment, and approves the final result.

Review options

Choose the depth that fits the decision.

The listed prices establish the service levels. JTH confirms that your material fits the selected option before payment.

Single document$99

Red-Flag Review

A focused review for one estimate, proposal, contract, or change order.

Up to 8 pages
Up to 10 photos
Arithmetic and consistency check
Up to five priority concerns
Questions to send the contractor

Full package$249

Bid & Scope Review

A fuller review of one bid package and the terms surrounding the work.

Up to 25 pages
Scope, allowances, and exclusions
Payments and change orders
Permit, warranty, cleanup, and closeout
Prioritized Decision Memo

Comparison$499

Side-by-Side Review

A normalized comparison when competing bids describe the work differently.

Up to 3 bids and 45 pages
Scope-normalized comparison
Missing-work and allowance review
Payment and schedule differences
Decision Memo and 30-minute call

Every assignment receives a written scope and delivery date before payment. Urgent work is accepted only when Jake expressly confirms the availability and deadline.

“Software helps me organize the details. I read the documents, make the judgment, and stand behind the answer.”Jake Richardson · JTH Contracting

The technology may do the work, but I'm the director.

Software may inventory files, extract written scope, check visible arithmetic, compare line items, and prepare preliminary observations.

Jake reads the supplied documents, corrects or rejects unsupported conclusions, applies approximately 30 years of construction experience, and personally approves every customer-facing finding.

JTH Contracting
Washington general contractor registration JTHCOC*798DU
Registered, bonded, and insured in Washington

Professional boundary

This is an educational remote document-review and construction-consulting service. It is not a site inspection, formal estimate, appraisal, legal opinion, engineering or architectural service, insurance-claim representation, permit approval, or guarantee of contractor pricing or performance. Findings are based only on the materials supplied by the customer.

Request a review

Send the proposal before you commit to it.

Answer a few short questions and attach the documents. Jake will confirm the scope, fixed price, and a realistic delivery date before you pay.

Start the intake Or email JTH

Questions homeowners ask

A bid can be expensive and still be fair—or cheap and still be dangerous.

Read the homeowner's bid-check guide →

Can Jake tell me whether the price is fair?

Jake can review the written scope, arithmetic, internal consistency, allowances, exclusions, and whether the price is supported by the detail supplied. A remote document review is not a local site estimate or a guarantee of market price.

Do I need to collect several bids first?

No. One bid is enough for a Red-Flag Review. If you already have two or three, the Side-by-Side Review normalizes the scope so the totals can be compared more honestly.

Will JTH contact my contractor?

Not by default. You receive plain-English findings and specific questions you can take back to the contractor. You stay in control of the relationship and the decision.

What if I have a signing deadline?

Include it in the intake. Jake reviews the request and confirms a realistic delivery date before you pay. Urgent work is accepted only when he expressly confirms the deadline.