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Doors, Frames & Hardware: what bids leave out
Door and hardware bids are often supply-only quotes that look complete. One bidder furnishes and installs frames, doors and every piece on the hardware schedule, including keying and electrified locks. Another supplies materials only, excludes installation, prices standard hardware, and leaves the access-control pieces to someone else. Read the fine print before you compare.
Level your door and hardware bids with this checklist →
Standard scope checklist
Send this to every bidder and ask them to mark each line Included, Excluded or give an Add $. Silence is not inclusion.
Sending it out? Use the free scope letter template to ask every bidder for line-item scope, inclusions, exclusions and alternates. Terms to know: exclusion.
| # | Scope item |
|---|---|
| 1 | Furnish only, or furnish and install |
| 2 | Door schedule and hardware schedule match (count every opening) |
| 3 | Hollow metal frames: type, gauge and anchors for each wall type |
| 4 | Doors: hollow metal, wood, or other per spec |
| 5 | Fire-rated doors and frames with labels where required (check local code/AHJ) |
| 6 | Factory finish, primer only, or field finishing |
| 7 | Vision lites and glass in doors |
| 8 | Hinges, locks / latches, closers, stops and silencers |
| 9 | Exit devices and panic hardware |
| 10 | Accessible hardware where required (check local code/AHJ) |
| 11 | Electrified hardware: electric strikes, maglocks, power transfers |
| 12 | Power supplies and wiring to electrified hardware (by low voltage or electrical) |
| 13 | Door operators (automatic openers) |
| 14 | Thresholds, weatherstripping and door sweeps |
| 15 | Kick plates, protection plates and wall bumpers |
| 16 | Keying: master key system, cores and number of keys |
| 17 | Construction cores vs. permanent cores |
| 18 | Door signage and room numbers (if in scope) |
| 19 | Frame installation in masonry vs. stud walls |
| 20 | Hardware adjustment and final punch |
| 21 | Attic stock and O&M / warranty documentation |
| 22 | Sales tax, freight and bond |
Common exclusions and how they are worded
| Exclusion | Typical wording | Why it matters | Typical cost to cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Installation |
| Supply-only quotes look far cheaper than furnish-and-install bids. Someone still has to hang the doors and set the hardware. | TBD |
| Electrified hardware |
| Card-reader doors need electrified locks, power transfers, power supplies and wiring. These pieces often fall between the door, electrical and low-voltage bids. | TBD |
| Keying |
| A master key system and permanent cores cost money and take lead time. Ask who sets up keying and how many keys you get. | TBD |
| Fire-rated openings |
| Rated doors and frames need the right labels and hardware to pass inspection. Confirm every rated opening on the plans is priced as rated. | TBD |
| Finishing |
| Primed frames and unfinished wood doors still need paint or stain. Make sure the painting bid or the door bid carries it. | TBD |
| Door operators |
| Automatic openers need the operator, actuators and power. They're easy to leave out and expensive to add late. | TBD |
| Hardware schedule gaps |
| If the schedule misses openings or the bidder swaps in a lower grade, you'll find out at punch. Count openings and confirm the grade matches spec. | TBD |
| Thresholds & weatherstripping |
| Exterior doors need thresholds, seals and sweeps. Without them you get drafts, water and gaps under the door. | TBD |
| Glass in doors |
| Vision lites in doors may be by the door supplier or the glazier. Make sure one bid carries the glass, rated where required. | TBD |
“Typical cost to cover” is TBD. We will publish ranges only once we have real, sourced data. Until then, use your own estimate or a confirmed add price from a bidder.
Questions to ask bidders
- Is this furnish and install, or materials only?
- Did you price every opening on the door schedule, and does your count match ours?
- Which electrified hardware, power supplies and wiring are in your scope?
- Is master keying with permanent cores included? How many keys?
- Are all fire-rated openings priced with labeled doors, frames and hardware?
- Are doors and frames factory finished, or is field finishing by others?
- Are automatic door operators included?
- Does your hardware grade match the spec, or are you proposing substitutions?
Bid-ready door and hardware contractors
Contractors who agree to price against the standard checklist above, with exclusions spelled out line by line. Listings are not live yet.
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Bids on the BidGaps checklist
Featured listing
Your company · City, ST
Bids on the BidGaps checklist